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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I don't understand what "performative" means in this context. Reading is reading and is always a good thing, no matter the material. Getting through a "serious" book just to say you read is not wasted time or effort, but I doubt many people (if any?) do that. There has to be some curiosity and intent to learn something for yourself behind it. There isn't anything wrong with reading something fun and light either.[/quote]

Read the article. Performative reading is more or less defined as conspicuously reading a physical book in a public setting. A book that is considered high brow literature (eg, Proust or David Foster Wallace) or critically accepted and in a way design to convey intellectual superiority. It screams, “Look at me you rubes. I have higher status than those who waste their time addicted to brain rot social media.” It sounds like it’s a direct reaction to those who endlessly scroll social media in public places to the point that they are often obvious to their surroundings and others. Maybe it’s just another form of snobbery in our modern age. FWIW, I’m beginning to think there is a real stigma in connection with those who endlessly consume social media, especially in public. I certainly judge them. [/quote]

1. The article is a pathetic attempt at clickbait to generate relevance.

2. If I saw someone reading Proust or a recognizable classic, [b]I would assume they didn’t read it in middle/high school or college. Put differently, I don’t think it’s a flex. [/b]

3. You said you judge people consuming social media in public, pp. Question: how do you know what I’m reading on my phone? I’m usually reading work-related emails and related attachments (sadly). If I’m killing time in line or enjoying a quick lunch alone, I might scroll dcum, daily mail, or reels. Given the excruciatingly heavy stuff I’m dealing with at work, I need a break. My mom called it “bubble gum for the mind” and said you need a break to relax your mind, body, and soul. She had a PhD from Hopkins back when women didn’t get in unless they were truly brilliant (and she had a full ride). 
[/quote]

Your assumption is probably wrong, and only someone who is not intellectual thinks that reading a "classic" in middle school, high school or even college means that you have really understood or internalized it.  The reason things are "classics" is that they address serious human questions, and these are best considered with wisdom and experience.[/quote]

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