# Cancel Culture and Virtue Signaling -- What’s the case against them? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 14, 2022, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-and-virtue-signaling-what-s-the-case-against-them/959459 "2022-02-14T13:43:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2022, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-and-virtue-signaling-what-s-the-case-against-them/959459/273 "2022-02-18T17:13:24Z")
I do have to wonder how much they give in dark money to various Super Pacs and such. And I will be kept wondering, as that info doesn’t need to be disclosed. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2022, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-and-virtue-signaling-what-s-the-case-against-them/959459/274 "2022-02-18T17:48:26Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > an excellent example of Virtue Signalling A great point. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2022, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-and-virtue-signaling-what-s-the-case-against-them/959459/275 "2022-02-19T03:04:02Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > I do have to wonder how much they give in dark money to various Super Pacs and such. And I will be kept wondering, as that info doesn’t need to be disclosed. As you may already know, one can find out some of this at [www.opensecrets.org](http://www.opensecrets.org). It looks like they give about equally to Democrats and Republicans, but more to the latter. I don’t think they should. give to either. Walgreens and Boots are one company, so I guess British progressives (is that word used there?) may join the boycott. The more a progressive boycott of Walgreens is publicized, the more conservative Americans will shop at Walgreens ---
**Author:** ![Mr.E](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.e/32/8932_2.png) [@Mr.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.E)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2022, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-and-virtue-signaling-what-s-the-case-against-them/959459/276 "2022-02-19T03:12:39Z")
This really just further cements that anything truly objectionable that could be called “virtue signalling” could more simply be called “hypocrisy.” If you’re simply upset by the act of publicly claiming a certain virtue it surely has more to do with how you view that specific virtue rather than the act of extolling said virtue. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2022, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-and-virtue-signaling-what-s-the-case-against-them/959459/277 "2022-02-19T03:24:33Z")
> [@Mr.E](#): > > If you’re simply upset by the act of publicly claiming a certain virtue it surely has more to do with how you view that specific virtue rather than the act of extolling said virtue. I think I agree, at least in part. So long as it doesn’t involve character assassination, I find it hard to object to said virtue signaling per se. And if it is character assassination of a career-ruining nature, the problem then is the cancelling, not the signal. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2022, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-and-virtue-signaling-what-s-the-case-against-them/959459/278 "2022-02-19T11:01:55Z")
At its worst, cancel culture is mob rule - and ‘mob’ in the sense of ‘lynchmob’ - not especially rational, not necessarily following any actual fact or truth, not even acting in proportion with the perceived wrong - just running along with a riotous crowd to get on board with smashing and burning something. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2022, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-and-virtue-signaling-what-s-the-case-against-them/959459/279 "2022-02-19T11:03:44Z")
And (IMO) anything positive that can be said about ‘virtue signalling’ is really just talking about _virtue._ ---
**Author:** ![Roger\_That](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roger_that/32/8505_2.png) [@Roger\_That](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roger_That)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2022, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-and-virtue-signaling-what-s-the-case-against-them/959459/280 "2022-02-19T11:23:01Z")
I used to be a member of a message board on which a prominent right-winger would rail against virtue signaling and what he called ‘identity politics,’ not realizing (despite it being pointed out to him repeatedly) that he was in favor of the identity politics he righteously denounced, only in his case the identity was that of white Christian male Americans, and the virtue they were constantly signaling was that of conservative values. It was astonishing how hard it was to get him to acknowledge that was what virtually all of his arguments were based on, and more astonishing that he would continue to rail against these things after that was pointed out to him. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2022, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-and-virtue-signaling-what-s-the-case-against-them/959459/281 "2022-02-19T17:55:46Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > As you may already know, one can find out some of this at [www.opensecrets.org](http://www.opensecrets.org). Yes, “some”, but not all, and we don’t even know if it’s most or even a significant minority. > [@PhillyGuy](#): > > I don’t think they should. give to either. I agree, I think that money should be removed from politics altogether. Billion dollar campaigns make democracy into a bit of a farce, IMHO. > [@PhillyGuy](#): > > the more conservative Americans will shop at Walgreens As a manner of virtue signalling, right? ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2022, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-and-virtue-signaling-what-s-the-case-against-them/959459/282 "2022-02-19T18:07:01Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > As a manner of virtue signalling, right? Deleted. This is not the pit. Apologies to anyone who saw it. ---
