#virtue signal

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

BMW openly admitting they don't do it to actually make a difference, they brand themselves to conform to the law of the land. Including the unwritten cultural rainbow law of June in the USA.

Gay men and women put themselves and everything on the line to fight for what is right. A giant, multi-national corporation won't put anything on the line for what is right. Instead, they'll silently sit back and watch while gay people living under oppressive Islamic regimes fight for their lives. If and only when they win the day, the corporation will swoop in, exploit their blood for a marketing opportunity and congratulate themselves for being "allies."

[aerikvon]

[politijohn]

Source

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[critical-skeptic]

The Death Knell of Democracy: How Apathy and Faux Virtue Enable Fascism

As the dust settles after what could very well be the final free and fair election in the United States, the collective mood of the populace is disturbingly clear: apathy dressed as optimism, distraction masquerading as joy, and a deliberate refusal to acknowledge the abyss we stand on the edge of. Democracy does not die with a bang—it dies in silence, with a weary shrug from the masses too desensitized or disengaged to care. In this silence, both active fascists and the cheerleaders of apathy thrive, feeding off a society too blind or too self-absorbed to see the rot setting in.

Apathy: The Fertile Soil for Fascism

Apathy is not harmless. It is not neutral. It is the lifeblood of authoritarianism. The disengaged, the indifferent, and the self-proclaimed "above it all" types are the unintentional architects of their own oppression. By refusing to act, they grease the wheels for those who will act—fascists, demagogues, and authoritarians—who are not indifferent but are laser-focused on dismantling democracy brick by brick. Apathy may not pull the trigger, but it holds the door open for the executioner.

What’s worse, apathy has been twisted into a badge of honor. Some proudly declare, “I don’t care about politics,” as if that’s a sign of moral superiority. Others trivialize engagement, treating it as something to be mocked or dismissed. “Oh, you’re into that political stuff?” they say with a sneer, as if taking an interest in the survival of democracy is a frivolous hobby. This attitude, whether intentional or not, plays right into the hands of fascists. It signals that resistance will be weak, scattered, and easily crushed.

The Cult of Desensitization

Fascists understand the power of desensitization better than anyone. They know that by overwhelming the populace with chaos, misinformation, and constant crises, people will eventually tune out. Exhaustion becomes apathy. Apathy becomes complicity. And complicity becomes the silent assent that allows authoritarians to take the reins without meaningful opposition.

This tactic isn’t new; it’s a time-tested strategy. Saturate the public consciousness with so much noise that the line between fact and fiction blurs. Make people feel powerless to discern truth from propaganda. Then, sit back and watch as they retreat into escapism and indifference. The populace becomes numb, resigned to its fate, and authoritarianism takes root in the void left by civic engagement.

The Cheerleaders of Apathy: Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing

Perhaps even more dangerous than apathy itself are those who romanticize, trivialize, or defend it. They say things like, “Let’s not talk about politics; it’s too divisive.” Or, “Let’s just focus on what makes us happy.” Or, “Why can’t we all just get along?” These platitudes, often cloaked in the language of peace and unity, are poison. They frame engagement as inherently negative, as though caring deeply about democracy is a character flaw. They shame those who raise the alarm, dismissing them as hysterical or overly dramatic.

The most insidious part? These cheerleaders of apathy often believe they’re doing good. They genuinely think they’re promoting harmony, when in reality they’re smoothing the path for destruction. By discouraging confrontation and prioritizing a false sense of unity, they silence dissent and foster the illusion that everything is fine. But in times of crisis, “getting along” is the last thing society needs. Unity without accountability is not peace; it’s surrender. Harmony without justice is complicity.

The Danger of Distraction

Compounding the problem is the widespread addiction to distraction. Many would rather bury their heads in entertainment, consumerism, or superficial joys than confront the uncomfortable reality of what’s happening. This is not to say that joy and celebration have no place—they do—but when people prioritize their personal comfort over collective responsibility during times of existential crisis, it becomes a problem. Fascists count on this. They know that a distracted populace is a powerless one.

