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Comment by thinkharderdev | Hacker News Reader

I've really come to be annoyed with the whole "virtue signaling" debate. What this guy did is virtue signaling but he signaled virtue by actually taking substantive action at some cost to himself. In this case the signal actually represents something real. The issue with virtue signaling that is objectionable is when it is done to avoid taking meaningful action.

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The fact that he took action made it NOT `virtue signaling`.

There is no debate here, only wrong definitions of terms being used.

I guess it's semantics but I would argue that writing a LinkedIn post is what would constitute the virtue signaling. But there's nothing wrong with that. It's a signal, but a signal of actual substantive action. It's akin to putting out a press release after passing legislation. The press release is a signal but you still did the actual thing that matters.

What took place was people attempting to deflect and slander because the action he took made their position look bad. If you can't defend your message, attack the messenger.

“Virtue signaling” is only a pejorative when it describes an action that has no cost and no benefit. Running into a burning building to save a person isn’t “virtue signaling” even if it does signal virtue.

Trump was virtue signaling when he gassed protesters and held up a bible.

What was the cost to himself? He clearly has the experience to obtain a similarly compensated job, and if the post achieved what would be its 'virtuous' goal of large exposure, it would be done so on a short timeline no less (a recruiter from Microsoft has already reached out).

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