New expressions, to be worth their salt, should be short, distinct, and instantly meaningful.
One of my previous favourites was the two word, computer-associated expression 'User Friendly'. It summed-up all one needed to know.
My current favourite is 'Virtue Signalling'. A fairly recent expression credited to Spectator writer James Bartholomew in 2015, meaning an overt conscious expression of moral values; usually by do-gooding, PC, snowflakes.
From the Extinction Rebellion folk, to Greta Thunberg, to those who constantly shout 'racism', to the current army of Vegetarians and Vegans; they all are guilty.
We are being bombarded by other people's 'holier than thou' morals, whereas once we kept things to ourselves, and quietly got on with the job of doing rather than simply espousing.
Even so, I do like the expression, as it speaks clearly of its meaning. Whether I like the attitude or not, is another matter.
Oh yes there's an awful lot of do gooders jumping on the bandwagon and telling us all about it.
ReplyDeleteIt's the new Twenty-first Century fad. Shout long and hard enough, until we all succumb.
DeleteHOW DARE YOU!... Have you not heard what the Doomgoblin has been saying?
ReplyDeleteThe 'Doomgoblin' hasn't stopped shouting!!!
DeleteI first became sceptical about so-called experts years ago, when I read of a report which recommended that the whole of Snowdonia should be given over to vegetable growing (instead of sheep, of course).
ReplyDeleteGood Luck with growing carrots up there!
I must have missed that; what a wonderful idea!!!
DeleteFor once, Cro, I shall take issue with your statement that "once we kept things to ourselves, and quietly got on with the job of doing..." history from pre-JC times is liberally littered with espousers of religious believers of every shade and hue trying to convert us and, in many cases, killing you if you wouldn't convert." Veganism (now officially a religion in the UK) hasn't quite got to that stage yet......yet!
ReplyDeleteThe Vegans do become quite heated. I know that in Brighton they burst into restaurants and make a nuisance of themselves until the police throw them out. They are quite nasty.
DeleteThis is why I like reading your posts, always relevant and interesting.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to live in the moment and giving all these proselytizers a miss.
Briony
x
The problem is, they won't leave us alone.
DeleteIf we kept things to ourselves women wouldn't have the vote, homosexuals would still be put in prison... People have to speak out to change the world, not just talk about it over dinner. It just so happens that social media and news coverage have made it more noticable and widespread.
ReplyDeleteI'm curious enough to ask: have you ever been on a march for a cause, Cro?
Yes. I once went on a student protest march in London, and when we stepped off the communal coach, we were handed banners from The Communist Party. We didn't bother with the protest, and did other things instead.
DeleteVirtue signalling is not protest marching. It is what it says, and that is what you are talking about here, as you said. It is the conspicuous expression of showing off to people, saying "I am better than everybody else, look at me".
ReplyDeleteExactly, and that's what I don't like about it. But I do like the expression itself.
DeleteI agree with Andi. In the words of MLK, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
ReplyDeleteThis is not about PC or Vegetarians, it is about having the courage to stand up when you see wrong. I don’t agree with many causes, but I would not deny them their right to speak up.
There seems to be a dividing line between good old fashioned concern, and downright 'in your face' "Do as I say, not as I do" protest. I prefer the former.
DeleteI stood my ground at work the other day and said " I don't agree"
ReplyDeletePeople shouldn't get upset with statements like this
But they do
I often said to my children that they should stand in front of a mirror and practice saying 'NO' several hundred times; until they feel at ease with the word.
DeleteI have never Virtue Signalled and don't intend to. One of the few plusses to getting old (have I spelt that right?) is that you can sod the lot of them and do your own thing - and I shall continue to do so.
ReplyDeleteWe are obviously members of the same club.
DeleteDon't you call me guilty just because I eat a vegetarian diet (with a small v).
ReplyDeleteThere have always been veggies, and there will always be; but, please, we don't need to be shouted at in that 'holier than thou' fashion that is becoming so common these days.
DeleteGreta Thunberg does have a very unfortunate look about her, there doesn't seem to be any sign of 'happiness' emanating from her.
ReplyDeleteRather like the Extinction Rebellion people, Greta T was admired and listened-to, then it all got out of hand, and we soon became bored stiff. There's a moral in there somewhere.
DeleteShe is on the autistic spectrum. No judgement, just saying. I don't want her shouting at me either.
DeleteOver-exposure isn't helping her cause; which I suppose comes under the heading of 'Virtue signalling'.
DeleteVirtue Signalling is interesting to ponder.
ReplyDeleteIt's almost oxymoronic. What often starts as everyday concerns, becomes a pain in the neck by over enthusiasm.
DeleteVocational Centers is newspeak for Communist Concentration Camps
ReplyDelete