Our attention spans are so poor that reading has become a status symbol. "Performative reading" is about wanting to appear well-read — books becoming part of an image, used to signal intelligence, taste and self-discipline rather than simply being something to read.
As the ability to switch off becomes scarce, reading takes on new cultural value, and fashion is turning the reader into an aspirational figure — from literary clubs and book-filled campaigns to classics reworked as luxury accessories. It sits within a broader reassessment of status, where time, focus and participation become more aspirational than display.
