Virtue Signalling

[Crispsnatcher]

I admit I only ever heard this term on MN in the past couple of years. Never really heard of it before then.

With the BLM going people, some people have been accused of virtue Signalling. I've heard it applied to other things/causes though.

I admit I'm pretty old school, and what I thought was caring about others and generally being a decent person now has a new name? What is the difference? I don't really know what my AIBU is but would like to understand when does it stop being about caring and start becoming about Virtue Signalling?

I share on causes on SM and donate. FS. What's wrong you people? It's the perfect platform to spread awareness.

I don't happen to agree with everything that's said in Corinthians. Just because the bible said it doesn't mean I have to live by it and set my moral compass by it. Lots of good bits in the Bible, and some which have not stood the test of time at all.

I have a feeling if there had been social media in the time of Jesus he would have had his face all over it. He had a whole bunch of disciples, I'm sure he'd have had Instagram sycophants in 2020. And he'd have had true believers spreading a message of peace and love too, right?

Not all of us have time or money to give away. If the only way to change the world is to spend money or weekends doing unpaid work, then all the working classes have is social media and 'virtue signalling'

I share all kinds of things and take part in everything that effects a cause that I think is important. I don't 1 like = 1 prayer but I do post colours and wear ribbons and do all that, because IMO that's better than doing actually nothing. And then I find whatever other avenues I can to try and change things. Signing petitions that go nowhere. Writing letters nobody bothers read. Somehow the black squares seem a bit more constructive than that .

I share on causes on SM and donate. FS. What's wrong you people? It's the perfect platform to spread awareness.

Do you know anything about the causes you are sharing?

Do you do it to attract more likes on your social media, whilst not actually underatanding the issue? Do you post that people have to like when they have read or try and tell people they must care about it too, whilst not really understanding the issue?

Not all of us have time or money to give away

Quite right - but those plastering their every thought all over social media certainly have an internet connection, and could equally well do something useful with it

I once asked an anti-police activist why they didn't take their grievances up with the Home Secretary or even just their local MP. Her reply - I wish I was making this up but I'm not - was "I don't know who they are"

@Puzzledandpissedoff

Oh I know who they are and I know they don't give a shit. Not just in theory, from experience

I mean, I agree that most of the bible is not great (I'm not a Christian myself) , but the love scripture from Corinthians is pretty solid.

web.mit.edu/jywang/www/cef/Bible/NIV/NIV_Bible/1COR+13.html

Anyway the point is not that it's in the bible specifically but that it's old. I was just saying it's a piece of human nature, and so is striving agin it.

I’ve had to come off Facebook this week, the virtue signalling has been unbearable. My toes couldn’t curl enough and my eyes couldn’t roll back far enough in my head. The NHS posts were bad, BLM has now completely finished me off.

Someone genuinely concerned about climate change - makes significant changes in their life, like ditching their car, only buying from charity shops and stopping using plastic, posts interesting relevant things on social media and doesn't preach.

Virtue signalling version - uploads a load of selfies of themselves cycling to work while buying a new SUV, shows off new designer water bottles / bike etc. while perfectly good old ones go unused, contributes to petitions and fundraisers and campaigns and lets everyone know about it while they're relaxing on their second long haul luxury holiday of the year. Wouldn't do anything decent if no one was watching

Someone genuinely concerned about the NHS - writes to their MP, donates to MHS charities, volunteers at their local hospital.

Someone virtue signalling - making sure they are the loudest clappers on the street and putting passive aggressive notes through the doors of anyone not joining in

I once asked an anti-police activist why they didn't take their grievances up with the Home Secretary or even just their local MP. Her reply - I wish I was making this up but I'm not - was "I don't know who they are"

There have been lots of people posting ill informed stuff about the police and politics on social media especially this week. It is particularly bad among young people who make comments and share stuff without fully understanding what it is all about. A lot of this is just peer pressure and to be seen to do the right thing.

The old adage springs to mind - Actions speak louder than words.

The oversharing of good deeds on social media all comes across as a bit disingenuous. The more you see it the more people will ignore or decide to compete and it goes on and on... it’s all a bit “look at me”.

Post on SM - Don’t actually do anything = Things won’t change

Post on SM - And take action
= Helps make things better

Don’t post on SM - Do good things
= Still helps make things better

It’s up to you whether you want to make it about you.

There is such a fine line, sometimes.
In March, right after schools closed, a friend of mine, a talented seamstress, posted a picture of herself on FB.
It was a picture of herself, dreamy glow on her face, and some sort of candlelight type lighting. Eyes, half closed, she looked lovely, ethereal, almost Madonna (not the singer)-like.
The object of her gaze? In front of her was a pile of about 100 homemade masks, stacked up like pancakes on the table in front of her.
Was there a caption like: "Hey, anyone want one? Donations to go to the Red Cross (etc.) ," or "Hey, help me distribute these to vulnerable friends and neighbors!" No.
This friend is kind - I've known her for a decade. Very enthusiastic and generous with her time. Loves to be included in everything! Extrovert to the extreme!
Also inclined to be a bit dramatic.
To me, that was very subtle virtue-signaling.
Is it a big deal? No.
Do I love her less? No.
Did it make me go ? Yep.

Why are people so blind to the suffering of lighthouse keepers in Peru?

You see this kind of stuff all over SM and you know that they haven't actually done anything to help Peruvian lighthouse keepers except 'raise awareness' which all too often is a call to arms for other people to actually do something and not them.

Makes them feel good about themselves though.

It's similar to what was In the 'olden days' called being a 'do gooder'.

'Be Kind' (but only to people that deserve it)

I had no idea what to call it as a kid but, I had to go to church with mum as a young kid from a young age I couldn't get my head round all these people demonstrating being good christians by going to church and then gossipping about whoever wasn't there in the car park afterwards.

For me I gind a special kind of virtue signalling on extreme bargain hunting threads.
Something like this was reduced to 10p from £5 and I cleared the shelves but no hate as I am donating most of them to x.
Of course you are.

if people think that posting on social media is actually going to change anything, they need to think through the process of HOW that change will actually happen. Because 'raising awareness' by itself achieves nothing. Awareness has to be transformed into action, whether that is through consumer choice, boycotts, or bringing pressure to bear on government
so when you post a black square or whatever try and be clear how exactly that is going to change anything in the real world.