Be honest: Have you ever tried a new hobby, thinking it might make you more attractive and, even, score you some dates?
If you answered yes, you're not alone. According to a recent survey of 2,000 millennials and Gen Z-ers, 16% admitted to picking up "attraction hobbies" − or, hobbies aimed to boost one's attractiveness.
The survey − commissioned by the language learning platform Babbel in partnership with Talker Research − found the trend holds especially true for young men, with 22% saying they've engaged in this form of performative dating, about double the rate of women.
The survey's results back up a phenomenon that's been called out on TikTok, where videos parodying so-called "performative men" have gone viral. These are videos making fun of guys who go to great (and often cringe-worthy) lengths to signal how sensitive, intellectual and emotionally attuned they are − without actually being any of those things. Think of the guys who have perfect vision but still wear glasses, sport only vintage clothing and clutch a copy of a Joan Didion book wherever they go. Their lives are basically a near-constant performance, all curated to show others − especially women − how enlightened they are.
