AIBU to fed up with Virtue Signalling

[Dipi79]

Just that, really.
It's great that people are doing things for others/being considerate, but doesn't posting on Social Media seem a bit boasty?

A Facebook meme made me laugh the other day

"Shit! Fuck! I left a plate of dinner and some groceries on my Nan's doorstep this evening and forgot to take a photo! What a waste of fucking time!"

On an anonymous forum like this I don't think it really matters. On a platform like Facebook where people are hooked on 'likes' and everyone knows them personally then yes absolutely.

All those ridiculous campaigns to get people sending rainbows to hospitals and Easter eggs to nurses are the worst. Not only virtue signalling but could be actively spreading the virus. JUST STOP IT. Stay at home. Be kind to your family, your neighbours and your community. And stop trying to make everything go viral.

Viral is, in fact, what we are trying to avoid right now.

Yeah. It’s all quite annoying. Do something because you genuinely want to - not to get featured or get kudos. 🤦🏻‍♀️

I've turned a lot of my notifications off right now. Can't be doing with all the sanctimonious stuff. I'm doing my bit quietly and not for recognition.

Sorry, I should have been more specific and mentioned Facebook, rather than 'Social Media' in general.
I love how people are helping each other, but feels as though some people are posting about on Facebook for likes/ego strokes.
Perhaps I'm being a bit grumpy about it, that maybe people are just looking for validation during tough times, but it feels a tad egocentric.
I'm not really using Facebook much at the moment and gain more from seeing the 'anonymous' stuff via Mumsnet.

Surely they've been doing this for years before covid19 though? Just delete them OP, people are embarrassing attention seekers. I'm sure most people are cringing at them as you are.

No you're not being grumpy OP, a lot of us are seeing a lot of it right now, some people have found their element.

People are suggesting we get all our Christmas lights back out and lit each night "for the NHS". For God's sake.

I can't take it anymore!!!!

Another has started a game of naughts and crosses with the postman on a sheet complete with pen. I mean... wtaf.

People round here, I meant to say.

Yeah, someone I'm friends with on Facebook left biscuits and chocolate for the bin men this morning and a note saying thank you for all their hard work.

All very nice and lovely, but she also took multiple photos (of the biscuits and note, not the grateful bin men) and not only posted them to her own page but to several local groups as well.

She also videoed herself clapping for the NHS last week and posted that too.

Alright, we get it, you're nice... 🙄

I'm with you. I've had to step away from FB and its driving me crazy. If it's not the virtual signalling, it's the school prefect types telling us want to do, then there's the ones who get off on grassing people up e.g. my neighbours ahev been out for a walk for 2 hours, who should I report them to?
They're all doing my head in.

I have mixed feelings about this. Some posts do seem a bit ‘oh look what I did’ but then it might encourage others to do similar. I posted that I donated to the trussel trust and our local food bank. I don’t want a pat on the back for it. I want everyone who can afford it to do similar.

@RozHuntleysStump - that's the weirdest thing I have heard yet. the postman has to touch everyone's gate and letterbox and all that mail touched by so many other postal workers. There is no easier way to pick up the virus than to share a pen with a key worker who inevitably comes into contact with loads of other people.

I’ve had to snooze a relative for her endless pictures of ‘amazing’ homeschooling and ‘fabulous’ craft projects, mummy is teacher bollocks. All pictures are accompanied by lines such as ‘We done English today”. It’s killing me!

I wouldn’t dream of correcting her or saying anything to her directly, but I think I’m ok having a teeny vent on an anonymous forum.

I'm with you and I don't care if it makes me grumpy or mean spirited or blah blah whatever. It is totally meaningless bollocks. Rainbows and hero this and hero that. Make decisions that actually count when we aren't in crisis and save the virtue signalling drum banging happy clapping shite.

We aren't allowed to think this on here though.

We had this thread the other day. But yeah it is pretty annoying.

I think there are going to be a lot of volunteers who signed up to make themselves feel better rather than want to help others, and then be really shocked and surprised when they realise that SOME OF the elderly/vulnerable people just don't really get the prospect of "lockdown" or "global pandemics" - cue the multiple requests per week to the shops to get very specific items.. and then become annoyed when the shops don't have them in stock.

But that's none of my business...

I’m mixed about this too. Sometimes it annoys me - ie I didn’t do the clap as it feels more about the clappers than the nhs to me, but each to their own. But I got accused of virtue signalling on a thread discussing nonessential online shopping - I don’t think we should be doing it. Others disagreed which is fine but VS being used as an insult when you disagree with someone is a lame way to shut down conversation, imo.

@Cherrysoup, I feel your pain, as some of my Mum friends have gone a bit OTT with the descriptions of their days.
Mine are toddlers, so a good day for me would be like "DD2 didn't wee on the carpet today", so doesn't quite have the same impact as the "I'm homeschooling amazingly" posts. What has been nice is seeing parents share tips, which feels different to the boasting ones.

Totally agree.

All aboard the latest Bandwagon! Driver won’t set off until you’ve clapped on your doorstep for him though.

I think it's part of a massive thing that was already happening loads before the coronavirus outbreak. There have been interesting programmes and articles lately about purity spirals and the damage they can do. Not just people showing off virtuous stuff they do, but witch hunting other people to make themselves look virtuous by comparison.

There must be a good (preferably passive aggressive ) put-down that we can all come up with?

The worst one I saw, on my town’s FB page, was the person bragging that they’d paid for someone’s shopping (all £9 of it) because they were wearing NHS uniform, and POSTED A SCREENSHOT OF THE FUCKING RECEIPT as proof. Also said “I’m gutted I didn’t take a video!”

Totally negates the good deed. Absolute roaster.

I prefer people being a bit over the top to the selfish irresponsible twats who ignore all the advice and think they are so special they can carry on as normal.