SHOULD I LEASE OUT THE STUDY AS A ZOOM STUDIO?

The latest form of swamp pokhazhukha, as documented by Salena Zito, is fake home libraries.

Last week, a Politico Magazine story revealed that some of the intellectuals and or experts we see either on cable television or speaking at Zoom events have adopted using books as a prop, 2020 style. People are buying books by the foot — not for reading, just to make them look smart.

Even before the pandemic, there has been a service run by Maryland bookseller Wonder Book called Books by the Foot, which provides books for decors for offices, hotels, and movie sets. But since the pandemic began, the service has seen a 20% surge in residential orders, presumably to accent the credibility experts are trying to project.

The story says the Wonder Books team rarely knows the real identity of the people whose home office they’ve staged. Especially if the customer has some degree of fame or are trying to achieve fame, they often order under a code name.

Gen^l Grant conducted the Vicksburg, Chattanooga, and Overland Campaigns in a private's tunic with stars sewn to the shoulders.  Poseurs have to posture, closers don't.

There is something off about having someone else curate your bookshelf. It is like having someone else curate your credibility or personality. It is amusing, tragic, shallow — and honestly, more than a little bit sad.

There is also something off about having someone rate or judge your home or office on social media.

So why is book staging a thing in Washington? Because people want to be seen, noticed, and admired for their accessories, whether it is a staged set of carefully curated books or a rented or borrowed piece of art — even if those books are ever opened, or that piece of art is ever studied or admired.

While many people may believe this is just a silly story, others will look at it as just another display of a lack of authenticity from people in Washington who often claim to know more than we do.

We know their claims are false. They know that we know their claims are false.

But if somebody wants to lease a backdrop, I have my price.

Yes, I do attempt to keep books of similar heights together, and keep them grouped by topic.