Who said virtue signalling is bad?

Virtue signalling is only a problem when it’s all signal and no virtue. It’s okay to do something good for largely social reasons. We are social animals. Reciprocal altruism allowed our species to survive. We thrive on the good opinions of others.

It is okay, actually, if someone does a truly beneficial act for hollow, self-serving goals. In fact, it is typically hard to separate these motives. No one is their best and most moral self in a total social vacuum. We are often made better people when we care about the impressions we make.

So yes, judge the self-congratulatory use of Facebook profile filters and the wearing of safety pins. I certainly do. Such signals of virtue are meaningless; they bring with them no powerful shift in social norms; they do not help a single soul proactively. But when you are moved to judge someone for proudly wearing an “I Voted” sticker, or sharing their protest photos on social media, hold back. Think about how such acts, while craven, can model good behavior for others.

Social judgment motivates us like almost nothing else, after all. It can make us cowards and consumerist hacks. But it can also make us powerful leaders and enactors of change. And if a little positive social feedback is what you need to get into something good, by all means, indulge that impulse. Attention is something we all need. It is okay to want a shred of credit for doing something truly virtuous. In fact, it’s incredibly human.