
Give Them An Argument
Give Them An Argument is a YouTube show and podcast dedicated to building a smarter, funnier and more strategic Left. New episodes are live on YouTube on Monday nights with an exclusive postgame for GTAA patrons after the main show. (To become a patron, go to patreon.com/benburgis and sign up for the monthly cost of a milkshake at a 50s nostalgia diner in 1994.) Past guests have included Slavoj Žižek, Richard Wolff, David Pizarro, Gregory Sadler, Glenn Greenwald, Krystal Ball, Bhaskar Sunkara, Sam Seder, Ana Kasparian, Emma Vigeland, Matt Christman, and Amber Frost. The show has also featured debates between host Ben Burgis and opponents ranging from Walter Block to Charlie Kirk.Ben is a philosophy professor, Jacobin columnist, and frequent debater. He did a regular "Debunk" segment on the Michael Brooks Show until 2020. He's appeared on the Debate Night with Charlie Kirk, System Update with Glenn Greenwald, Rising, Krystal, Kyle & Friends, the Majority Report w/Sam Seder & the Joe Rogan Experience.benburgis.compatreon.com/benburgis
Latest episodes

Nov 1, 2024 • 2h 35min
Season 6 Episode 38: Talking Palestine w/Deep State Kuba
Deep State Kuba joins Ben Burgis for a deep dive into the ongoing atrocities in Palestine--both debunking Zionist apologetics and pushing back against the dumb and counterproductive things leftists sometimes say in the name of Palestine solidarity and crafting a better and more effective message.Order Ben's pamphlet "Four Essays on Palestine" from Everyday Analysis:https://everyday-analysis.sellfy.store/p/four-essays-on-palestine-by-ben-burgis-print-and-digital-edition/Follow Kuba on Twitter: @DrKuba2Follow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

Oct 18, 2024 • 1h 50min
Season 6 Episode 37: The Catholic Left (and Also Some Protestants)
First-time guest Tony Annett and Matt "I Brought My Own Mic" McManus return for an in-depth look at thinkers like Alasdair McIntyre and Paul Tillich, the relationship between left-wing economic ideas and Catholic social teaching, and more. (Turns out that, while an adamant atheist when "in the streets" arguing about philosophy, Ben is "in the sheets" of political practice extremely friendly to this kind of thing.)The launch event for Ben's pamphlet "Four Essays on Palestine" is going to be in October 22nd at 7:30 PM in Los Angeles (at Lawless Brewing Co. in North Hollywood) w/a panel in the beer garden with Ben, Jason Myles and Ana Kasparian. Tickets come with a copy of the book:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/four-essays-on-palestine-launch-wben-burgis-ana-kasparian-jason-myles-tickets-1039381567247Or order the pamphlet from Everyday Analysis:https://everyday-analysis.sellfy.store/p/four-essays-on-palestine-by-ben-burgis-print-and-digital-edition/Read Tony's essay "The Theology of Social Democracy" at Commonweal:https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/theology-social-democracyRead Matt's essay "The Left Should Take Alasdair MacIntyre Seriously" at Jacobin:https://jacobin.com/2024/09/alasdair-macintyre-marxism-morality-liberalismFollow Matt on Twitter: @MattPolProfFollow Tony on Twitter: @tonyannettFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

Oct 12, 2024 • 1h 46min
Season 6 Episode 36: Debunking the Many Bad Arguments Made By Israel’s Apologists in the West
On the one-year anniversary of Hamas's atrocities on October 7th, which have been used as a pretext for unfathomably worse atrocities for the last year, Ben Burgis does an on-air version of his lecture "Debunking the Many Bad Arguments Made By Israel’s Apologists in the West" which he gave as a teach-in at the encampment at Princeton last April, and before that as a presentation to Metro Detroit DSA & Wayne State University YDSA. (Sadly, we couldn't line up anyone to record either of those!) Before that, Ben and the crew talk about the VP debate, the successful strike that shut down ports across the East Coast last week (and the shameful failure of many liberals to support it), and a petition to posthumously exonerate Ethel Rosenberg. In the postgame for patrons, they watch Ta-Nehesi Coates being grilled on CBS.The launch event for Ben's pamphlet "Four Essays on Palestine" is going to be in October 22nd at 7:30 PM in Los Angeles (at Lawless Brewing Co. in North Hollywood) w/a panel in the beer garden with Ben, Jason Myles and Ana Kasparian. Tickets come with a copy of the book:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/four-essays-on-palestine-launch-wben-burgis-ana-kasparian-jason-myles-tickets-1039381567247Or order the pamphlet from Everyday Analysis:https://everyday-analysis.sellfy.store/p/four-essays-on-palestine-by-ben-burgis-print-and-digital-edition/Sing the Ethel Rosenberg petition:https://www.rfc.org/exonerate-ethel?utm_id=120213379584320359Read the MSNBC article about the strike on the docks:https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/dock-workers-strike-sent-powerful-message-bosses-workers-rcna173849Follow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

