Contemporary thought can take place in obscure seminars, ponderous conferences, academic papers, or essays that are read and discussed only by the most dedicated intellectuals. But there are a few authors who leap beyond these circles and reach a wider audience, stirring up great passions.

On September 26, 2025, Judith Butler – an icon of contemporary thought and a fundamental pillar of queer theory – was at the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid for a public conversation with Joseba Elola, a journalist with EL PAÍS. We are witnessing the restoration of patriarchy and racism was the headline of the article that was later published.

Long lines formed to receive Butler; many people were left outside. Their talk unfolded amidst a thunderous, attentive silence, interrupted by frequent ovations, as well as shouts that are more typical of fandom. At the end, the entire auditorium rose to its feet.

The list of these “rock star intellectuals” is all over the place, but it has a common thread: Butler, Slavoj Žižek, Byung-Chul Han, Thomas Piketty, Yuval Noah Harari, or even Mark Fisher, who achieved great posthumous success. What makes some thinkers become celebrities of thought?

Besides originality and depth, other factors come into play, such as the ability to generate useful concepts in a time of great uncertainty, as well as the ease with which one moves in broader cultural circles. “Thinkers behave like small businesses, seeking to maximize their visibility in the marketplace of ideas,” writes Stefano Micali (with biting sarcasm) in his book, How to be a Successful Philosopher: A Guide to Contemporary Thought, forthcoming in December 2026.

The Italian philosopher classifies these bestselling authors and describes some of their argumentative tricks and public stances. For example, he distinguishes three “paths to success.” The first is the one taken by thinkers like Byung-Chul Han and Giorgio Agamben: they’re the prophets of dystopia, supposedly the only ones who have realized that the world has already become unrecognizable and that things are only getting worse. Another approach, typical of authors like Slavoj Žižek, is spectacular performance: constantly producing texts and lectures on many topics, employing rhetoric with the sinuous language of jazz, improvising, mixing high and low culture, combining doctrines… and always being present. Žižek is known for his famous jokes.

Finally, there’s the path toward becoming a brand. Micali attributes this position to authors like Butler: a social issue has become inextricably linked to their name. For Micali, Butler’s name is associated with gender issues, in the same way that Nike is associated with sneakers. “The brand-thinker,” Micali writes, “cannot help but address burning issues (such as ecology or gender identity) and, to gain visibility, must create the impression of having radically shifted the axes of discourse.” The three models aren’t mutually exclusive.

“These are authors whose general discourse resonates across different social strata and is sustained through frequent, short publications that tend to capture the spirit of the times,” says Giselle Etcheverry, a curator of literary and intellectual projects. Just consider Han’s continuous flow of short essays, or Žižek’s ability to analyze current events in books almost before they happen.

Etcheverry also takes into account the role of publishers in the popularization of authors, which varies by country. For example, Han – whose works are translated from German – receives attention in Spain that he doesn’t get elsewhere, while authors like the Slovenian sociologist and philosopher Renata Salecl, or the Belgian philosopher of science Vinciane Despret, enjoy great fame in Latin America. “And that’s the work of publishers,” Etcheverry points out. Dissemination on social media via short videos or memes with pithy quotes is another fundamental contribution. And simple, clear concepts go viral more easily.

These figures offer a toolbox for understanding the present. “They handle concepts very well, moving away from academic language: [their works and speeches are] aimed at an audience that seeks a useful diagnosis for understanding the world. [The audience] reads [and views] things that they then see in their daily lives,” explains Javier Correa Román, editor of the popular magazine Filosofía&Co and founder of the Malaletra bookstore in Madrid, which focuses on political texts. When theory is adapted to the reader’s everyday experience, they feel not only understood, but also astute: they’re able to interpret reality beyond its surface.

“For example, [analyzing] popular culture sells very well when it’s not understood as something empty, but as something in which certain forces operate. For example, one could analyze what issues are at play beneath the surface of Temptation Island,” the expert adds. Žižek isn’t the only one who’s a fan of popular culture; the late Mark Fisher – one of today’s trendiest and most-cited authors – based much of his discourse on the analysis of capitalist realism.

According to Stefano Micali, there are certain techniques that help an influential thinker achieve success. For example, there’s inversion, which consists of reversing the dominant thesis on a given topic (denying the premise). Or, for instance, declaring that they’re the first to grasp the essence of an issue. Or, additionally, criticizing colleagues from a position of clear superiority.

“The tone must be peremptory,” Micali writes. “One doesn’t make an argument, but rather states something as being obvious, an irrefutable fact.” These are techniques that can also be useful to ordinary people in bar conversations.

We could also add some personal traits that define the characters, such as Žižek’s halting diction and frantic gestures, Han’s enigmatic image (and his obsession with his garden and pianos), or Butler’s non-binary identity. These traits make them recognizable (surely unintentionally) among a plethora of essayists who lack any notable attributes.

In addition to these stars of contemporary thought, there’s arguably a second tier of authors, less mainstream and revered, who form a constellation in current thinking. “They’re recognized intellectuals in the fragmented fields of knowledge that we operate in today,” says Etcheverry, referring to authors like Donna Haraway and cyborg thought, Wendy Brown and her critique of neoliberalism, or Rosi Braidotti and the posthuman concept – all essential references in their respective fields. She also points to those “collective intellects” that McKenzie Wark compiles in Twenty-One Thinkers for the 21st Century (2017): they’re part of a body of knowledge that can only be achieved collaboratively.

Despite their success, awards, tours and book sales – or perhaps precisely because of them – the most-celebrated authors are often viewed unfavorably by academia. Their fame is considered to be disproportionate to their original contribution to knowledge, or they’re judged as being careless in their practice.

“I think that’s unfair,” Correa Román opines. “These are authors with a high level of public exposure: many others probably wouldn’t withstand the scrutiny they’re subjected to.”

In an era of overproduction of stimuli and ideas, when we’re saturated with opinions and experts, these authors offer useful narratives about the world and our role in it. And, at the very least, they make us feel smarter.