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Just FYI, Virtue Signalling is a pejorative that implicitly marginalizes and accuses someone of abnormal behavior. The GP here is calling that out even if you

Just FYI, Virtue Signalling is a pejorative that implicitly marginalizes and accuses someone of abnormal behavior. The GP here is calling that out even if you didn't specifically use the term "virtue signalling" in your original comment - the behavior here is entirely normal. The phrase's roots come from the alt-right looking for a replacement for SJW accusations not being taken seriously: https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Social_justice_warrior#.22Virtue_signalling.22 https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Social_justice_warrior#.22Virt...

UnFleshedOne 5y ago
I don't think there is anything implicit in this phrase anymore -- it quite explicitly accuses someone of posturing instead of paying the honest price for signaling. For example, a peacock's tail is a honest fitness signal -- it does take a lot of effort to maintain (in food and vulnerability) so it serves as a good signal for fitness. Naming an existing place after a virtue you want to pretend to hold is an empty virtue signal. Rezoning the city to reduce car traffic would be a honest virtue signal for the same virtue. "Empty" is usually dropped from "empty virtue signaling", because why bother. Alt-right association or origin don't make the phrase automatically invalid. You could even say pretending that it does is itself a virtue signaling in the derogatory sense.
- tshaddox 5y ago
  > it quite explicitly accuses someone of posturing instead of paying the honest price for signaling. Not really. I see the accusation used almost exclusively to refer to any time someone deliberately associates themselves publicly with any view that is opposed by the viewer. It's literally just a meaningless accusation thrown at someone who disagrees with you about something.
WalterBright 5y ago
Virtue signalling is not at all abnormal behavior. People have done that since talking evolved. Everybody does it to some extent. And since I pointed out my own virtue signal, have I marginalized myself with abnormal behavior?
wanderer2323 5y ago
Fist someone presents their leftist point of view as truth on something called 'rational wiki', then someone posts it on HN with 'Just FYI'. I'm missing an 'explanatory reporting' by a 'neutral news outlet' for my culture war bullshit bingo.
- henrikschroder 5y ago
  I think we need to slap a "dangerous misinformation" label on your post now! /s, obviously.

UnFleshedOne 5y ago

I don't think there is anything implicit in this phrase anymore -- it quite explicitly accuses someone of posturing instead of paying the honest price for signaling. For example, a peacock's tail is a honest fitness signal -- it does take a lot of effort to maintain (in food and vulnerability) so it serves as a good signal for fitness. Naming an existing place after a virtue you want to pretend to hold is an empty virtue signal. Rezoning the city to reduce car traffic would be a honest virtue signal for the same virtue. "Empty" is usually dropped from "empty virtue signaling", because why bother. Alt-right association or origin don't make the phrase automatically invalid. You could even say pretending that it does is itself a virtue signaling in the derogatory sense.

tshaddox 5y ago
> it quite explicitly accuses someone of posturing instead of paying the honest price for signaling. Not really. I see the accusation used almost exclusively to refer to any time someone deliberately associates themselves publicly with any view that is opposed by the viewer. It's literally just a meaningless accusation thrown at someone who disagrees with you about something.

WalterBright 5y ago

Virtue signalling is not at all abnormal behavior. People have done that since talking evolved. Everybody does it to some extent. And since I pointed out my own virtue signal, have I marginalized myself with abnormal behavior?

wanderer2323 5y ago

Fist someone presents their leftist point of view as truth on something called 'rational wiki', then someone posts it on HN with 'Just FYI'. I'm missing an 'explanatory reporting' by a 'neutral news outlet' for my culture war bullshit bingo.

henrikschroder 5y ago
I think we need to slap a "dangerous misinformation" label on your post now! /s, obviously.