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The Rise of Performative Reading
We’ll label this under R for ‘rant’…
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I’ve seen this derogatory phrase a lot recently, inevitably popping up on social media when people post pictures of their latest read or an idyllic reading spot. I’ll start off by saying that I’m sure the act exists, to a certain extent, though I’d argue about its exact nature and the extent of its occurence.
First of all, as a lifelong reader, the accusation boggles my mind. I am someone who has always read, whether at home or in public. I would never have considered that people would act as if they were reading, given it is something I do with such regularity and ease. While I may be extremely naïve and believe that all those people posting reading updates are being genuine, I believe the real problem comes from those making the accusation.
The essence of performative reading is to accuse people who read physical books in public as having some ulterior motive, i.e. they are not doing it for enjoyment but instead they are doing so to show off their intellectual ability or make themselves seem more interesting. I’m flattered that this is the perception of those of us seen reading in public but it is not something I ever thought myself nor did I believe anyone else would perceive me as such.
