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Let me quote from your original comment:

> people don't actually care. It's just virtue signaling.

You're making claims about their underlying motivation, and dismissing their actions as just virtue signaling.

"They're not doing A, they're only doing B"

Showing the presence of B is not sufficient to demonstrate the absence of A.

Second, you haven't actually shown that they're virtue signaling. Note that your definition specifically includes intent: "publicly expressing opinions or sentiments intended to demonstrate one's good character" -- the OP could be expressing their sentiments publicly in order to induce others to follow suit, for example. The same post admits many possible explanations, and you are in no position to read the mind of the posters in order to divine their intent. You're making assumptions, but you again haven't presented any evidence to suggest that your hypothesis is better than any others.



Hmmm, lots of good points here.

> You're making claims about their underlying motivation, and dismissing their actions as just virtue signaling.

This is true.

> Showing the presence of B is not sufficient to demonstrate the absence of A.

This is also true.

> Second, you haven't actually shown that they're virtue signaling. Note that your definition specifically includes intent: "publicly expressing opinions or sentiments intended to demonstrate one's good character" -- the OP could be expressing their sentiments publicly in order to induce others to follow suit, for example. The same post admits many possible explanations, and you are in no position to read the mind of the posters in order to divine their intent. You're making assumptions, but you again haven't presented any evidence to suggest that your hypothesis is better than any others.

Indeed, though, with respect to this there's no evidence -- save the person themselves stating that's what they intended -- that I could present that would be sufficient.

Overall I regret my original post and the ensuing posts, since ironically, my original intent was far less aggressive than is implied by the responses.

Oh well, live and learn.


You have my respect.

Your profile says "Contact me" but there's no contact info.

(It also says: “if you're going to claim something, please cite!” :) )


Thanks for engaging in good faith. The internet could use more of that.




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