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Folks without virtue accuse people of "virtue signalling" as if virtue were a bad thing. These folks would call MLK a social justice warrior engaged in "virtue

Folks without virtue accuse people of "virtue signalling" as if virtue were a bad thing. These folks would call MLK a social justice warrior engaged in "virtue signalling".

krona 6y ago
Virtue signalling costs nothing - that's the point of the phrase. MLK certainly wasn't virtue signalling.
- r00fus 6y ago
  So does quitting count as no cost?
  - hckr_news 6y ago
    Especially in this current economic crisis. Hopefully he finds a better job and contributes to the betterment of society.
- thephyber 6y ago
  > Virtue signalling costs nothing While that is true, it's still worth pointing out that OP did quit his job, which is more than just virtue signaling. It turns out that some psychologists have publicly criticized the use of that term as it does belittle people who are actually acting virtuously, in addition to conspicuously posting about it.. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtue_signalling#Criticism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtue_signalling#Criticism
DFHippie 6y ago
Yes, the phrase "virtue signalling" is deeply cynical. Are there people who adopt a cause for aesthetics or social status rather than deeply felt convictions? Sure. But seldom is this slur applied to anyone because someone has done a behavioral study to determine the person insulted is feigning morality. And even if they are, if they are aping good behavior with desirable consequences, why insult them? The people calling others "social justice warriors" are doing even less.
- twelve40 6y ago
  oh come on like you haven't seen people who jump on the bandwagon who don't give a shit about the actual issue(s) and are just there to score some PR points. Never happens. No idea if this applies to the parent topic, but denying that virtue signalling exists is very strange.
  - thephyber 6y ago
    > But seldom is this slur applied to anyone because someone has done a behavioral study to determine the person insulted is feigning morality. Your parent isn't denying that the term should exist, only saying that the people who most frequently use it are just slinging a pejorative without knowing if the person is offline-virtuous or just online-conspicuous-virtuous.
  - DFHippie 6y ago
    Yeah. That isn't what I meant. Thanks for your careful, good-faith argument, though.
hejja 6y ago
no. if you're doing it for selfish reasons or jumping on some moral bandwagon it's virtue signaling. mlk existed when civil rights were not trendy as it now is, therefore he was surely glad free speech existed.

Folks without virtue accuse people of "virtue signalling" as if virtue were a bad thing. These folks would call MLK a social justice warrior engaged in "virtue signalling".

krona 6y ago

Virtue signalling costs nothing - that's the point of the phrase. MLK certainly wasn't virtue signalling.

r00fus 6y ago
So does quitting count as no cost?
- hckr_news 6y ago
  Especially in this current economic crisis. Hopefully he finds a better job and contributes to the betterment of society.
thephyber 6y ago
> Virtue signalling costs nothing While that is true, it's still worth pointing out that OP did quit his job, which is more than just virtue signaling. It turns out that some psychologists have publicly criticized the use of that term as it does belittle people who are actually acting virtuously, in addition to conspicuously posting about it.. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtue_signalling#Criticism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtue_signalling#Criticism

DFHippie 6y ago

Yes, the phrase "virtue signalling" is deeply cynical. Are there people who adopt a cause for aesthetics or social status rather than deeply felt convictions? Sure. But seldom is this slur applied to anyone because someone has done a behavioral study to determine the person insulted is feigning morality. And even if they are, if they are aping good behavior with desirable consequences, why insult them? The people calling others "social justice warriors" are doing even less.

twelve40 6y ago
oh come on like you haven't seen people who jump on the bandwagon who don't give a shit about the actual issue(s) and are just there to score some PR points. Never happens. No idea if this applies to the parent topic, but denying that virtue signalling exists is very strange.
- thephyber 6y ago
  > But seldom is this slur applied to anyone because someone has done a behavioral study to determine the person insulted is feigning morality. Your parent isn't denying that the term should exist, only saying that the people who most frequently use it are just slinging a pejorative without knowing if the person is offline-virtuous or just online-conspicuous-virtuous.
- DFHippie 6y ago
  Yeah. That isn't what I meant. Thanks for your careful, good-faith argument, though.

hejja 6y ago

no. if you're doing it for selfish reasons or jumping on some moral bandwagon it's virtue signaling. mlk existed when civil rights were not trendy as it now is, therefore he was surely glad free speech existed.