Populism is one of the most talked-about ideas in modern politics, but what does it actually mean?

In this episode of Fed Up, But Figuring It Out, we unpack the rise of populism, why politicians across the political spectrum claim to represent "the people," and how the term has evolved from a political movement into a powerful branding tool.

We explore the relationship between populism and meritocracy, the tension between expertise and representation, and why so many self-proclaimed populist leaders come from the very elite institutions they claim to oppose. We examine what separates authentic representation from political performance.

Most importantly, we ask a deeper question: Who gets included when politicians talk about "the people", and who gets left out?

If you've ever wondered why every politician claims they're fighting for ordinary people, this episode is for you.

Sources:

BBC Ideas. (2019, February). Populism explained | A-Z of ISMs Episode 16 - BBC Ideas. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5U61HGQ-OQ

Cole, T. A. (2025, November 13). To reform meritocracy, put character at the center. MIT Sloan Management Review. https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/to-reform-meritocracy-put-character-at-the-center/ Cultural populism.

ECPS. (n.d.). https://www.populismstudies.org/Vocabulary/cultural-populism/

Friedman, S., Ellersgaard, C., Reeves, A., & Larsen, A. G. (2023). The meaning of merit: Talent versus hard work legitimacy. Social Forces, 102(3), 861–879. https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/soad131

Kandpal, E. (2025, September). A Populism That’s Really of the People? Poverty, Protest, and Regime Collapse in South Asia. Center for Global Development. https://www.cgdev.org/blog/populism-thats-really-people-poverty-protest-and-regime-collapse-south-asia

Laycock, D. (2019). Populism in Canada. The Canadian Encyclopedia. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/populism

Molloy, D. (2018, March 6). What is populism, and what does the term actually mean?. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-43301423

Sandel, M. J. (2021, January). The myth of meritocracy. Harvard Gazette. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2021/01/the-myth-of-meritocracy-according-to-michael-sandel/

York University. (2025, April 1). What is populism?. Observatory of Populism in Canada. https://www.yorku.ca/research/robarts/observatory-populism/what-is-populism/

What if empathy isn’t weakness, but one of the bravest and most radical skills we can develop?

In this episode of Fed Up, But Figuring It Out, we explore why empathy has become so controversial in modern culture and politics. From the rise of anti-“woke” rhetoric to burnout, vulnerability, leadership, capitalism, and social division, this episode explores how empathy challenges systems built on fear, hierarchy, and disconnection.

Drawing on insights from Brené Brown and real-world political and cultural examples, this conversation breaks down the difference between empathy and sympathy, why vulnerability terrifies people, and how empathy can become a form of rebellion in a polarized world.

If you’ve ever wondered why compassion is mocked, why empathy feels exhausting, or why caring about other people has become political, this episode is for you.

Sources:

The Canadian Press. (2025, April 23). Pierre Poilievre says he’ll end “woke ideology” - he isn’t saying what that means. CTV News. https://www.ctvnews.ca/federal-election-2025/article/pierre-poilievre-says-hell-end-woke-ideology-he-isnt-saying-what-that-means/

Meechan , F., McCann , L., & Cooper , C. (2022). The importance of empathy and compassion in organizations: Why there is so little, and why we need more. Exploring the Connections between Critical and Contemporary Social Theory and the Sociology of Culture, 145–163. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781839103261.00017

The RSA. (2013, December 10). Brené Brown on Empathy. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Evwgu369Jw

TED. (2011, January). The Power of Vulnerability | Brené Brown | TED. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCvmsMzlF7o

Tsang M. (2013). The importance of empathy--as I have studied and experienced it. Hawai'i journal of medicine & public health: a journal of Asia Pacific Medicine & Public Health, 72(9 Suppl 4), 79–80.

Why are fantasy stories written by women treated like guilty pleasures while male-centered fantasy is praised as genius world-building? In this episode of Fed Up, But Figuring It Out, we dive into the double standards surrounding romance, fantasy, and “women’s literature.”

From Harry Potter and Percy Jackson to Throne of Glass, this episode explores how the stories we grow up with shape empathy, emotional literacy, and whose perspectives are considered “universal.” We unpack why women’s fantasy is so often dismissed as “porn,” while violent or sexually explicit male fantasy rarely faces the same criticism.

This conversation also examines the neuroscience and cultural impact of porn versus romance novels, the role of emotional intimacy in women’s storytelling, the patriarchy present in reading culture, and why reading female perspectives matters for everyone, not just women.

Drawing on feminist thought, reading statistics, BookTok culture, and personal reflections as an avid fantasy reader, this episode asks a bigger question: what does it say about our society when stories centered on women’s emotions, safety, and desire are mocked instead of respected?

Sources:

Carroll, J. (2023, April 18). Porn Gap: Difference in men and women pornography patterns. Wheatley Institute. https://wheatley.byu.edu/family/porn-gap-difference-in-men-and-women-pornography-patterns

Iyengar, S. (2025, January). The Men-Women Split in Reading is Real—and Persists Amid Historical Rate Declines. National Endowment for the Arts. https://www.arts.gov/stories/blog/2025/men-women-split-reading-real-and-persists-amid-historical-rate-declines

Snitow, A. B. (1994). Mass Market Romance: Pornography for Women Is Different. In Living With Contradictions (1st ed.). Chapter, Routledge.

Tylka, T. L. (2015). No harm in looking, right? Men’s pornography consumption, body image, and well-being. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 16(1), 97–107. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035774