The Ben Shapiro Show: Ep. 2274 - "IT WILL NEVER DIE: Democrats Unleash New Brand of WOKE"

Date: September 5, 2025
Host: Ben Shapiro
Podcast: The Daily Wire

Episode Overview

This episode examines the evolution of "wokeism" within the Democratic Party, with Ben Shapiro arguing that as traditional racial and gender-based forms of wokeness fade, Democrats are pivoting to "economic wokeness" rooted in populist, anti-capitalist rhetoric. Shapiro draws direct parallels between economic populist messaging and old-school Marxist ideas, expressing concern that this fresh narrative poses significant risks to America’s foundational economic principles. The episode also features investigative reporting by The Daily Wire on a Gaza-related humanitarian hoax, critiques on media narratives about Israel, and lively commentary on political figures including Zoran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo, and RFK Jr.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Shift from “Peak Woke” to “Economic Wokeness”

[03:39–16:45]

• Shapiro reflects on the supposed decline of "peak woke" ideologies focused on race and transgender issues but contends that a new form—"economic wokeness"—is rising in its place.
• Definition of 'Wokeness': An ideology that views disparities between groups as proof of discrimination, thus justifying systemic overhaul.
• With the waning influence of racial/transgender wokeness, Shapiro claims Democrats are reviving classic Marxist-style arguments that frame economic disparity as proof of capitalist discrimination.
• Two Wings of the Democratic Party:
  • Abundance Wing: (Ezra Klein, Derek Thompson) Focus on growing wealth and deregulating for abundance.
  • Populist Wing: Leans into anti-billionaire, anti-corporation rhetoric; as per a new Politico-cited memo, this approach resonates more with working-class voters.
• Quote:

  “Economic wokeness mirrors exactly the same argument as racial wokeness or trans wokeness, except it applies to economic categories.” — Ben Shapiro (06:34)

2. Populist Economic Messaging & Its Risks

[07:56–12:39]

• The new Democratic memo recommends prioritizing messaging that targets billionaires and large corporations over bureaucratic reform.
• Shapiro warns that economic populism, rooted in grievance and “blaming the system,” has broad appeal and could be used to justify tearing down the free market.
• He provides statistics on U.S. economic mobility to challenge the populist narrative, stating that over 60% born in the bottom income quintile move up as adults.
• Quote:

  “It’s one thing to claim America is racist… When it comes to the economy, the easiest pitch is: If you’re having a tough time, I can fix it by ripping down this guy — that billionaire should not exist.” — Ben Shapiro (11:40)

3. Defense of Free Markets and Private Property

[17:47–27:50]

• Shapiro launches into a philosophical defense of property rights, innovation, and capitalism, referencing both scripture and Locke.
• Criticizes comments by Senator Tim Kaine equating belief in rights from God (not government) with theocratic regimes.
• Quote:

  “Private property is good because you ought to retain the fruits of your labor… Free markets are an outgrowth of private property.” — Ben Shapiro (16:59)

• Draws from his book to argue that property and ownership instincts are both moral and natural, not arbitrary social constructs.

4. New York Mayoral Race & The Dangers of Populist Scapegoating

[28:00–33:30]

• Comments on the crowded New York mayoral race and portrays Zoran Mamdani as emblematic of the “economic scavenger” mentality.
• Draws on Stefan Zweig’s observations of America as a land of opportunity and commerce, warning that new “woke” populism threatens that legacy.
• Quote:

  “Economic wokeness makes the same argument that no matter how hard you try, you just can’t get ahead. And you know what? That’s not true.” — Ben Shapiro (33:02)

5. Daily Wire Investigative Reporting: Gaza Humanitarian Hoax

[34:32–44:54]

• Daily Wire uncovers a viral falsehood: Ex-Gaza Humanitarian Fund contractor Tony Aguilar accused the IDF of killing a boy named Amir, widely publicized by Tucker Carlson and MSNCB.
• Brent Scher, Daily Wire Editor-in-Chief, details how reporter Cassie Akiva found inconsistencies, proving the child (“Abood”) was alive; story was weaponized in anti-Israel propaganda.
• Quote:

  “It was the small details of what Tony Aguilar was saying that didn’t really jive with facts on the ground or what was seen in other footage.” — Brent Scher (37:57)

• Discussion on media’s slow correction and the dangers of stories that “go around the world before the truth can get its pants on.”

