> I still feel a good chunk of the preference for physical books and libraries comes down to being performative. I'm not doubting if the books are being read, b

> I still feel a good chunk of the preference for physical books and libraries comes down to being performative. I'm not doubting if the books are being read, but if you're putting yourself forward on TikTok having read a book This is a massive problem in some circles I am in, particularly relating to early Christian history and theology. You'll find a lot of people who take photos of their books and use a certain kind of language typical to the area of study but they cannot actually summarize what they've read. They reduce books and learning to a mere aesthetic that lets them signal certain group affiliations, its an exercise in vain self-aggrandization. It makes it harder, especially as a beginner in some areas, to find a good community where you can actually learn since for every 1 knowledgeable person who can help you understand and learn the material there are 5 others who know how to /sound/ like they know what they are talking about but are actually repeating buzzwords they gained from skimming entry-level secondary sources.