To ask what the psychology is behind virtue signalling?

[chrisevans]

Is it a low self esteem thing?

Is it that the person is actually a good person but likes recognition?

Is it trying to be inspiring to others?

I know people get annoyed by it, the whole I just donated ..... announcements but what is it about the donator that they are trying to achieve or what is the psychology behind it?

Personally you carry on telling us about your good deeds and good for you, but I am interested to know thoughts on the above.

*These days, I find the expression “virtue signalling” is mainly used as a lazy way to invalidate other people’s moral choices.

Can’t come up with a coherent objection to someone making different moral decisions to yours? Just call it virtue signalling- if you can suggest they’re only doing it for reasons of self-interest and status, you don’t have to bother addressing the actual substance of why they’re doing X and you’re not.*

This ^

Professional footballers. Feeding starving children in the UK. Taking in a refugee into their home(Gary Lineker) They take take the knee, they wear the rainbow laces. All very virtuous. But none of them , not one SINGLE one of them , has condemned the human rights abuses of women and girls and gay people in Qatar who are hosting the world cup next year

Whataboutism there of the highest order.

Can't say I use much SM but I did notice a I've been vaccinated post , I interpreted it as "yahoo great news " Not a nudge or any such

Repeated words with no actions , virtue signal perhaps

Repeatedly seeing virtue signalling , guilt

@Georgeskitchen

Professional footballers. Feeding starving children in the UK. Taking in a refugee into their home(Gary Lineker) They take take the knee, they wear the rainbow laces. All very virtuous. But none of them , not one SINGLE one of them , has condemned the human rights abuses of women and girls and gay people in Qatar who are hosting the world cup next year

Not everyone has to action everything, no one has the time to research everything, form their own judgement and respond

Especially those busy actually doing not just twittering

[quote ReinReinRein]@ineedsun you may have misunderstood my post. I'd respect and support a local campaign using SM channels, that openly asks for support, where people can rally around and actively help someone or a cause. I have no issue wit this.

It's all the constant silly attempts at nudging friends in order to 'oh so subtly' try to influence us by broadcasting a status update on what worthwhile things you have done, as I tried to explain with the vaccine badge example. A SM post stating why someone finds vaccines are important and giving factual reasons why they choose to be vaccinated is interesting and captures me. I find sticking a vaccine badge on your profile rather or using emotional buttons to influence other people's behaviour incredibly annoying. I suppose it's all down to the style of communication.[/quote]
Aah, I apologise

Sharing information on a group WA or on FB about where we can get LFT tests on a given day or details of a local pop up booster sessions on SM is helpful. Broadcasting "I had my booster today to protect the NHS" is naff, sorry.

Posting "we did a LFT to keep you save" before meeting as a group, accompanied by a photo of a random negative LFT, is irritating whereas suggesting openly and clearly that perhaps everyone should take a LFT before we meet up as a group is helpful. It's the nudging that I find ridiculous.

@ineedsun

@ineedsun just read my posts upthread & I said it's a form of hypocrisy.

[quote snapsieplopp]@ineedsun just read my posts upthread & I said it's a form of hypocrisy. [/quote]
Were there more than two? Because I read two of them, hence my question, I don’t understand in what way it is a form of hypocrisy

None of this is psychology.

Misleading title

I can't remember how often I posted but you asked me how I define VS which I've already answered upthread.

Virtue signaling is probably mis used sometimes but it is a real thing. It is often a need for validation combined with a lack of empathy or understanding of the needs of the people they are trying to help.

@ineedsun did you read the response from the group of black artists who were asked by Microsoft to complete a mural whilst the BLM protests were still relevant?

relevant being the operative word.

There is a post on my local Facebook at the moment offering to buy a bag of shopping for someone who is skint. A lovely offer on the face of it but imagine you have no money for food and are reading the post. How does it make you feel? Think of your dignity and privacy. Safeguarding.