6. Media Narratives & Anti-Israel Claims

[44:55–53:13]

• Critiques claims that American support for Israel is driven by “AIPAC money” or Jewish donors, referencing recent statements by podcasters and comedians like Andrew Schulz and Tim Dillon.
• Questions the morality of these critiques, pointing out the hypocrisy of entertainers performing in authoritarian regimes like Saudi Arabia for large sums.
• Quote:

  “If the claim you make is that all of our politics is run by secret money… you should be kind of careful about the people stuffing money in your pockets, shouldn’t you?” — Ben Shapiro (50:20)

7. Capitol Hill: RFK Jr., CDC, and Vaccine Debates

[53:14–57:21]

• RFK Jr. is grilled in a Senate hearing about COVID-19 vaccine stances — accused of contradicting himself about vaccine effectiveness and related deaths.
• Senator Bill Cassidy presses RFK Jr. for clarity on vaccine positions; Shapiro highlights the need for data-driven public health debates rather than suspicion-seeding or politicization.
• Quote:

  “If the purpose of the question is not to elicit an answer but just to seed suspicion, that is in and of itself a bit of a problem.” — Ben Shapiro (57:01)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The easiest way to debunk these sort of racial wokeness idea… is you can always point to a group that outperforms white people… When it comes to economic wokeness, there will always be some people who are poorer than other people.” — Ben Shapiro (09:35)
• “[Communism] always ends with coercion… The free market is not rooted in some sort of peculiar institution created by rich people.” — Ben Shapiro (17:12)
• “There’s no point, no dollar point, where if you earn above this dollar amount, suddenly you’re now a bad person. That’s ridiculous.” — Ben Shapiro (25:13)
• “It is not a genocide. It’s a war. Israel has been extraordinarily meticulous, actually, in its pursuit of the war.” — Ben Shapiro (44:55)
• “The lie can make its way all the way around the world before the truth can get its pants on in the morning.” — Ben Shapiro & Brent Scher (40:12, 43:20)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:39 – Start of main content, Shapiro on the “next stage of wokeism”
• 06:34 – Introduction to “economic wokeness” and the abundance vs. populist Democratic divide
• 11:40 – Critique of economic grievance and its political dangers
• 16:59 – Philosophical defense of private property and free markets
• 18:45 – Senate exchange: Tim Kaine vs. Ted Cruz on rights from God vs. government
• 25:13 – Discussion on wealth, morality, and economic mobility
• 28:00 – New York mayoral race, Zoran Mamdani, and economic populism in practice
• 34:32 – Introduction to the Gaza Humanitarian hoax report
• 37:25 – Brent Scher provides details on investigative process
• 43:41 – Media responsibility for uncritically spreading misinformation
• 46:22 – Critique of AIPAC/“Jew money” narratives in media, podcast, and comedic circles
• 53:14 – RFK Jr. Senate hearing on COVID-19; discussion of public health policy debate

Summary & Flow

Ben Shapiro’s episode is a powerful, polemical critique of what he characterizes as a strategic pivot within the Democratic Party away from “peak” social justice wokeness toward an even broader economic grievance populism—what he dubs "economic wokeness." He warns this new narrative threatens American prosperity by demonizing free markets, property rights, and the mechanics of capitalism itself, cloaked in the language of populist grievance.

The episode is bracing and urgent in tone, propped up by a whirlwind of contemporary references—Democratic Party memos, investigative journalism, and live political kerfuffles. Shapiro fortifies his arguments with history, economics, and philosophy, before moving to real-world examples: exposing a viral anti-Israel hoax publicized on major media, and dissecting heated Congressional testimony on public health.

With recurring satire and pointed language, Shapiro’s message resounds: the blowback against classic “woke” politics hasn’t ended the culture war, but migrated its battle lines into the field of economic identity and redistribution, where he urges a robust defense of American economic fundamentals.

Listen If...

• You’re interested in the evolving landscape of identity and economic politics in the U.S.
• You want a conservative analysis on the narrative strategies of the Democratic Party.
• You appreciate media criticism and the unpacking of high-profile hoaxes/misinformation.
• You want to hear sharp debates about capitalism, populism, and their moral underpinnings.

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