Performative reading: When books are just for show

If you thought reading in the metro is easy, think again! What might seem like a quick pastime can come across as a performance. A trend called performative reading is trickling into our lives through social media. People pick up a book they saw on social media and read it in public places, not to read, but to let others know that they read.

'Social media has made people pretentious – books have become about pretending as well'

Being a reader isn't nerdy anymore. Bookstores are trendy and reading makes you cool. "More than reading, books have become a show-off for most people," says Subhadip Majumdar, curator at a bookstore in the city. He adds, "No one wants to read and find out if they like a book. Everything is about online reviews even though they’re subjective and not accurate."

Non-fiction books like Atomic Habits, Psychology of Money, Do Epic Shit and The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k are common accessories in Delhi Metro. While social media has allowed for a more open and diverse reading community to thrive, it has made way for a sense of superiority. "Social media has made people pretentious and books have also become about pretending," Subhadip says.

'People like the idea of being seen as someone who reads'

Utkarsh Srivastava, who manages a bookstore, has noticed the rise of the trend in young adults. He believes it's personal for some and says, "They like the idea of being seen as someone who reads. It's more about impressing society or themselves than just doing it for someone else. These days, carrying a book or talking about books has become a way to appear thoughtful or intellectual."

"The most important aspect here is the relationship between social perception and an individual. The want for an individual to be seen in a certain light by their social group, placing more value on how they’re being recognised than who they really are," counselling psychologist Sameera Khan says. She adds, "Performative reading shows how much our reading habits are tied to wanting to be noticed."

Clicking a photo in front of a Pinterest-y bookstore is a must

In Delhi, the address of performative reading lies in the heart of Khan Market, outside Faqir Chand Bookstore. A popular Pinterest-coded spot, patrons are often spotted posing for pictures with their performative reads. Arifa Mazhari and Arshad Ansari, college students who aren't into books, share as they pose for a picture, “We know that the bookshop is old and iconic. We came to explore Khan Market, and clicking a photo in front of Faqir Chand is a todo list item here. It gives the vintage aesthetic for photos."

Talking about the trend, Abhinav Bamhi, fourth-generation owner of Faqir Chand Bookstore, says, "It isn't entirely true that people just take photos. There are people who come to see the shop because they appreciate it, and they've seen it on Instagram. I think 80% of people come in and buy books." He adds, "You cannot take away the art from a place. I personally think it’s beautiful that people are coming to a place with so much hope and expectation and with love in their hearts. Because it’s just a bookshop at the end of the day. It’s just people wanting to get pictures; no one’s harming anyone. It’s not causing any problem."

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