Unf*cking The Republic

Today we get to all live tuition free inside the head of one of the most prominent intellectuals on the left, Ben Burgis. Ben is a Jacobin columnist, an adjunct philosophy professor at Rutgers University, and the host of the YouTube show and podcast Give Them An Argument. He’s also the author of several books including  Give Them an Argument: Logic for the Left, Canceling Comedians While the World...

In today's episode of Show Notes, Max & 99 talk 'Don't Sweat The Election' + 'Mental Health Care in America' feedback, and spend plenty of time lightening the mood with pop culture tangents. Enjoy! Resources To access the Premium Newsletter, become a member today! The Ringer: Dewey Cox Ain’t Dead: An Oral History of ‘Walk Hard’ -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out t...

Some of you are upset that I’ve targeted Biden so much lately given the threat of another Trump term. We’ve hashed and rehashed this on Show Notes but I did a little soul searching on my own to address this situation. We’re off to a strong start this year in terms of our editorial calendar but I’ve been finding it difficult to dig further into several topics knowing that there’s a growing sense of...

Max and 99 take some time to read feedback from the mental health episode. Unf*ckers were very gracious with their submissions and openness. Thank you all! Chapters Intro: 00:00:20 Emails: 00:10:21 Social Shout Outs: 01:07:46 Memberships + Donations: 01:13:21 Reviews: 01:15:18 Outro: 01:16:33 This Episode Online Show Notes Essay Resources Video Resources Snopes: Is PETA Stealing and Killing Pets?...

Back-to-back wins in Iowa and New Hampshire have the nation bracing for a rematch between Trump and Biden. This episode explores how other nations are dealing with the ‘strongman’ wannabe dictator phenomenon. Maybe there are lessons to glean from the experiences of other countries. So in that spirit we’re going to do some globetrotting to look at three countries in two states of authoritarianism a...

This week’s episode examines the connection between capitalism and declining mental health in the United States. From the pressure the system places on workers to its ruthless manner of discarding those who suffer from mental illness, capitalism has become a central figure in the mental health narrative in frightening ways. This Episode Online Essay Resources Video Resources National Institute of...

In today's Show Notes Max and 99 catch up and discuss the most recent two episodes. Enjoy! Resources UNFTR Memberships UNFTR Resource Directory NPR: The pope wants surrogacy banned. Here's why one advocate says that's misguided Unf*cker Recommendations David Fleming: Lean Logic: A Dictionary for the Future and How to Survive It -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the v...

In response to a number of listeners suggesting that Max be less dismissive of religion and pay attention to the UNFTR creed of meeting people where they are, Max invited his friend Reverend Roger Williams on the show. The wide ranging discussion covers fundamentalist interpretations of the Bible, the struggle Black Americans have aligning with political parties, and how the next generation of vot...

Max shakes off the cobwebs to take stock of where the country is as we head into 2024. In this “Max Unfiltered” take to start the year he examines the tension between the past and present. Has the arc of history bent toward progress? Sure. But it's maddening to know that there is still so much unnecessary suffering in the world when the U.S. has the capacity to solve so much of it both at home and...

In this episode, the team winds down 2023 with a very special edition of Show Notes. Max and 99 experience peak silliness as they discuss the new UNFTR website, headlines, and hear from a special guest. Happy holidays Unf*ckers! Chapters Intro: 00:00:20 Hold Fast Theme: 00:11:39 Headlines: 00:26:41 Emails: 00:37:03 Social Shout Outs: 01:23:01 YouTube Shout Outs: 01:28:41 Buy Me A Coffee Membership...

Our series on The Carter Years looks back at the brief but remarkable tenure of President Jimmy Carter. In Part One we cover Carter's rise to the Presidency. Part Two peers into the first half of the White House years to understand the challenges that faced the new administration. In Part Three, trouble brews from within the Democratic ranks, and the global economy plus several bad actors abroad c...

There was a time when we listened to scientists. Believe it or not, it actually happened in the 1980s. Under Ronald Reagan. (Don’t get me wrong, he’s still a quasi-villain in this story.) When set against the backdrop of Cop28 being run by an oil and gas executive, that time we banned a whole bunch of products and chemicals in the 80s will make you wistful. When scientists discovered a hole in the...

In today’s Show Notes Max and 99 review the schedule for the rest of December and trade some stories on the heels of the (thankfully) lighter Quickie episode. Enjoy! Listen to the corresponding episode. Chapters Intro: 00:00:20 Headlines: 00:03:41 Emails: 00:30:30 Facebook Shout Outs: 01:25:20 YouTube Shout Outs: 01:26:55 Buy Me A Coffee Memberships + Donations: 01:28:27 Outro: 01:28:43 Headlines...

