Virtue Signalling

Callistemon21

With shiny Izal or Bronco non-absorbent toilet paper.

Or newspapers!

Now that is Virtue signalling.🤣

VioletSky: PS my bookcase does not contain a book that hasn't been read at least 3 times and is extremely tatty at this point. If it's not worth reading again it isn't worth keeping.

Same here. Mine is in a shocking state. I got rid of hundreds of books when I moved overseas and just kept the essentials. Which clearly aren't essential, despite teaching literature, because 95% of them haven't been looked at in over a year.

A cull is coming.

Marydoll

Callistemon21

With shiny Izal or Bronco non-absorbent toilet paper.

Or newspapers!

Now that is Virtue signalling.🤣

😂😂😂

Callistemon21

Marydoll

Callistemon21

With shiny Izal or Bronco non-absorbent toilet paper.

Or newspapers!

Now that is Virtue signalling.🤣

😂😂😂

You couldn’t do that these days, with the price of newspapers

ExperiencedNotOld

Is not talking up your possession and use of books not a signalling of virtue?

Nope, it’s just showing off😄

Sarah75

Callistemon21

Marydoll

Callistemon21

With shiny Izal or Bronco non-absorbent toilet paper.

Or newspapers!

Now that is Virtue signalling.🤣

😂😂😂

You couldn’t do that these days, with the price of newspapers

🤣

JaneJudge

I don't understand what it is and maybe that's for the best

I’m with you, Jane …🤔

People who do things that are a little too like my own foibles. Isn't that what generally irritates us the most?
Probably why this thread is making me feel a little snarky. When I'm in a bad temper it's easier for me to find fault with others.

My DH reads at least a book a week probably more usually crime John Grisham type stuff just from charity shops . If he kept every book we wouldn't fit in the House! I think true avid readers can't actually keep their books !

Couldn’t agree more!

My list is.. In- your -face Christians, non drinkers, and ex teachers who have to 'Explain'

Soozikinzi

My DH reads at least a book a week probably more usually crime John Grisham type stuff just from charity shops . If he kept every book we wouldn't fit in the House! I think true avid readers can't actually keep their books !

Pass on paperbacks to friends or charity, keep good hardbacks and reference books.

Interesting thread! My particular dislike is ‘humble bragging’ which takes many forms. From the usual ‘we are so poor’ to ‘I don’t really understand because I am so stupid’ and ‘happening to mention’ how often they attend church (and how ‘wonderful’ everyone says they are (‘little old me, I’m not, really’!). Hate this form of self aggrandisement! As regards books; I have been a bookworm since childhood and despite occasional ‘culls’, I do have bookshelves in every room (even the bedrooms). Unfortunately I have a wide variety of interests! I try to ‘curate’ them by subject matter (not colour or impressive authors/topic) just so I can find what I want easily. They look a little random but are my joy! And yes, I’ve read them all, some many times. All except the one I’ve just started of course!

tattygran14

My list is.. In- your -face Christians, non drinkers, and ex teachers who have to 'Explain'

Oh, dear. I don't think I will be getting an invite to your Christmas Party then. Only joking but I could be like that potentially. Oops.

People who refer to the Daily Fail..they are too good to read the Daily Mail. I don't read it but don't assume people who do are inferior in some way

Goodness this whole bookshelf stuff has really started something !! I read a lot, lots of different types of books, I like to re-read some - I have lots of books, all on shelves as this is sensible way of storing them - I’ve never heard of such tosh in my life - books deserve to be read and can look great on shelves …. So what ??

Newdawn

People who refer to the Daily Fail..they are too good to read the Daily Mail. I don't read it but don't assume people who do are inferior in some way

Some of us who refer to this paper as the “Daily Fail” do so as it often “fails” to tell the full story or two sides of a take and is pretty right wing - my dear departed mother read it avidly as both my husband ! I don’t think I’m “better” than them, I just consider them a little misguided

Zoejory

Callistemon21

As someone who has been accused of "virtue signalling" on gransnet for lighting a blooming candle for people who lost lives on the special day for doing so ....

I got accused of virtue signalling years ago when I said I was knitting blankets for Syrian refugees - all I was trying to do was raise awareness in case other knitters wanted to do the same.

Once bitten twice shy.

That person obviously didn't understand the term virtue signalling, Callistemon! .

I don't think a lot of people understand it either.

Agreed, Zoejory. Virtue signalling is just that - signalling to others that you are virtuous. The most egregious example I've come across was on my local FB page when a woman bought a sandwich for a street sleeper and posted a photo of herself giving it to him 😂. It wasn't so funny when it turned out that someone was 'after him' and he was beaten up as he was recognised from her photo, but the whole 'look at me, I am being kind' thing is VS.

Give to charity, advertise how a charity helps people (eg giving them knitted blankets), whatever - shout it from the rooftops - but it should be about the benefit of the charity, not about you, or about 'gesture' politics that don't benefit anyone but makes you look good by showing toothless support. Basically anything that only happens when others can see it and has no impact on the people it is meant to benefit is VS.

I'm not sure of the books on display thing is VS or showing off (particularly as I can't begin to work out how anyone would know whether they'd been read or not), but on the same lines is a pet hate of mine, which is when people insist on telling you that they don't watch what they see as 'inferior' TV, and deny knowing anything about it, even when the programme has been in the news, or is part of popular culture. It reminds me of something I saw on Ravelry (a knitting website) a while ago when someone asked if a yarn was 'wine coloured', and the reply was 'I'm not a drinker, so I don't know' 🙄. I mean, you don't have to be an alcoholic to know what colour wine is, just as you can know 'petrol blue' when you see it without being a driver, or that the King was once in Coronation Street without being either a rabid royalist or a couch potato.

I have LOADS of books, to the point where we call one of our rooms 'the library' And I have more upstairs. I'm an author and I have always loved books. I have certainly never thought of it as 'virtue signalling', in fact I feel a bit guilty because I find it so hard to get rid of a book. But I do think it's a shame when we have to be criticised, when we show something nice about ourselves, for 'virtue signalling.' I love books and come to think of it, yes, I think it's quite a nice thing about me. If someone wants to criticise me for that it's up to them.

Cossy

Newdawn

People who refer to the Daily Fail..they are too good to read the Daily Mail. I don't read it but don't assume people who do are inferior in some way

Some of us who refer to this paper as the “Daily Fail” do so as it often “fails” to tell the full story or two sides of a take and is pretty right wing - my dear departed mother read it avidly as both my husband ! I don’t think I’m “better” than them, I just consider them a little misguided

Newdawn I am with you on this and this post from Cossy only reinforces it.😂

Who was it who said ' Books do furnish a room'?

How can having a wall of books (I have and then some) be virtue signalling?! I’m better than you because I have books (some very tatty)??!! I hang on to a lot of books because the older I can the less likely I am to remember what they’re about!

The couple who know everyone and everything who label me and put me in a box they think suits my political and every other aspect of my life. Most of which is entirely wrong (I don't even discuss politics!!). Also recommending the most obscure book titles I must read!! I suffer in silence as overall they are caring people!

Oh and I’ve got lots of fridge magnets, even a few from places I’ve never been to - is that virtue signalling as well?

IrishDancing

Oh and I’ve got lots of fridge magnets, even a few from places I’ve never been to - is that virtue signalling as well?

Me too, I’ll join you in virtue signalling fridge magnets. 🤗