Former Reagan speechwriter Peggy Noonan penned a quite insightful opinion piece years back in the Wall Street Journal. She discussed how it was de rigueur for Democrats to always drop into their rhetoric the deep concern they have for the poor; you know, the huddled masses yearning to be free.
The phrase “virtue signaling” had not come into full vogue at that time, but that's exactly what it was.
What do we mean by virtue signaling? It is when individuals or groups conspicuously exhibit their point of view on social issues. To be frank, virtue signaling is a non-taxing exercise that is far less constructive than actual virtue: it is a shiftless substitute for real virtue.
Politicians across the spectrum have long been skilled at the art. Ted Kennedy, who lived a life of extreme privilege, always made sure that anyone in proximity knew he was a staunch advocate for the poor. If you examine his record and its long-term effect on the downtrodden, however you'll see that much of his bluster made little impact.
Reflexive Action
Today, some virtue signalers have no inkling that they're actually doing it. For them, virtue signaling is an automatic reflex. They'll post yard signs that say, “Kindness is everything,” “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” or “No human being is illegal.” However, will they deign to live next door to a family of illegals? Will they move into a black neighborhood? Enquiring minds want to know.
Virtue signalers believe to the marrow in their bones that all conservatives are a sordid, pitiful lot who despise immigrants, kids, the elderly, and clean air, and deserve no equal justice under the law, let alone their right to make their voices heard in public forums.
Periodically, progressive virtue signaling gets exposed. What we witnessed in September 2022 offered a wonderful, close-up look at two-faced virtue signalers. The residents of Martha’s Vineyard, a quite wealthy cadre of condo and vacation property owners, on that sparsely populated island, in the sanctuary state of Massachusetts, had a golden opportunity to embrace a small group of border-crossing, poor illegal immigrants, who were simply yearning to be free!
The Martha’s Vineyard residents warmly greeted them – all for show, while the news cameras were rolling – and in less than a day, took rapid action to send these people away. As everyone witnessed, their concern for the poor was …inches deep.
These upper-crusted patricians of the commonwealth had only an itsy bitsy experience of what Arizona and Texas endure every hour of every day: poor people, often low-skilled and unhealthy, streaming across their borders with nothing more than what they’re carrying. For the citizens of these states and border counties, there is no end in sight as their communities, hospitals, schools, public services, and budgets are strained beyond reason.
What’s it all About, Alfie?
All those yard signs, all that virtue-signaling, and it all adds up to what? Gross hypocrisy. What is at the root of virtue-signaling behavior? It could well be that such people, who long ago forsook God, nevertheless seek to achieve everlasting salvation. They outwardly espouse viewpoints that they know, in their hearts, they don't embrace.
They know how to sound righteous to anyone in earshot, while subconsciously saying, “Knowing what I know about myself, if I can offer enough verbiage showing I'm concerned about the less fortunate, then I'm a good person.”
For all their signaling, however, a 2021 Pew Research study reported that liberals are less tolerant than conservatives. This finding came about as a result of liberals’ propensity to stop following or “unfriend” someone on social media sites when their viewpoints were challenged.
Behind the Facade
“Roughly four-in-ten consistent liberals on Facebook (44%) indicated they have blocked or unfriended someone” because they “disagreed with something that person posted about politics.” Only “31% of consistent conservatives'' and 26% of Facebook users overall have acted similarly.
Might liberals’ lack of tolerance be another driving force behind their tendency to virtue signal? One could make a good case that the answer is yes.
Perhaps until the end of time, we will be besieged with virtue signaling from those enlightened souls on the Left who surmise that if they keep saying the ‘right’ words then maybe, just maybe, one day they’ll believe themselves.