THE DILEMNA OF PERFORMATIVE READING

Back in May, when I decided to become a blogger, I never imagined that my perspective on reading would change so much in six months. I have always seen reading as a personal, intimate activity — something one does for pleasure and intellectual stimulation. But the post-COVID social media landscape changed that. With content creators making reading an aesthetic experience and turning books into an accessory defined by tropes, suddenly, everything seemed different. The unboxing videos, the long TBR list on Goodreads, the aesthetic reels with catchy music, and the bookshelf tours have really helped publishers and writers drive sales for both popular and underrated titles, providing a kind of marketing exposure that publishers and authors once struggled with. And don’t get me wrong, as this is great, but I still feel like something is missing here.

When I started Conversations with the Books on my Shelf, I thought I’ll be one of those book bloggers who read a book, think critically and share their thoughts through aesthetically pleasing blogs and social media posts. I wanted to read more books by self-published writers to tap into a territory of really underrated gems. Then, three months later, I found myself asking whether I’m a good reader or not. I am not a fast reader, and whenever I pick up a book, I take my time to absorb the content on every page, so I take longer to finish it. Then, I’m also a mood reader, and I try to read books that align with my mood. Now, these are two main reasons I haven’t completed my TBR list or reached my target of 100 books this year. Does that make me a bad reader? Maybe, because at the end of the day, you need to be disciplined to be in the book business. But is the alternative better? Reading the trending books, with the pacing of one book per day. Finishing 20–25 books in a month and dishing out reviews and aesthetic Instagram reels does seem like an effective and disciplined approach, but will it take away the joy of reading? Has that ever happened to you?

I do believe that a professional book blogger’s job needs discipline and staying up to date with trendy books, and it will be easier for me to do that without other full-time commitments. Till then, I really hope the reading community doesn’t lose focus on what’s important; books are an art form and reading for pleasure can be as valuable as reading for work. In fact, I’d argue that someone reading for pleasure at their own pace is better than doomscrolling. I think it’s time to normalise buying and reading fewer books instead of stacking bookshelves. Having a personal library with premium hardcovers of attractive books shouldn’t be a sign of being a good reader alone; one can get the title with rather mundane reading habits without the aesthetics as well. Comparing reading habits with those online can place undue pressure to compete, when this is something people should do out of choice.

I do not believe that there is a specific right way of consuming books, but it is really important to retain the value of deep reading, to truly understand the value of understanding and appreciating the artistic value of a book. It’s important to normalise that one person can read regularly to enjoy themselves and learn something new, instead of skimming over pages just to meet reading targets.