It was far too late when I realized that these people used virtue signaling as this constant insult because they disbelieved the idea people could genuinely empathic and broadly desire good for other people and to model justice in society, regardless of whether they get anything out of it themselves

December 09, 2025 - 01:31 UTC

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That last part hit close to home when I realized how mad they get when they see pronouns in people’s bios. It is for empathy, but it’s also convenient. I told them I do it because I might have a female character or a flower as my pfp. Once again, they either ignore me or get defensive.
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Is it really that hard to believe that I can do something of my own free will and not because I was told to? I think of The Simpsons episode where Sideshow Bob runs for mayor and he thinks people secretly desire to be ruled by a king. I have to wonder if there’s truth to that when it comes to them.
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Virtue signaling, to them, is like being asked to turn off their brights in a country road. “But I can see better!” is the only level of discourse they can imagine.
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I'd say that virtue signaling is precisely when people are NOT empathic, ie. when it is used to attack or harm others. Precisely what the right is doing a lot, maybe more than the left.
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Right but that’s why they accuse others of virtue signaling because they disbelieve in empathy.
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