**Author:** ![webwarrior](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/webwarrior/32/9529_2.png) [@webwarrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/webwarrior)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2022, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-and-virtue-signaling-what-s-the-case-against-them/959459/283 "2022-02-20T21:01:19Z")
That’s right. True cancel culture would prohibit watching the games. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2022, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-and-virtue-signaling-what-s-the-case-against-them/959459/284 "2022-02-20T21:13:52Z")
So it doesn’t exist then, at least not as anything of consequence in the US. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2022, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-and-virtue-signaling-what-s-the-case-against-them/959459/285 "2022-02-21T01:23:26Z")
It’s like the teaching of critical race theory. It doesn’t happen in grade schools, high schools, and most colleges, but right wingers need a fictitious bad guy to rail against, and that’s why people know the term “critical race theory”. ---
**Author:** ![webwarrior](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/webwarrior/32/9529_2.png) [@webwarrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/webwarrior)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2022, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-and-virtue-signaling-what-s-the-case-against-them/959459/286 "2022-02-21T03:24:03Z")
I didn’t say that. This just isn’t an example of cancel culture, which is an authoritarian erasing. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2022, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-and-virtue-signaling-what-s-the-case-against-them/959459/287 "2022-02-21T12:30:51Z")
Then where is it? Give us an example. ---
**Author:** ![webwarrior](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/webwarrior/32/9529_2.png) [@webwarrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/webwarrior)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2022, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-and-virtue-signaling-what-s-the-case-against-them/959459/288 "2022-02-21T17:33:20Z")
Speaking of rewriting our history for elementary school students, propaganda and right thought, tearing down statues and monuments, things have have lasting effects. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2022, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-and-virtue-signaling-what-s-the-case-against-them/959459/289 "2022-02-21T17:40:32Z")
Classic example of antifa canceling a monument for political reasons: [https://media.gettyimages.com/videos/wide-shot-swastika-sculpture-on-roof-of-nuremberg-stadium-exploding-video-id2026-221?s=640x640](https://media.gettyimages.com/videos/wide-shot-swastika-sculpture-on-roof-of-nuremberg-stadium-exploding-video-id2026-221?s=640x640) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2022, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-and-virtue-signaling-what-s-the-case-against-them/959459/290 "2022-02-21T17:42:04Z")
> [@webwarrior](#): > > Speaking of rewriting our history for elementary school students, propaganda and right thought, tearing down statues and monuments, things have have lasting effects What’s the ‘lasting effect’ of tearing down a statue? That there’s now — an absence of a statue? ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2022, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-and-virtue-signaling-what-s-the-case-against-them/959459/291 "2022-02-21T17:52:28Z")
> [@webwarrior](#): > > Speaking of rewriting our history for elementary school students, propaganda and right thought, tearing down statues and monuments, things have have lasting effects. Statues and monuments aren’t primarily about teaching, they’re about honoring someone. If someone isn’t deserving of being honored, why have a statue of them? If we want to teach children about something, that should be done from a factually correct book, not with a statue or monument. ETA: I doubt you will find a liberal in favor of removing Robert E. Lee or other confederates from the history books. Which is where they belong. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2022, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-and-virtue-signaling-what-s-the-case-against-them/959459/292 "2022-02-21T18:13:30Z")
None of that is “authoritarian erasing”. Furthermore, conservative and Trumpists have been trying to rewrite our history for elementary schools and other students (in addition to pushing propaganda and “right thought”), but somehow only the liberal/progressive attempts to improve scholarship and more accurately teach history seem to bother you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-and-virtue-signaling-what-s-the-case-against-them/959459.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cancel-culture-and-virtue-signaling-what-s-the-case-against-them/959459.md?page=14)