Reading In Public Is So Performative Says Woman With Incredibly Curated Instagram Profile

PETE CLARK | Melbourne | CONTACT

A Betoota Heights woman has today expressed her disdain for the emergence of ‘performative public readers.’

These people are turning heads and pages (more heads than pages naturally) by picking up some classics from Sartre, Camus and Foster Wallace, cracking them open in a public space and waiting for the adoration of strangers.

Unfortunately for this brazen bunch some people are seeing straight through the act.

Speaking with The Advocate, Sarah Winter could not hide her disgust for these performative readers.

“They are not reading for the love of the book but rather for the love of the look! They’re trying to artificially produce a public perception of sophistication and subtly signal their attitude towards technology,” she said.

In an increasingly hyper online world where people’s screen time is slowly becoming most of their waking life, turning to a book could be seen as a good thing, even if it is a vanity exercise.

But Miss Winter does not see it this way.

“Only old people and nerds read anymore. We can’t let people get away with attempting to portray themselves as some sort of perfect and superior specimen.”

Winter, whose Instagram is warmly curated to portray an enigmatic, artsy, down to earth but also relatable and outdoorsy person couldn’t understand why someone would pose as something that they are not for social gain.

“It’s just like so embarrassing, just be yourself. People shouldn't try so hard to make others think highly of them.”

More to come.