Virtue Signalling

There was an amusing amount of VS on this thread of outrage.

Personally, I try to be as wicked as I possibly can and remain shtum about it. Is there a term for this? Possibly ‘being human’.

I think for me it is pink everything during breast cancer awareness week (or month), rainbow everything , etc. So many companies jump on the bandwagon to signal their awareness, when you find out they are actually donating the tiniest amount of proceeds. Or find out they don't have a good sickness policy for workers that may be off getting treatments for breast cancer.

Of course it is Virtue signalling @ M0nica, I expect that was down to autocorrect, just as I hope one would be discreet in doing good.

Oh dear, so when I say to DH, who does the packing "Keep that separate, it's for the Food Bank" I'm virtue signalling.
I have to say it quite loudly because he's a bit deaf.

I'll write him a note in future.

MawtheMerrier

Of course it is Virtue signalling @ M0nica, I expect that was down to autocorrect, just as I hope one would be discreet in doing good.

I am duly chastised.

I couldn't give a fig if someone who does a genuinely good thing gets pleasure out of sharing the fact with the world. Unless they are naming and embarrassing the recipient what difference does it make? Why shouldn't they reward themself? Saying 'I'm giving this to the food bank' doesn't detract from the fact they are.
And how is it any worse than saying, virtuously, 'I do it discreetly?' Isn't stating that another layer of virtue signalling.
My brand of being good is better than yours?

I don't speak up for pleasure or to show off, it's just that DH would pack everything in together.

Perhaps I should do two discrete shopping runs.

Decades before virtue signalling was a thing my mother used to mutter to me about her friend's daughter.The friend had been well into her 40s when the daughter was born so was now quite elderly. The daughter was deeply into all sorts of charities and protests and was very vocal about helping others. What annoyed my mother was the way she would gather up a band of supporters and arrive home with them at all hours of the day expecting her mother to set to and provide meals for them all. the fact that an elderly lady with arthritis and diverticulitis might find this quite exhausting never seemed to occur to her.

Gagajo I wouldn't think your example - having shelves of books that have never been read - as being "virtue signalling" anyway. I would say it would more properly be described as pretentious or snobbish.

My understanding of the phrase is that it is meant to imply a person is either saying or doing something only because they want to appear morally superior.

I actually don't like the phrase, which, like the word "snowflake", is intended to be a slur on a person's character, implying they are shallow and insincere. It seems to me a modern version of the word "do-gooder" - heaven forbid that someone would actually want to do some good!

maddyone I think I'm right in saying that Gary Lineker did take someone into his home.

GagaJo

What type of virtue signalling really gets up your nose?

I'm starting because I'm irritable this morning!

People who have walls / huge bookshelves full of books but never read. A class signifier.

How do you know they never read them? We have loads of books and they have all been read and read again. (These are mostly non fiction, as I usually move paperbacks on once read)

Dear GagaJo, I don't get it. Many books are beautiful. The idea of books is beautiful. Haven't you ever bought something to display that you thought was beautiful, but that you didn't personally make? What about people who buy bulbs to force in the winter, but they're not good gardeners? What about people who have pianos because they think they're pretty pieces of furniture, but they don't play? I have to say, I think some of the people on Gransnet are some of the harshest people. I'm kind of a grammar snob, but I'm not going to point out everyone's typos, misspellings, wrong tense. Chill!

Having to move a few years back I only kept my favourite books and nowadays return books to the charity shop I bought them from. Having only about 40 books on the shelves now, it’s amusing when people ask “have you read all those?” Showing themselves up as non readers who haven’t opened a book since schooldays. Yet that’s not a problem. People who borrow books and turn pages down, they are a problem as I have the vocabulary, thanks to being an avid reader, to tell them exactly how much they annoy me and get the iron out in front of them to show how I iron out their childish behaviour. People entering my home know which book I’m currently reading from the folded (clean) paper hankie left in the last pages read.

