Aibu to think some people try to raise their social status by virtue signalling?

If you took that to its logical conclusion any kind of altruism or kindness would be virtue signaling.

Every time I see the phrase "virtue signalling" this is the exact impression I get of the world view of the person saying it.

Well suggesting that your values are real while other people are pretending is also virtue signalling...

I have been vegetarian for years and try to live a green lifestyle as much as I can, I want people who are part of the LGBTQ+ community to live their life free of discrimination and be treated with respect, like anyone else . Those are my values.

I don't need your permission or approval to live in a way that fits with who I am.

There are always a few tedious bores that will go on and on about their choices but that equally applies to people who go on about 'virtue signalling'...

Obviously some people do this to humble brag: that’s hardly news.

But I’m uncomfortable with the idea that doing anything worthy or with a social justice end in mind is automatically virtue signaling.

If you took that to its logical conclusion any kind of altruism or kindness would be virtue signaling.

Given the choice I would rather people made a few self serving but harmless gestures for what they think is a good cause than have everyone live in a state of total atomised selfishness.

It can be annoying when people go on about something all the time, and I think social media makes it worse. Although sometimes I’m surprised by how much people on MN seem to complain about annoying trends - just unfollow those people / mute / get off social media for a bit!

But humanity is doing its best to fuck up the climate with catastrophic consequences which most people haven’t grasped. So if there are going to be trends and bandwagons it’s objectively better for these to be environmentally beneficial - plant-based diets rather than flying on long-haul holidays or constant city breaks; kiddie-carrying cargo bikes and campaigning for cycle lanes rather than showing off their SUVs. It’s not so important that everyone adopting a trend is morally pure or admirable, what matters is the cumulative impact of behaviours becoming mainstream.

Having done an AS on the OP, I am not going to bother responding.

Yes, of course, adopting the elite position on a topic is a totally free-to-you opportunity to get a bit of status by association. Luxury beliefs is the coined term.

Those poppy obsessives who decorate literally everything with poppies all year round, including work vans and include silhouettes of soldiers kneeling or spitfires.

Flag weirdos too who put union jacks or st george’s crosses up on / in / around their homes and vehicles.

Of course some people do this. Everyone's finding their way in life and we can't all be at the same stage of enlightenment/development at the same time.

Christ, this forum is so obsessed with the phrase ‘virtue signaling’. It’s become synonymous with ‘things you just find annoying’. Stop thinking about what other people are doing so much.

It's a far worse trait to sneerily try to judge and second-guess other people's motives for doing what they do.

I'm sure some people do show support for good causes because they want to fit in, or they do it in a visibly enthusiastic kind of way. Like with everything in life. Ultimately as someone who campaigns for a few of the things you mentioned (but not on social media) I'd rather they supported good causes than went through life not giving a shit about them.

Wanging on about "virtue signalling" is a much more unattractive trait. You don't have to think social media activism is effective or helpful but I'm all ears to hear about your personal commitment to alleviating global suffering.

I went vegan age 50 because I think its better for my health and it enabled me to drop two stone and keep it off. Im also pleased that im not contributing to animal suffering or environmental concerns through my diet. However these are my private thoughts between me and my conscience which id never share out loud.
Im 55 now and couldn't have less interest in whether other people think I'm 'virtuous' or not. Similarly for the political stances I take or any actions I take to that i feel might benefit other people. The only person I need to feel comfortable with my behaviour is me. Of course you get people who perform virtue. Like you get those who perform wealth, parenting, intelligence and being cultured. Its a human need for recognition of achievement and validation of choices that some have more than others.

It's unauthentic. I have experience of meeting people who appear a certain way to fit in, but once I got to know them a bit better they were very different people. Honestly, I lost respect for them. I want to get to know them, not the version of them they think I want to know. How can you trust someone and develop good relationships with people who are flakey enough to act one way to fit in when in fact they are very different?
It's also sad to think that they arent even comfortable enough in their own skin to be who they really are and they feel they have to mask who they really are to fit in. They may get to the end of their life wishing they had done all sorts but didn't because they were living and thinking the way they perceived others thought they should to fit in.

I agree.

Anything could go seen as virtue signalling.

I don’t know anyone that would go through the ball ache of ‘going green or vegan’ for fun. I’m not either btw but it’s restrictive and expensive. I admire anyone that can commit to saving the planet every day while I put out my recycling each week and hope that helps.

What a novel thought 🙄

There is a difference between trying to fit in and do the right thing, and banging on about it… “whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” is ingrained into our culture, so being uncomfortable in the face of unbridled self-congratulation for doing something that really doesn’t need to be pointed out, is quite normal.

I think you’re confusing a category of SM preachers with actual life.

I think the problem is the prevailing societal pressure that you must subscribe to certain politics in order to fit in.

Nobody is allowed to have differing opinions without being a Bad Person.

Too many people are scared of the bullies and end up jumping on the latest bandwagons in an attempt to fit in - e.g. trans self ID, opposing deportation flights that turn out to contain rapists and murderers, etc.

I don't know or recognise any of these people. 🤷‍♀️

Stay off social media

I don’t care who is a vegan, eats only things starting with Q, identifies as a monkey, believes eating mung beans cured insomnia, protest because the cost of cod liver oil is rising, but if you are going to lecture me about it nor don’t be a hypocrite

Well, yes. People in general tend to emulate people they admire. That might be by going vegan, or decorating their house in dark, moody Farrow and Ball paint, or going wild swimming, or fundraising for Help for Heroes, or coaching a children's sports team, or avoiding ultra processed foods. It doesn't mean it's not also genuine choice that reflects their values or personality. That's just what humans do.

I don’t know, some of these comments about vegans being loud about it and you don’t mind the ones that keep it quiet remind me a lot of the people who used to say they didn’t mind gays as long as they were discreet, they just didn’t want to see it in public. I mean, why don’t care so much? If people want to push the needle by leaning into living more sustainably, why does it bother you?

What is wrong with trying to fit in? isn't that what we all do, try and get along with people, try and do what we think is right, try and be active in our communities? I think calling people "virtue signallers" is always a bit mean, it is generally people trying to fit in, get along, do the right thing, why be sneery about it?

Controversial, @SherlockHomies ; some may be semi-hard, some fully hard. Get your (hard) hat on, there will be repercussions..
😃