Recently I read that virtue signaling is not a productive, favourable, or profitable way to blog. In fact, the practice can lower your blog’s ratings on Google and other search engines.
What Exactly does it Mean?
The Oxford dictionary defines virtue signaling as…
the action or practice of publicly expressing opinions or sentiments intended to demonstrate one’s good character or the moral correctness of one’s position on a particular issue.
and Wikipedia has this to say…
Virtue signaling is a pejorative neologism for the conspicuous and disingenuous expression of moral values with the intent to enhance one’s own image.
As for pejorative neologism, I had to look that up too. Pejorative means:
- Disparaging; belittling.
- A disparaging or belittling word or expression.
- Tending or intended to depreciate or deteriorate, as the sense of a word; giving a low or bad sense to.
and a neologism is:
a relatively recent or isolated term, word, or phrase that may be in the process of entering common use, but that has not yet been fully accepted into mainstream language.
Why Might you Practice virtue signaling? (AKA my excuses)
As a freelance writer, the stuff I get paid to write is definitely more technical and factual, less warm and fuzzy, but my blog posts are more on the me, me, me side. It is a personal blog, after all, so I post about the things, people and events or issues that inspire or motivate me. Yes, my posts are based on my opinions and experiences, which do reflect my morals and sentiments, why would I right about things I know nothing about? That would be disingenuous; I am genuinely proud and appreciative of my grandkids and garden business. And my morals. But that may be why my blog does not rate highly on Google’s illustrious ranking system.
Please tell me I am not disparaging, belittling, or depreciating and I don’t think I have the tendency (or the creative ability) to make up new words. Do I?
Well, I’ve learned lots, perhaps you did too, but this rant is over. I suppose if I want to improve my blog’s ranking on Google I should write (brag) less about my garden achievements and adorable grandkids, and focus more on the health and wellness category.
Of course, if I do bow to the pressure, my pictures won’t be as cute!
Funny, I’ve never used ‘neologism’ in conversation 😎
huh, if you haven’t and I haven’t who has lol?
I was so glad you included the definitions! I’m surprised Wikipedia used those ‘big’ words. The average person nowadays has no idea what they mean, me included! This is the first I’ve heard of ‘virtue signaling.’ My definition would have had something to do with a hooker. I hope at my age I’m allowed a little leeway.
lol, made me feel old too