We all want to be seen as good people, but sometimes people’s actions are more about appearances than actual impact.
The line between genuine concern and performing goodness for brownie points can get blurry. So, how do you know if you’ve crossed the line from caring about important causes into virtue signalling territory? If you relate to any of the following, your concerns may be more performative than heartfelt.
1. Your activism starts and ends online.
If every trending issue shows up on your Instagram story, but you’re not taking action beyond the screen, it’s a red flag. Reposting infographics or sharing hashtags can feel like engagement, but without action, it’s just decoration. When the trend dies down, if your involvement fades too, it’s likely that appearances have taken the place of real impact.
2. You announce every good deed.
If helping someone or donating to a cause isn’t complete until it’s shared in three conversations or posted online, you’re focusing on recognition over action. Bringing up your generosity in unrelated discussions may make it feel like kindness needs an audience to be valid. Real giving doesn’t depend on a spotlight; it’s valuable with or without applause.
3. You call people out publicly.
Correcting someone’s mistake becomes more about scoring points than creating change when it’s done with an audience. Private messages could work just as well, but they don’t carry the same thrill of moral superiority. The aim of these public callouts often shifts from helping people grow to showing off your own awareness.
4. You compete in suffering.
If every story about hardship is followed by your “even tougher” experience, it’s a sign you’re making the issue about you. Conversations about struggles or oppression become less about connection and more about proving your own depth of understanding. When you constantly refocus discussions around your own perspective, it stops being about shared empathy and starts looking like a way to get attention.
5. You only care when it’s trending.
Your energy for causes aligns perfectly with what’s hot on social media, but when the trend fades, so does your attention. Causes that don’t make the headlines rarely get your time, and your “moral compass” feels more like it’s tuned to social media than genuine values. Consistent values don’t depend on hashtags; they’re there through both quiet moments and public hype.
6. You police language obsessively.
Every minor word choice becomes a big deal, and you often zero in on outdated terms without regard for the larger message. Moments that could be opportunities for learning turn into displays of your superior awareness. If every conversation is about showcasing your knowledge of the latest terms, then the focus has shifted from meaningful dialogue to making an impression.
7. You drop buzzwords constantly.
If your vocabulary sounds like a mix of every trending social justice term, but you’re not quite sure what each one means, it’s time to reconsider. Buzzwords lose their meaning when used without depth, and meaningful concepts get watered down. Conversations shouldn’t feel like a game of social justice bingo—they should reflect genuine thoughts.
8. You judge without context.
Judgements come fast and hard, without digging into the bigger picture. Complex situations get simplified into “right” and “wrong,” often applying different standards to yourself than to other people. If your rush to condemn people gets stronger with an audience, it might be less about values and more about looking morally superior.
9. You perform allyship.
When you’re supporting a cause, if the spotlight somehow keeps swinging back to you, your allyship may be performative. Speaking over those you’re supposed to be supporting or seeking praise for every act of solidarity shows that the support may be more about recognition than genuine help. Real allyship doesn’t need the limelight.
10. You shame imperfect efforts.
When someone’s effort to be better doesn’t meet your standards, criticism comes before encouragement. If you’re quick to knock down someone’s progress because it isn’t “perfect,” then your approach might discourage them from trying at all. Holding impossible standards doesn’t create change; it often just drives people away.
11. You collect causes.
If your profile reads like a list of movements you’re “passionate” about, but you’re barely involved beyond the surface, you might be collecting labels more than supporting causes. Stacking identities for show without deep engagement creates a checklist of causes rather than meaningful commitment. Real support goes beyond adding another label.
12. You guilt people constantly.
If conversations often feel like moral lectures, or you treat someone’s ignorance as a flaw instead of a chance to educate, then the intent might be more about moral superiority than making a positive impact. Shaming people away from causes does more harm than good. Real change comes from bringing people in, not pushing them out.
