You might read a history book to learn something. You might watch a show for fun. You might watch a film for its artistry. But one thing you almost certainly do for some, but not all, of these is to take them as feathers for the peacock tail you show to the world.
A mutual acquaintance once said to a friend of mine, with a feigned casual tone, that he always carried a book with him so that he could sit and read if he had some downtime at a bar or coffee shop. Taking the prompt, this friend asked, “and what book do you have with you now?” To which the acquaintance replied, “Proust.”
We had a good laugh. How vain! Telegraphing that you are reading Proust. The image of him sitting alone at the bar reading Proust, making sure the cover was plainly visible to anyone looking, just seemed very fitting for this particular acquaintance. We wouldn’t be caught dead doing such childish things. If you enjoy Proust, enjoy Prouse! Why advertise, except to flaunt those feathers?
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