This isn’t just about individuals choosing to disengage; it’s about a culture that valorizes disengagement. The "let's just have fun" mentality, when pervasive, becomes a societal norm. It signals to those in power that the populace is more interested in Netflix and sports than in preserving their own freedoms. This is exactly what fascists want: a docile, entertained public too preoccupied to resist.

The False Virtue of Civility

Then there’s the obsession with civility, as if being polite to oppressors is some kind of moral high ground. The idea that “we shouldn’t be divided” or “we need to find common ground” ignores the reality that not all divisions are bad. Some divisions—between democracy and authoritarianism, between equality and oppression—are necessary. Calling for civility in the face of fascism is not noble; it’s cowardly. It prioritizes decorum over justice and silence over truth.

This fetishization of civility has a chilling effect on those who dare to speak out. It reframes resistance as “too aggressive” or “unhelpfully divisive.” But democracy has never been maintained through politeness. It has been maintained through struggle, confrontation, and an unrelenting refusal to accept oppression.

The Consequences of Inaction

The sum of all this—apathy, desensitization, distraction, and the worship of civility—is the erosion of democracy. Fascism doesn’t rise in a vacuum; it rises in the fertile soil of silence and complicity. It feeds on the inaction of those who could resist but choose not to. And when it takes hold, it is almost impossible to dislodge without immense suffering.

We are at a precipice. The cracks in democracy are widening, and the forces that seek to exploit those cracks are growing bolder. Yet many people act as though nothing is wrong. They tune out, they look away, they tell themselves it’s not their problem. But it is their problem—it’s everyone’s problem.

The Call to Action

If democracy is to survive, this culture of apathy must be shattered. People must reject the false virtue of disengagement and recognize that caring is not optional—it’s mandatory. They must resist the urge to retreat into distractions and confront the uncomfortable truths staring them in the face. And they must reject the platitudes of those who trivialize engagement as “divisive” or “negative.”

There is no middle ground in a fight for democracy. There is no virtue in staying silent while the world burns. The time for politeness, for unity without purpose, for apathy disguised as peace, is over. What’s at stake is too important. Those who refuse to act, who cling to their illusions of normalcy, are not just bystanders—they are enablers. And history will remember them as such.

[robertfg13]

The Virtue Signal

Another sign had appeared in the yard next door.  With the 2024 election only a year away, it was important to broadcast your political views to the other seven houses in the cul de sac.  Not to be outdone, another neighbor had also filled his lawn with a cardboard army of signs.  All I had to offer were grass and shrubs.  I was beginning to feel inadequate. In Our America Love Wins! How was I…

[aterabyte]

General litmus test: if you can take the thing you are going to say about transmascs, and replace transmascs with women, and it is obviously misogynistic? Literally just shut up it's entirely free.

[vroomvroomthings]

Nico waiting for the McLaren driver swap so that the Safety Car can be deployed so he doesn't get run over:

[elder-millennial-of-zion]

I never want to hear the phrase “collective liberation” from people who think the Israeli/Jewish hostages should have just been left to rot in literal captivity, ever again.

[teaboot]

Hey! Bamboo toilet paper person here. Your response was very thoughtful-- I want to apologize for placing the onus of climate issues on individual action, haha. I work at a zoo that bills itself as being very heavy on conservation messaging, but as a non-partisan organization we're obviously not allowed to talk about the evils of capitalism. This means that in our programming, we MUST place the responsibility of stopping climate change on individual guests, encouraging them to make more environmentally conscientious decisions like buying reef safe sunscreen or reducing carbon emissions by driving less. The most "political" we're allowed to get is telling people to stay educated and vote in favor of laws that will have a positive impact on the environment. I think I've been drinking the Zoolaid a little TOO much recently, because you're totally right-- the vast, VAST majority of damage to the environment is caused by major corporations, not random people working around their own unique needs. It was also low key a little ableist of me to take issue with that ngl.

Obviously no obligation to respond to this publicly (though it's fine if you choose to do so), but I did want to thank you for your response and mention that it did get through the nonprofit mission-based-organization propaganda living rent free in my head haha. Cheers!

Hey, you work at a zoo? That is SO cool, aadsdggjjg@!!!

