Historical Perspective
Throughout history, the only valid reason people who could read didn’t cold-read plays— aside from the fact that they frequently saw them performed on stage instead—was the trouble and expense of providing scripts for all the readers.
Think about that.
All the other arguments are explored and debunked elsewhere on this site, but the bother of finding and paying for scripts made it an impractical pastime; otherwise, why wouldn’t families have read plays together of an evening—as they did poetry and prose (one reading to the others); as they played games, sang songs, told stories? Plays are all these things combined!
Dawn of a New Age
No argument is more persuasive for incorporating cold reads into popular culture than the Internet. For the first time in human history play scripts are instantaneously available and free.
Think about that.
Cold Reads/International 