JRE 1783 · June 27, 2024

Ben Burgis

politicscomedyphilosophyculture

Who is Ben Burgis?

Ben Burgis is a columnist for Jacobin Magazine, an adjunct philosophy professor at Morehouse College, and the host of the podcast and YouTube show “Give Them An Argument.” He's the author of several books including “Christopher Hitchens: What He Got Right, How He Went Wrong, and Why He Still Matters” and “Canceling Comedians While the World Burns: A Critique of the Contemporary Left.”

Topics and Timestamps

01Ben Burgis discusses his book 'Canceling Comedians While the World Burns' and critiques contemporary left-wing cancel culture tactics
02Conversation explores the tension between free speech principles and accountability in comedy and public discourse
03Ben analyzes Christopher Hitchens' legacy and what the left got wrong about his political positions
04Discussion covers how ideological purity tests have become counterproductive to building effective political movements
05Ben examines the difference between legitimate criticism and performative call-out culture on social media
06Joe and Ben debate the role of comedy in challenging power structures versus amplifying harmful views
▶Ben introduces his book's central thesis about cancel culture and the left0:00:00
▶Discussion of how social media performativity has changed the nature of political criticism0:15:00
▶Ben defends and critiques Christopher Hitchens' legacy0:35:00
▶Joe and Ben debate the role of comedy in challenging versus amplifying harmful ideas1:00:00
▶Conversation about building coalitions versus ideological purity testing in politics1:45:00

The Show

In JRE 1783, Joe sits down with Ben Burgis, a Jacobin columnist and adjunct philosophy professor whose work focuses on political criticism and cultural analysis. The conversation centers on Ben's book 'Canceling Comedians While the World Burns,' which takes a critical look at how the contemporary left approaches accountability and criticism, particularly within comedy and entertainment.

Ben makes the case that while criticism is healthy and necessary, the way cancel culture operates has become increasingly performative and counterproductive. He argues that the left often alienates potential allies by treating disagreements as moral failures rather than opportunities for persuasion and debate. Joe and Ben explore how comedy has historically been a space for challenging power structures, but the current environment of social media call-outs has created a chilling effect on comedians willing to take risks.

The discussion touches on Christopher Hitchens and what the left misunderstood about his positions. Ben defends Hitchens on certain critiques while acknowledging his legitimate failures, particularly around foreign policy. This leads into broader conversation about intellectual honesty and the importance of engaging with people you disagree with rather than simply dismissing them.

Throughout the episode, Ben emphasizes that building effective political movements requires coalition-building, not purity testing. He critiques the tendency of online leftists to spend more energy attacking those slightly to their right than engaging with actual power structures. Joe pushes back on some points but seems genuinely interested in understanding Ben's framework for thinking about these issues.

The conversation also covers how comedy as a medium requires the freedom to explore uncomfortable territory, and how the current cultural moment has made that increasingly difficult. Ben and Joe discuss specific examples of comedians facing backlash and what those situations reveal about how we've shifted our understanding of accountability and consequences.

Best Quotes

“The problem isn't criticism, it's that we've turned criticism into a performance for an audience of people who already agree with you”

— Ben Burgis