In recent years, a cultural phenomena has taken root by the scapegoat commonly known as the “performative male. People in their 20s and 30s mostly just present a different aesthetic. They mix emotional openness with a dazzling exterior to incredible effect. They frequent coffee shops, clutching unbroken copies of influential texts while sipping matcha, and their fashion choices often include dangly earrings and a diverse array of Labubus.
The performative male is is inviting discussions on his distinctive aesthetic. Americans are waking up to the fact that his actions don’t match his rhetoric. He can speak beautifully about emotional intelligence but often misses using these tenets in actual life and relationships. This duality reminds all of us to think deeply about authenticity as it pertains to how we present ourselves.
The performative male is not a lonely troll on the internet, and luckily, this sad pattern carries over to females. Women of all ages still post pages highlighted from bell hooks’ books on social media. When it comes to the deeper meanings of those texts, they don’t understand at all. This points to a deeper cultural trend, where surface self-presentation overtakes meaningful engagement with actual ideas altogether.
From nightclubs to house parties to classrooms, social movements and demonstrations, and everywhere in between, we’re seeing someone doing art this way. Every time I go coffee shops and on public transport, groups of young men and women vigorously engaging each other about social issues. Their dialogues display an unfortunate deficit of real comprehension.
This groundbreaking phenomenon has caused a stir with relationship coaches and cultural critics alike. Many of these specialists sound the alarm on the dangers of the performative male. Their profile-based criticism highlights the dangers of this performative relationality in dating dynamics. It tells us that when we focus too much on presenting a winning picture, we risk undermining true emotional connections.
“A lot of the time they don’t know what they’re talking about,” – The hosts of the Seattle performative male contest.
Our performative male likes Lana Del Rey and Clairo. This implicit choice links him inescapably to some more reactionary cultural currents. He represents an aesthetic that is popular with all. Women take an active role in this representation, modeling women’s diverse interests and styles. This common aesthetic forms a visual and auditory environment that is iconic, yet controversial.
Some heads will definitely turn for the performative male. What we really need to do is interrogate whether his appeal is rooted in substantive things, or just by being on the cutting edge of cultural fads. Civil rights critics are rolling their eyes at the flimsy focus on aesthetics. They insist that focusing on optics steals time and energy from authentic connections.
“It’s just an aesthetic for them,” – The hosts of the Seattle performative male contest.
As we all grapple with these new realities, the distinction between authenticity and performance is growing harder to distinguish. Young people are inundated with messages about emotional depth and social responsibility while often lacking the tools or desire to engage with these concepts meaningfully.
Our performative male, on the other hand, strictly wears viral styles and lectures on social justice. To so many, this behavior is the height of disingenuousness. That shallow approach to practice doesn’t just disappoint artists looking for real engagement, it can disenchant community peers.