From a new book on online culture: How ‘what’s in my bag’ videos can ‘curate’ a personal brand

Look around the internet and you will find that it has somehow become entirely acceptable to care about the insides of women’s bags. Don’t get me wrong, I’m much more in favour of casual social voyeurism than the average person, and I never hesitate to sneak a peek into people’s phones on chaotic Delhi metro rides, to look into the windows of the houses I pass by, or to eavesdrop on conversations in cafes. I have also always been generally interested in the belongings of people waiting in security lines at airports, especially if they are stopped and asked to open their bags for a manual examination. This is one of the most interesting parts of the airport experience. What has that harmless-looking person got in their bag that merited being stopped by a uniformed security guard? At Indian airports, it is mostly perfume, shampoo, umbrellas, lighters, or even a whole coconut – a surprisingly frequent offender. Forgotten electronics that should’ve been taken out for a scan are another common sight. I have, sadly, never seen someone get caught trying to get something actually illegal through security.

But one thing is a constant: the person whose bag is publicly opened inevitably ends...

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