Performative Gestures

Over the last few weeks there has been a long line of mostly obscure public officials taking the COVID vaccine to instill confidence in the thing we’ve been hoping and waiting for the last nine months. One can’t help but wonder what these performative gestures are meant to accomplish.  It most certainly has nothing do with their constituents nor anyone who has spent any time at all thinking and worrying about the virus.  The vast majority of people just want to know when they can get it. They will rush to wherever needed as soon as it’s available.  There are two obvious self-serving reasons for the otherwise empty gestures – putting the performer in the proverbial spotlight and getting them to the front of the vaccine line.  In a world where likes and views are our main form of social currency it shouldn’t be shocking to see people competing for your attention and their edification.  It’s our inability to distinguish between the performance and reality, craven attention seeking and humility, that is striking, and kind of depressing. Everything is a show. You’re either performing or waiting for your turn.