Do you ever scroll on TikTok and think, “Do people actually enjoy these things they are posting, or are they just posting this because they think if people see them doing these things, they will think of them as mysterious or more interesting?” Well, performative trends have become increasingly popular, and as days go by, people are becoming more performative.

   There are traits to look for when spotting someone performative. According to the New York Times, “Such a man might sip on iced matcha lattes at a cafe while reading Sally Rooney or Joan Didion. He might wear wired headphones and baggy pants, and he would most likely be carrying a tote bag (perhaps with a Labubu attached). He could be listening to Clairo and would be quick to reveal his collection of vinyl records” (nytimes.com). What the reporter is trying to point out is that rather than filming himself out for a latte, he is filming himself as a certain persona, one that is probably not the real him. It can be very easy to spot these traits, especially if someone is actually trying to show off to the public.    

   There are people who are just following the latest trends they find on their social media, but do they need to then post themselves following those trends? The New York Times reporter continued, “He turns himself into a walking mood board of on-trend markers for softness, stylishness and a feminist leaning that he may or may not actually possess” (nytimes.com). Feminist males have been on the rise on social media, but pretending to be a feminist is not the same as actually being one.

   In early August, there was a contest to see who was the most “Performative Male.” According to the New York Times, “Earlier this month, hundreds of people gathered at a park in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle for yet another look-alike contest. Kind of. Instead of searching for earthly versions of celebrities like Timothée Chalamet or Pedro Pascal, the spectators were looking for which of the assembled contestants was the best example of the so-called Performative Male — a relatively new social media archetype” (nytimes.com). Earlier this year, there was a similar contest in Seattle and the winner got a 50 dollar cash prize and a trophy. This trend doesn’t seem to be going away.      

   The real question is, do people really enjoy     these “trends” or are they just putting on a show for everyone around them? Junior Anthony Bazalaki said that people question whether he is performative or if he is being his true self. “I just post what I think is cool and it comes up as performative. Sometimes I will ask my friends what their opinions are on something that I am planning on posting, but that’s the only influence I really use when it comes to posting, how I dress, and my hobbies,” said Bazalaki. Turns out Bazalaki really isn’t preformative and is just showing the world what he thinks is interesting.

   “I really just became this way because of canon events. I mean, I have been acting the same way for years, before these trends became a thing. Everything that I do is all natural and is just my life,” said Bazalaki. This explains that some people just are truly expressing their true selves, and it just so happens that what they enjoy is seen by others as performative.

   Junior Malcolm Solt also claims to not be performative but tends to check all the right boxes. “Everything I do is for myself. I’m really just focused on me,” said Solt. Though his choices seem to align with what is trending at the moment, Solt insists that he is not performative and is just going with the flow of what he enjoys.

   There is no doubt that there are people who are really just performative. “I believe that there are people who are faking and who are actually performative. It is the people who hop from trend to trend and are just trying to stay up to date with what is in at the moment,” said Solt. He thinks the difference is that some people are being themselves while others are purposefully trying to show themselves to be a person who they are not.

   Many performative trends have gained traction throughout this past summer. There have been contests and posts across social media that are simply people showing off and trying to act differently than who they actually are. These showy trends that are circulating the internet are mostly people showing off to the world their fake personalities.