This is actually why conservatives started using the term “virtue signal” to begin with. Conservatives don’t possess empathy, therefore they view any display of empathy as a purely performative action where the goal is self-serving deception and manipulation.
That’s why they use it for any display of empathy from a non-conservative. Signalling virtue is just something you do to be part on the in-group, like wearing a cross or saying “I’ll pray for you”. You don’t actually possess virtue or care about other people, because that would be socialism.
This is actually why conservatives started using the term “virtue signal” to begin with. Conservatives don’t possess empathy, therefore they view any display of empathy as a purely performative action where the goal is self-serving deception and manipulation.
They were telling on themselves the entire time.
Virtue Signalling it actually a sociological term used by academics.
That doesn’t change why they adopted it.
That’s why they use it for any display of empathy from a non-conservative. Signalling virtue is just something you do to be part on the in-group, like wearing a cross or saying “I’ll pray for you”. You don’t actually possess virtue or care about other people, because that would be socialism.
I’ve seen evidence that they can, in fact, empathize, they simply choose to turn it off at will.