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Episode 7 - Virtue Signaling and Tribalism
What is virtue signalling? The overt or conscious effort to portray a property that we know will be seen positively by our audience. In this context, our "audience" is anyone we are speaking to. We signal our virtues to signal our conformity to the beliefs of others and encourage them to trust us.
Virtue signalling is very often seen as something people on the left do. It is definitely something everyone does (not just people on the left).
Virtue signalling is often used as a perjorative.
Political Correctness happens when we try very, very hard to signal our virtues.
Being surrounded by people who casually hold a different set of beliefs can cause a set of new normal virtues for yourself. They might be adopted for the time you are with those people.
What is Tribalism? The adoption of a set of beliefs that are collectively held by people you wish to be identified with. This definition is best understood in the modern context in which we can select our own tribes (rather than have our tribe chosen for us by our geography).
How does virtue signalling relate to Tribalism? We are social creatures and we are strongly influenced by our need to conform to the collection of beliefs held by people whose trust we want. The best way to earn and keep that trust is to continually display for those people our virtues. In essence, we are teaching everyone around us about what sorts of decisions we would make about the things that are important to them (virtues).
Callback to Episode 2 - Trust, conformity and Social Expectation. All 3 of those (and their interlocking aspects) are heavily active in maintaining tribal lines.
Political tribes usually form around the loudest voices. The political climate is not merely a single line (but it's hard to see that in a social climate that pulls everyone to two corners).
Tribalism and virtue signalling surround us. They are everpresent in our thoughts and they influence many of our decisions. You will not be able to properly make decisions absent their effects without realizing this.
Send us a text
Episode 7 - Virtue Signaling and Tribalism
What is virtue signalling? The overt or conscious effort to portray a property that we know will be seen positively by our audience. In this context, our "audience" is anyone we are speaking to. We signal our virtues to signal our conformity to the beliefs of others and encourage them to trust us.
Virtue signalling is very often seen as something people on the left do. It is definitely something everyone does (not just people on the left).
Virtue signalling is often used as a perjorative.
Political Correctness happens when we try very, very hard to signal our virtues.
Being surrounded by people who casually hold a different set of beliefs can cause a set of new normal virtues for yourself. They might be adopted for the time you are with those people.
What is Tribalism? The adoption of a set of beliefs that are collectively held by people you wish to be identified with. This definition is best understood in the modern context in which we can select our own tribes (rather than have our tribe chosen for us by our geography).
How does virtue signalling relate to Tribalism? We are social creatures and we are strongly influenced by our need to conform to the collection of beliefs held by people whose trust we want. The best way to earn and keep that trust is to continually display for those people our virtues. In essence, we are teaching everyone around us about what sorts of decisions we would make about the things that are important to them (virtues).
Callback to Episode 2 - Trust, conformity and Social Expectation. All 3 of those (and their interlocking aspects) are heavily active in maintaining tribal lines.
Political tribes usually form around the loudest voices. The political climate is not merely a single line (but it's hard to see that in a social climate that pulls everyone to two corners).
Tribalism and virtue signalling surround us. They are everpresent in our thoughts and they influence many of our decisions. You will not be able to properly make decisions absent their effects without realizing this.