And hey, no worries, you totally had a good point about endless waste and trying to counter it where possible- Just from personal experience involved in the barest edge of the fashion industry, I really, really, REALLY hate the idea that, like... people can't access simple shit like plastic straws, even if they're the best, most practical, least-harmful option for them.... because a 12 year old made up some random number for a school project about plastic waste

Where, as a zoo person, I imagine you're already aware that the average sea turtle is WILDLY more likely to die from abandoned plastic fishing nets or ocean-dump grocery bags than accidentally get a straw inside it

So here we are, using paper straws!- which may be an improvement, or may not, I don't have that data, and construction emissions are their own thing- BUT WE STILL HAVE OCEANS FULL OF ABANDONED NETS

WHICH ARE OBJECTIVELY WORSE, but MUCH harder to get rid of, and as the average person doesn't USE fishing nets, it'd much harder to market as a "You, not me" sort of issue.

Cleaning up fishing nets isn't trendy. It isn't sexy. You can't troubleshoot a cute little trendy solution for it that you can market to upwardly-mobile tweens.

But a reusable water bottle? A cute canvas tote? A metal straw? That's a solution you can buy and feel good about.

Never mind that you need to use a single cotton reusable bag somewhere like a million times before the cost of its construction counterbalances the cost of a single grocery bag every time you shop- which, hey, some of us were reusing as trash liners for their wastebaskets, or bundle bags for donating clothes, or lining for our leaky winter boots!

If a better option is available, I'll take it. But as ZERO HARM is next to impossible at this time, I personally am gonna aim for MINIMAL HARM as long as I can.

...sorry, I didn't mean to ramble off again.

But hey, if your nonprofit is doing good things, feel free to shoot me a link! I can post it on my blog :D

(Link to original post for context lol)

[thatweirdtranny]

imagine being one of the clowns comparing the star of david to the nazi swastika and truly believing in yourself being on the “right side of history”

[nastyalover123]

My dear friend got me into the 1980s Soviet Sherlock and so now I'm here to spread the word, enjoy

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

Every company that does this is either performing Pride Passover - that is, signalling solely so they're not the ones the activists go after for not doing it - or throwing up a Wokescreen - a deflection away from their own ethics violations; the bigger the Wokescreen the greater their corporate misdeeds.

These companies are not your friends.

[markscherz]

tumblrs being transphobic, with the ceo himself starting an actual harassment campaign against a transfem & also banning transfems who post abt it.

Oh shit, I had not heard about that.

I would like to say I don’t understand why this shit keeps happening, but I actually do understand it way too well. It just makes me so sad and angry. Especially on a site where people find and make their communities.

So much of this is about ego, and the people with power wielding that power to protect themselves and failing to protect others with it. A mere hint of negative sentiment towards them is harassment that is dealt with immediately and harshly, but a dozen complaints about discrimination or threats or bullying take ages to process and frequently come to unsatisfactory moderation decisions.

Whatever the sentiments of the people running this hellsite, you are always welcome in my corner of the internet, wherever you find it. You are all wonderful, and we all deserve to feel that part of this space belongs to us and those to whom we can connect.

Transphobia has no place on tumblr, period. Or anywhere else in society for that matter. It is that which should be being rooted out.

[al-kol-eleh]

Yossi Goldstein

[geekthefreakout]

A reminder to the Good Omens fandom:

1. Paused doesn't mean canceled.

2. It actually IS normal to be upset at the prospect that you may not get to see this story concluded (even if I think it will be).

Don't let people virtue signal at you and make you feel guilty for caring about Good Omens despite the accusations against Gaiman. People have been caring an unhinged amount about their comfort characters since Sherlock Holmes in the 1890s.

You are allowed to be upset at things that affect you. It does not mean that you don't care about victims. It does not mean that you're endorsing sexual violence. It just means that Good Omens matters to you.

That said, maybe don't post shit like 'i wish these women hadn't spoken out' because THAT is a shitty thing to say and a shitty thing to think.

That is all.

[nimrochan]

@ the “punch a Nazi” crowd, we’re still waiting for you to, I dunno, do something.