Today’s Quickie predicts the three men who will combine to beat Joe Biden next November. Can you guess any one of them? Chapters Intro: 00:00:12 Subject One: 00:01:12 Subject Two: 00:06:35 Subject Three: 00:11:30 Outro: 00:17:51 Sketch: 00:19:54 Post Show Musings: 00:22:26 Resources The Guardian: ‘Steve Bannon is watching us closely’: Naomi Klein on populists, conspiracists and real-world activism...

This week's Show Notes has Max and 99 catching up on the last three episodes; they cover more Palestine series feedback from the Unf*ckers, and announced some exciting holiday merch! Resources Holiday Merch Shop Coffee UNFTR Bookshop.org Shop UNFTR Episode Resources Palestine: An Introduction. The Land Imperialism Left Behind. Palestine: Part One. The Jewish Question. Palestine: Part Two. The Pale...

The epilogue to the Palestine series is an essay from Max that draws upon personal experience and reveals what he learned from putting together these episodes. The conclusions are far from uplifting. In fact, they’re dire. Resources Marxists.org: Leon Trotsky on Zionism   Council on Foreign Relations: What to Know About the Arab Citizens of Israel PBS: Parallel Realities - Resolution 242 And The A...

Rashid Khalidi is the Edward Said Professor of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University. Professor Khalidi received his BA from Yale in 1970, and Doctor of Philosophy from Oxford in 1974. He's co-editor of the Journal of Palestine Studies and was president of the Middle East Studies Association, and an advisor to the Palestinian delegation to the Madrid and Washington Arab-Israeli Peace negotiat...

The final installment of our series on Israel/Palestine covers the Arab Revolts of the late 1930s through present day, highlighting the agreements, wars, uprisings and accords that explain how the chasm widened between Jews and Palestinians, and why every attempt at reconciling the two sides has failed. It’s a sweeping narrative that involves generational actors, imperial interests of neighboring...

Today's Show Notes features more Palestine Series feedback, some punch ins from Manny Faces, and a smattering of Max and 99 tangents. Enjoy! Chapters Intro: 00:00:20 Headlines: 00:17:00 Emails: 00:31:02 Instagram Shout Outs: 01:06:50 Buy Me A Coffee Memberships + Donations: 01:08:37 Outro: 01:09:56 Resources Fall Fund-Friend-Hell-Raiser: Leave us a review . It really helps people find the podcast!...

Part Two of our series on Israel/Palestine turns back the clock to examine the time period from Part One but from the Palestinian perspective. By establishing the foundation of the conflict in parallel, it helps organize internal and external events that explain sympathies toward Jews and Palestinians alike. This episode digs into the cultural underpinnings of Arab society in the 19th and early 20...

Today’s Show Notes covers all the feedback Max and 99 received from the Palestine: Part One episode. Give it a listen, Unf*ckers! Chapters Intro: 00:00:20 Headlines: 00:05:18 Emails: 00:26:13 YouTube Shout Outs: 01:11:53 Reviews: 01:22:16 Buy Me A Coffee Memberships + Donations: 01:22:35 Outro: 01:23:07 UNFTR Episode Resources Palestine: An Introduction. The Land Imperialism Left Behind. Palestine...

Every story has a beginning. Every conflict has its roots. For some, the Israel/Palestine conflict is rooted in scripture and written in blood. Others claim it boils down to a deadly dispute over real estate. There’s a reason why “peace in the Middle East” feels out of reach and why so many have thrown their hands up. It’s complicated. But it’s not impossible to understand. We begin our journey in...

Max and 99 catch up in today's Show Notes, discussing Palestine intro feedback, why Boomers love their generation, and the canon of UNFTR songs. Enjoy! Chapters Intro: 00:00:20 Headlines: 00:23 Emails: 00:39:37 Facebook Shout Outs: 00:59:53 Instagram Shout Outs: 01:08:54 YouTube Shout Outs: 01:12:08 Buy Me A Coffee Memberships + Donations: 01:32:31 Reviews: 01:33:29  Outro: 01:34:52 Headlines The...

You've heard him on the pod. You know the magic of his sound design. But do you really know "Manny Faces?" Long-time, award winning Hip-Hop journalist and activist Manny Faces joins Max in studio to talk about Hip-Hop culture and its underreported influence on education, the criminal justice system and activism. If you listen/watch you’ll also be introduced to the coining of the phrase, “pimping o...

Max finally takes aim at the Israel/Palestine conflict with an introduction that frames the approach for the mini-series and sets guardrails for what will undoubtedly be an emotional journey for many UNFTR listeners. This episode answers why we decided to tackle this issue and how we’re examining it through a socioeconomic lens and Marxist view of history. It also dismisses two foundational decept...