Oct 12, 2024 • 1h 40min
Season 6 Episode 35: Ukraine War Update w/Danny & Derek from American Prestige
We talk some Marxism, and then Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison of the American Prestige podcast join us to talk about their article "America Must Grapple With the Limits of Ukraine's Kursk Offensive":https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/america-must-grapple-limits-ukraines-kursk-offensive-212795Order Ben's Palestine pamphlet:https://everyday-analysis.sellfy.store/p/four-essays-on-palestine-by-ben-burgis-print-and-digital-edition/Petition for the Smith College workers:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScJQYFJvYHoxnVFEBJfKqNR3eeyvWrc5RTw4zsYpBcEgSZpyw/viewformFollow Danny on Twitter: @dbessnerFollow Derek on Twitter: @dwdavisonFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

Sep 20, 2024 • 1h 55min
Season 6 Episode 34: Inequality Debate w/Will Cooper/Anti-Haitian Racism from Yarvin to Trump
Will Cooper, op-ed columnist and author of "How America Works ... And Why It Doesn't," joins Ben Burgis for a friendly debate on how much economic inequality is too much. In an article for Newsweek, Cooper argued that America is much too unequal but he also said that:"And, importantly, there's nothing necessarily wrong with some people getting rich. A relatively large amount of inequality should even be encouraged. Hard work and ingenuity should be rewarded, as wealth first needs to be created before it can be redistributed. And business success stories motivate others to innovate and take risks that improve society at large. Innovation would plummet if entrepreneurs had severe caps on their income."As a socialist, Ben has a different perspective! So, lots to talk about.Before that, Ben and the crew look at the spiraling insanity coming out of Trump and Vance signal-boosting insane racist urban legends about Haitian refugees, and look back at the taste of the virulent anti-Haitian racism on the contemporary Right that Ben got two years ago when he debated Curtis Yarvin. Finally, Mean Djene Bajalan joins for the postgame for patrons. A good time all around.Order Ben's "Four Essays on Palestine":https://everyday-analysis.sellfy.store/p/four-essays-on-palestine-by-ben-burgis-print-and-digital-edition/Read Will's Newsweek piece:https://www.newsweek.com/there-too-much-inequality-america-opinion-1900008Get his book:https://www.amazon.com/How-America-Works-Why-Doesnt/dp/1802472061?dplnkId=54bafbb6-a95d-4ab0-9465-bbfca4be83a7Follow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

Sep 13, 2024 • 2h 4min
Season 6 Episode 33: Norm Finkelstein on Robin DiAngelo/Matt McManus on Charlie Kirk
Stormin' Norman Finkelstein joins us in the first half of the show to talk to Ben Burgis about the rise and fall of Robin DiAngelo. Then for the second half we switch to examining the other side of the aisle with a conversation with Matt McManus about his very funny review of Charlie Kirk's latest....let's just say "book," "Right-Wing Revolution: How to Beat the Woke and Save the West." Last but not least, Matt's sticks around the postgame for patrons, where we may look into Matt Walsh's thoughts about movies.Read Matt's Kirk review:https://sublationmedia.com/beating-the-woke-by-friendly-deception/Order Ben's "Four Essays on Palestine":https://everyday-analysis.sellfy.store/p/four-essays-on-palestine-by-ben-burgis-print-and-digital-edition/Read Norm's Substack:https://normanfinkelstein.substack.com/Follow Norm on Twitter: @normfinkelsteinFollow Matt on Twitter: @mattpolprofFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

