Virtue signaling. If you are on any social media platform or have ventured into the abyss of cable news talk shows then you’ve probably heard this term thrown around. Well, I am here to tell you that this insidious practice that is allegedly undermining universities, college athletics, professional sports, the film industry, your trip to the grocery store, and dinner at Aunt Muriel’s house is a hoax. But before we understand how virtue signaling is a fake controversy, we need to understand its origins, uses, and impacts.

Origins of Virtue Signaling

There is no official origin of the term, rather it came into existence to encapsulate outward political correctness (another divisive buzzword). If you search for uses of the term in media, you will find that virtue signaling is used almost exclusively by conservative pundits and politicians to decry individuals, institutions, and events that use their platform (however big or small) to promote either “politically correct” or progressive agendas.

What Does Virtue Signaling Look Like?

I say that virtue signaling is a myth because its definition and uses are completely inconsistent. Pointing out instances of virtue signaling among organizations, businesses, and celebrities is immensely inconsistent as the term is only used to critique the promotion of left or progressive agendas and almost never to describe the promotion of conservative agendas. I believe I am safe in saying that if the term virtue signaling existed in 1947, there would have been a host of people accusing the MLB of virtue signaling when they allowed Jackie Robinson to play for the Dodgers while the Negro Leagues were still going strong. Afterall, segregation was a very political topic in the 1940s. Why should baseball have to involve itself with the politics of segregation and virtue signal to the country how the issue would be handled? I speak facetiously here of course. Yet we look back now on this decision by the MLB as one of the great moments of progress in America’s history.

Now if you disagree with an institution’s or a celebrity’s agenda or how they use their platform then chances are you do not belong to the clientele that they are reaching out to at that particular moment. Just because a product is advertised as being for a hetero family in one advertisement and then being for LGBTQ+ family in the next does not mean that they are virtue signaling, nor does it imply that customers who don’t fit those two moulds are not valued. It means the business wants all customers to feel the product is for them. Just because a baseball league promotes an anti-racist agenda in some of its promotional material does not mean that they have abandoned other agendas such as supporting law enforcement (most parks have a law enforcement night or multiple). It just means they are taking time to support a particular group at a particular time. Now this may be seen as opportunism, and there is a great case for that. But what capitalism loving person would belittle an organization from profiting off of an opportunity? While some of the gestures can be opportunistic and lack long-term positive impacts, they are still a starting place and can be meaningful to many people who belong to the referenced groups. These sorts of gestures by businesses and organizations also function as a conversation starter around said issues.

During the pandemic, another form of virtue signaling has been observed by many conservatives. This sort of virtue signaling comes from everyday people, people without a massive platform. If someone wears a mask in a location where masks are either not required by law or by the owner, that person is often characterized as virtue signaling. If someone posts about how they got vaccinated or uses an “I Got Vaccinated” frame around their Facebook profile picture, they can be accused of virtue signaling. Conversely, posting information that is anti-vax or anti-mask is not characterized by these parties as virtue signaling. Accusing individual citizens with little to no major platform of virtue signaling is likewise a pretend endeavour to make the accuser feel better about themselves. This sort of  virtue signaling is a self-serving self-satisfying witch hunt that usually takes place entirely in the mind. Accusing an individual of virtue signaling implies that you know the perpetrator’s motive for doing that thing. Allow me to illustrate with an example. 

Let’s say someone is driving their vehicle around town. While at a stop light, they look to their left and see someone driving the car next to them, windows up, wearing a mask. While anyone familiar with CDC masking guidelines would find this unnecessary or even bizarre, there is nothing morally, ethically, or legally wrong with someone using their freedom to wear a face covering in their own vehicle. Yet, this act would qualify as virtue signaling. This assumption that the masked driver is virtue signaling requires another assumption first, the assumption that the driver wearing the mask is doing so as an outward act to show others that they “take covid seriously” and that conversely “those not wearing a mask are not, and therefore worse than me.” That is a lot of assumptions about someone you don’t know and have not talked to. Is it possible that they came out of the store and simply forgot to take the mask off? Is it possible that there is a baby out of sight in the backseat who the driver is babysitting, and the parents requested that the sitter wear a mask? It is possible. The act of assuming an individual is virtue signaling is founded on a premise of petty insecurity, much like examining the contents in the cart of the shopper in front of you and making assumptions about things ranging from their health to their parenting. Sure, you may be right but what would being right do for the world or for your own well-being? I would wager that it only has negative impacts, primarily the negative impacts on relationships and unity that often accompanies being judgemental.

Now is it possible that there are people wearing masks in certain places only to externally communicate some sort of self-righteous agenda? Yes, it is possible. But you can’t know that for sure, and you will probably be happier if you spend less time assuming you know everyone’s motivations.

Choose to Be Above Divisive Buzzwords

In summation, virtue signaling is just a buzzword (one of many) that makes being judgemental against individuals and progressive policies sound like enlightened behavior while removing any responsibility from the observer to sincerely engage in meaningful discussion around the issues. The term is divisive in nature as evidenced by its near exclusive use by one side of the argument to target only certain “virtues.” Organizations and celebrities have been using their platforms for progressive and conservative policies since America’s founding–it’s just more transparent now. Furthermore, choosing not to use your platform to “virtue signal” by saying things like “my celebrity opinions shouldn’t matter” is likewise a form of signaling a virtue, the virtue of privacy and silence. Michael Jordan refused to be political. That was his choice. Other athletes are very political and outspoken. It doesn’t mean Jordan was right and they were wrong. It means they were different people with different priorities and approaches. We all are. Let’s relish that instead of promoting a monolithic ideal of what organizations, celebrities, and people should do or not do as it applies to how they discuss political, social, and moral issues.