Mom Ignores 49 Empty Chairs, Sits Next To Tanning Woman And Immediately Starts A Moral Crusade

Some people may call it virtue-signaling. In simple terms, this behavior intends to demonstrate one’s supposedly good moral character , regardless of whether they are offending another person.

In this case, the woman felt she was protecting her children from the young lady’s supposed act of indecency. However, she came off as a self-righteous person harassing another individual.

Unfortunately, such behavior is part of human nature. A 2011 study revealed that people tend to bring others down to boost their egos.

Nowadays, demeaning a person through virtue-signaling is rampant in social media comment boxes. But according to neuroscientist Dr. Dean Burnett , it may be a sign of the times.

“Wanting to protect children is a good, moral aim, but consider all the books banned and drag shows attacked in the US under the guise of ‘protecting children,’” Dr. Burnett wrote in a 2023 article for the BBC Science Focus Magazine.

Dr. Burnett also mentioned the “atrocities” some people commit in the name of their religion, adding that history is filled with “self-described moral people doing very bad things.”

While some experts may argue that virtue-signaling has an upside , it is generally deemed hostile behavior, especially in the story’s context. If you encounter someone who acts self-righteously, life coach and social science researcher Dr. Jeremy Sherman encourages biting back.

“These folks are dangerous. They’ll play God all day if they can get away with it. Don’t let them,” Dr. Sherman wrote in an article .

However, he also offered a caveat. You may encounter people who aren’t worth the hassle. It was the case for the author, who didn’t want to cause a scene, and rightly so.

As Dr. Sherman stated, “Know your limits” and “plan your getaway.”

The author wasn’t wrong in this situation. She was minding her own business when the woman sat next to her and berated her for supposed scandalous behavior. If anything, she should be filing a complaint for harassment .