virtue signalling

See also: virtue-signalling

English

Alternative forms

• virtue signaling, virtue-signalling, virtue-signaling

Etymology

Initially used in academic works about religion to refer to ostentatious public displays of religiosity. Popularised by James Bartholomew in an April 2015 article in the British conservative magazine The Spectator.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈvɜɹtʃu sɪɡnəlɪŋ/, [ˈvɜ˞tʃ-]

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

virtue signalling (uncountable)

1. (derogatory, chiefly in the context of political and social justice issues) The practice of expressing a particular opinion or performing a particular action in an attempt to make oneself look virtuous: commonly defensively in response to, or anticipation of, criticism; or aggressively, in assuming a moral posture in attacking an opponent.
   • 2013 January 7, “Keeping Track: Events, People on the Move, New Businesses, Good Works”, in Vancouver Sun, page C9:

     Corporate Social Responsibility as Competitive Virtue Signalling: Ethical Implications

   • [2015 April 18, James Bartholomew, “The Awful Rise of ‘Virtue Signalling’”, in The Spectator‎^[1], London:

     The poster goes on to assert: ‘We are part of a growing consciousness that is bigger than food — one that champions what’s good.’ This a particularly blatant example of the increasingly common phenomenon of what might be called ‘virtue signalling’ — indicating that you are kind, decent and virtuous.]

   • 2019 January 8, Sophia Sleigh, “Ads for Butter, Olive Oil and Pesto Could Face Ban in War on Junk Food”, in Evening Standard, page 6:

     Conservative assembly member Andrew Boff said the ban was “reckless” at a time when TfL was facing a £1 billion deficit. “This is yet another example of the Mayor indulging in pointless virtue signalling and grandstanding,” he said.

   • 2019 May 10, Andrew Shrimsley, “Once you’re accused of virtue-signalling, you can’t do anything right”, in Financial Times:

     Virtue-signalling, for those who have never felt drawn to the term, is the apparently modern crime of trying to be seen doing the right thing. The implication is that the virtue-signaller does not really believe what they are saying but simply wishes to be admired as a good person.

   • 2019 September 2, Sophie Elmhirst, “Looking Ahead: Kristen Stewart on Her Fluid Sexuality, Directorial Debut and Finding the Freedom to Be Herself”, in Harper's Bazaar‎^[2]:

     Sometimes, she’s sceptical: the virtue-signalling can be a little forced, a little on point. She names no names, obviously, but describes, tantalisingly, "a couple of people who are like real activists, really at the forefront of progress, and I’m like, 'You are a deplorable fraud! And all you really care about is people looking at you.'"

   • 2020 June 14, Rich Benjamin, “U.S. Corporations Are ‘Virtue Signaling’ Like Crazy on Race”, in Los Angeles Times‎^[3]:

     The virtue-signaling invites cynicism over whether it is actually just a new means of advertising to Gen Z and millennials, two consumer groups deeply invested in issues of gender, sexuality and race.

   • 2023 May 25, David Smith, quoting Ron DeSantis, “Failure to launch: Twitter glitches deal double blow to Elon Musk and Ron DeSantis”, in The Guardian‎^[4], →ISSN:

     The governor went to have a dig at Trump. “Government is not entertainment,” he said. “It’s not about building a brand or virtue signaling.”

Coordinate terms

• vice signalling

Derived terms

• virtue signal

Translations

expressing an opinion to make oneself look virtuous

• Afrikaans: deugpronkery
• Arabic: رِيَاء m (riyāʔ)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Danish: godhedssignalering c
• Finnish: hyvesignalointi (fi), hyveliputus (fi)
• French: vertu ostentatoire, bien-pensance ostentatoire f, vertu de façade f, tartufferie (fr) f, pharisaïsme (fr) m
• German: die (moralische) Flagge zeigen (idiom), Tugendschau f, den Heiligenschein aufsetzen (slang)
• Icelandic: dygðaskreyting f
• Polish: pokazywanie pozornych wartości n, sygnalizacja cnoty f
• Portuguese: please add this translation if you can
• Swedish: godhetssignalering c, dygdsignalering c

See also

• humblebrag
• moral high ground
• Pharisee
• political correctness
• right-on
• sanctimony
• vainglory
• self-righteous

Verb

virtue signalling

1. present participle and gerund of virtue signal

References

• James Bartholomew (2015 April) “The Awful Rise of ‘Virtue Signalling’”, in The Spectator‎^[5], London.
• James Bartholomew (2015 October) “I Invented ‘Virtue Signalling’. Now It’s Taking Over the World”, in The Spectator‎^[6], London.
• “virtue signalling ’"`UNIQ--nowiki-0000000A-QINU`"’ virtue signaling, n .”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, December 2021.