virtue signalers
Public righteousness displayers
Virtue signalers are people who express moral opinions primarily to demonstrate their own righteousness rather than to effect change.
The term is dismissive, suggesting the person cares more about appearing ethical than being ethical: The virtue signalers on social media were quick to post black squares but slow to donate.
Often used by political conservatives against progressives, though the behavior crosses ideological lines.
- grandstandingPerforming to impress onlookers
- showinessOstentatious display quality
- preachingDelivering moral discourse
- ostentationVulgar flaunting of means
- moralizingDelivering ethical lectures
holier than thou · slacktivism · social media activism · hollow · smugness · self-righteousness · insincere · impression management · performative · moralists · tokenism · thoughts and prayers · cancel culture · public shaming · sanctimony · hypocrisies · authenticity · posturing
- reformersreformers, reformer, social reformers, social reformer, political reformer
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