Sep 6, 2024 • 2h 19min
Season 6 Episode 32: Debating Palestine w/Walter Block
Do Palestinians have the same rights as everyone else, or have they collectively forfeited these rights by being "criminals"? In an article for Merion West, libertarian economist Walter Block argued the latter:https://merionwest.com/2024/06/07/yes-to-a-palestinian-state-just-not-inside-or-right-next-to-israel/Ben Burgis responded:https://merionwest.com/2024/06/10/in-reply-to-walter-block-relocation-should-be-off-the-table/...and Walter responded to that:https://merionwest.com/2024/07/06/why-i-stand-by-relocation-a-rejoinder-to-ben-burgis/Now here's the debate.Link for Andy's fundraiser so he can keep making art for this show!https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-j-andrew-world-replace-his-ipadFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

Aug 30, 2024 • 2h 24min
Season 6 Episode 31: Mastering the Universe w/Rob Larson
The people's econ prof, Rob Larson, joins us to talk about his new book, "Mastering the Universe: The Obscene Wealth of the Ruling Class, What They Do With Their Money, and Why You Should Hate Them Even More." Before that, Ben and the crew talk about the highlights and the (sadly more numerous) lowlights of the DNC. In the postgame for patrons, they watch Tim Pool be very confused about labor unions.Contribute to Andy's GoFundMe so he can continue making great art for this show, for his own show, the Substack, etc.:https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-j-andrew-world-replace-his-ipadPreorder Ben's pamphlet "Four Essays on Palestine" from Everyday Analysis:https://everyday-analysis.sellfy.store/p/four-essays-on-palestine-by-ben-burgis-print-and-digital-edition/Order Rob's book:https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2215-mastering-the-universeFollow Rob on Twitter: @IronicProfessorFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

Aug 26, 2024 • 1h 57min
Season 6 Episode 30: Is Kamala a Kammunist? Is Vance a Populist? (ft. Nathan J. Robinson)
Current Affairs editor Nathan J. Robinson joins us once again to talk about Peter Thiel's favorite "populist," J.D. Vance, the (sadly inaccurate) hysteria from Trump, Musk and the New York Post about Kamala Harris being to the left of Bernie and possibly even a revolutionary communist, and his "anti-socialist bingo" card. Before that, Ben and the crew take a moment to remember Michael Brooks, whose 41st birthday would have been last Tuesday. No postgame this week--sorry about that, it's Ben's neighbor on Podcast Street Jason's birthday today so Ben promised to wrap things up by 7 West Coast time--but we'll make the main show worthwhile.Read Nathan at Current Affairs:https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/author/nathan-j-robinsonPreorder Ben's pamphlet "Four Essays on Palestine" from Everyday Analysis:https://everyday-analysis.sellfy.store/p/four-essays-on-palestine-by-ben-burgis-print-and-digital-edition/Follow Nathan on Twitter: @nathanjrobinsonFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com

Aug 16, 2024 • 2h 7min
Season 6 Episode 29: Lukacs and the Destruction of Reason
Matt McManus and Daniel Tutt join Ben Burgis to talk about Marxist theoretician Georg Lukács's analysis of right-wing thought in his book, "The Destruction of Reason."Preorder Ben's pamphlet "Four Essays on Palestine" from Everyday Analysis:https://everyday-analysis.sellfy.store/p/four-essays-on-palestine-by-ben-burgis-print-and-digital-edition/Read Daniel's article on Lukács:https://cosmonautmag.com/2022/02/the-question-of-worldview-and-class-struggle-in-philosophy-on-the-relevance-of-lukacss-worldview-marxism-and-the-destruction-of-reason/Read Matt's article on Lukács:https://jacobin.com/2023/09/georg-lukacs-irrationalism-right-wing-thought-philosophyFollow Matt on Twitter: @MattPolProfFollow Daniel on Twitter: @DanielTuttFollow Ben on Twitter: @BenBurgisFollow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_ShowBecome a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from patron-exclusive postgames every Monday night to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going:patreon.com/benburgisRead the weekly philosophy Substack:benburgis.substack.comVisit benburgis.com