GagaJo

eazybee

People who have walls / huge bookshelves full of books but never read. A class signifier.

This sort of silly remark.
People who have walls full of books buy them because they like books and they keep them on shelves because it as an ideal way to store them.
Nothing to do with class.

You missed out totally the 2nd part of my post.

but never read

Just insulation. I don't keep millions of books and I'm an English teacher.

Did you write more Gagajo - it ends ‘Class signifier”. Maybe there was more you didn’t post?

Also I’m a semi retired book-dealer, latterly working from home, and have books EVERYWHERE.
My OWN bookshelves for reading are in my bedroom and are filled to overflowing with books I AM going to read, some I MIGHT read , and I used to have collections of books I have read (a LOT in 76 years) but over the last few years I’ve been disposing of masses I have read, but not those I might read, depends how the time and mood takes me - there are certainly people who buy books for ‘shelf furniture’ - to look good as part of Interior design - AND some who do buy books they will never ever read to look ‘classy’ , but over 43 years the majority of lots of book buyers I’ve come across buy for a huge variety of reasons, mostly not to show off. I have over the years LEARNED a lot from customers who are much better educated in various genres than I am - fascinating!

To MOnica, I too have at least 4 books on the go at any one time, plus The Literary Review, The Guardian, The Oldie, Private Eye. I used to teach English, and words are my passion, but I don’t expect to called a virtue signaller because I’m an avid reader. Some people, like my sister-in-law think books make a room look messy. I think they add interest. If people choose pulp fiction over literary books that’s their choice, I wouldn’t criticise them for it.

Matthew 7:1-6 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Interesting article on virtue signalling -
effectiviology.com/virtue-signaling/#Summary_and_conclusions

I worry when people say that having a lot of books is virtue signalling. I have a house full of books collected over a sixty year period but only because my father had some from his studies, I from my degrees and my daughter from her degrees. Why throw them out? They are members of our household who have lived with us for over half a century and we dip into them when we need their company. They are a part of the fabric of our family.

Virtue signalling, humble bragging...similar traits. Watch Escape to the Chateau..Mrs Strawbridge can't help herself. I grant she's talented, but why does she need to flag it up all the time?
BTW "virtual" signalling is a totally different thing. Put your specs on, like me

Callistemon Saying it to your DH doesn't count. It has to be said in a public place or in company so that others can look at you and think, you hope, what a good person you are.

My last sentence was, of course, a second example of virtue signalling. But it was an example, I am not saying to anyone, in truth, either whether I donate to food banks, nor the value of the donation, if I do.

several posters I picked up on Virtual signalling because it was in bold type and is a word in it's own right, so I thought it was deliberate. I generally, never correct anyones text because mine is far from perfect. A combination of having dyspraxia, and numb finger tips on my right hand (I am not a touch typist) means anything I type is full of errors and I do my best to correct them, but frequently fail.

I think some peoples virtue signalling is other peoples life.

I'm devout in my Christian faith, I attend Church when the doors are open - I don't care one bit what faith others do or don't profess to have.

I give charitably and don't care if others do the same, I typically keep charity between myself and my Priest.

I read the internet. We have many pretty picture books of lovely places - others may read whatever they wish or not.

I don't care for much on tv, so I don't look - I see a place/ need for tv for others, my own husband and AC included.

Talking about virtue signalling is just another argument, to me.

I think it’s more making public all the things you do that makes it vs, not actually doing it.

Callistemon Saying it to your DH doesn't count. It has to be said in a public place or in company so that others can look at you and think, you hope, what a good person you are

Oh relief.
I usually have to repeat myself more loudly but try not to shout.
🙂

Oh dear, I’ve got shelves and shelves of books but I am trying to get rid of a lot of them. The op shops won’t take them anymore, no one reads much these days it seems. I have actually read every single one of them, trashy, classics,non fiction, the lot. Aren’t I just a virtuous little nanna ?

😇