In the world of Empty Words (Content Minded Ep.104).

In the world of Empty Words (Content Minded Ep.104).

May 1, 2026 · 1h 15m · Season 1 · Episode 104

About this episode

The episode explores the decline of political discourse and language in the digital age through the lens of Foucault and Baudrillard's theories.

On this episode of Content Minded, I dive into the strange demise of political discourse and political language in the digital age using the power/knowledge period of writings from Michel Foucault and Jean Baudrillard’s critique of Foucault and a representational model of semiotics as it pertains of the Real. First is a look at an obscure wordpress article that was critiquing the pop kitsch art of photographer and director David Lachapelle, which led into a larger discussion of how we talk about politics, culture, art and reality in the age of the simulacrum of these things and self-referential regimes of signs. Then I discuss what I call “open” and “closed” platforms of discourse on the internet and how this shapes the way we even thing about and discuss ideology, culture, memes and political events. The latter half of the episode delves into Baudrillard’s critique of Foucault’s theory of power, and the problems with what I refer to as “pseudo-discourses” and “political discourse by-proxy”. Available in full on Patreon and Substack for only $5 a month, please help keep this good content flowing, and enjoy! Link to the Full Patreon Episode…

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