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

[Primroseoil]

Aibu to think some people try to raise their social status by virtue signalling, going green or vegan etc? I know the majority of people have genuine reasons but I feel a minority are just virtue signalling, trying to raise their social status or fit in with a certain cohort. Aibu?

Definitely.
Big companies do it too.

Yes. Always jumping on whatever the latest bandwagon, I find these people unauthentic and insincere

Well in other news, boiled eggs are runny.

Of course YANBU.

I suppose some people might be motivated by that, yes. Personally I’ve never met any of these supposed vegans who go on endlessly about it; all the vegans I know barely mention it and I only found out by accident.

I haven’t really noticed this but I think the social capital in veganism or environmentalism depends on who you want to impress.

Personally, I think the social capital of being green or vegan has been damaged by the likes of Just Stop Oil and all those protests. They seem to have taken a really retrograde step and pushed those things back out to the fringes, Swampy-era style. The realities of EV have also taken away some of the cache of driving an electric car.

But these things are transitory and quite personal though. Having pale Scottish skin, I always think there’s status in having a deep tan in summer, especially by the pool on holiday 😂

And it's so bloody obvious, it's always the same crowd.. Their social media is crammed full of their "little wildlings" making vegan food, Palestinian & Ukranian flags on their bios, some have pronouns listed on their socials... It's all virtue signalling!

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

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?

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?

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 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

Stay off social media

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

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

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.

What a novel thought 🙄

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.

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 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.