Ffs what a load of miserable feckers. So people can't discuss frugal cookery because it might offend poor people. Or talk about saving fuel to be environmentally friendly because some poor soul can't afford to heat their home. Or talk about buying an electric car because they are expensive. Some people have got a massive chip on their shoulders and begrudge anyone doing anything.Ffs what a load of miserable feckers. So people can't discuss frugal cookery because it might offend poor people. Or talk about saving fuel to be environmentally friendly because some poor soul can't afford to heat their home. Or talk about buying an electric car because they are expensive. Some people have got a massive chip on their shoulders and begrudge anyone doing anything. So was Captain Tom a virtue signalling wanker then ? All just a big stunt to make himself look good then ?

1. find an appropriate audience for your money saving tips, electric cars and environmental action show offs. Otherwise you're a kind of wanker that tells homeless people to cut down on avocado toasties to buy a house.

2. Captain Tom didn't plan any of this. Other people turned it into a massive PR stunt that went out of hand and turned bad taste.

Basically attention seeking, and with regard to social media, collecting “likes”.
I see a lot of virtue signally in my world. The annual PA ball in aid of charity for example, most of those who attended spent 10x more on a new dress than they did in tickets. I did suggest that during lockdown everyone who would have attended during lockdown donated the money they would have spent on a dress to the chosen charity. It went down like a lead balloon.
I have recently finished treatment for breast cancer and was asked if I will be actively supporting a charity associated with breast cancer. I have donated this years Christmas card budget but I don’t intend to publicly involve myself. I will privately support the local breast cancer centre, although I’ve not had any benefit from it due to Covid.
I helped out with school Covid testing earlier in the year but asked not to be publicly acknowledged because I didn’t do it for any other reason than to support the return to normality.
I’ve always found that VS is practiced by people who feel they are not recognised.

environmental action show offs.

You see, I don't view taking 'environmental action' (whatever you mean by that) as showing off. I think it is essential given that we are all on a catastrophic path towards environmental destruction.

I think it should be normal behaviour. Sadly it's not. Yet. And while people like you call it Virtue Signalling, it won't be.

@CatsArePeople

Captain Tom's daughter planned it.
.but its good example of what people could consider virtue signalling. Just because it's not what you consider it. Others have said that they consider attracting any attention to charitable work virtue signalling.

I think it should be normal behaviour. Sadly it's not. Yet. And while people like you call it Virtue Signalling, it won't be.

Normal behaviour like what? Buying electric cars? Yeah right.

@Tulipomania

environmental action show offs.

You see, I don't view taking 'environmental action' (whatever you mean by that) as showing off. I think it is essential given that we are all on a catastrophic path towards environmental destruction.

I think it should be normal behaviour. Sadly it's not. Yet. And while people like you call it Virtue Signalling, it won't be.

I agree it’s a climate emergency but you are missing the nuance of this debate. Read your post through the eyes of your audience. Links to achievable solutions such as a new electric car share scheme or a petition to improve local bus services might be well received. But if your friends are mostly well off and some are in the market for new vehicles a post of a review comparing electric cars might go down well. Know your audience.

[quote JohnHuffam1812]@CatsArePeople

Captain Tom's daughter planned it.
.but its good example of what people could consider virtue signalling. Just because it's not what you consider it. Others have said that they consider attracting any attention to charitable work virtue signalling.[/quote]
I don’t see fundraising efforts as virtue signaling because it’s genuinely useful to meet a charity’s needs. The money helps them to better help their beneficiaries and the publicity can raise awareness of the services they offer.

Also: things which are idiotic and genuinely counter-productive (women boycotting twitter to protest against sexism - completely failing to grasp that for women to shut up is exactly what misogynists want).
Clapping for the NHS, whining about those who didn't care to join in and being all offended when NHS workers started pointing out that they couldn't actually eat applause and that sentimental guff and portraying them as 'saints' (who conveniently don't need decent wages) wasn't helping.

Also: things which are idiotic and genuinely counter-productive

^This!
All the flag waving, knee-taking, the badges and stickers and lanyards shit - turns good intentions into irritation. It does nothing for an actual cause.