Thank goodness for social media. In times like these, it's keeping us connected more than ever, and helping to create some sense of connectedness despite less physical contact than ever. I'm a huge fan of the content that lifts us up as well, whether it's a person achieving an athletic feat they never thought possible or the nightly thank-you's to medical workers that rain down from the residents of apartment buildings in big cities. Seeing these good deeds inspire us to do more, say more, and appreciate more, which are all things the world needs like never before.
But does it ever go too far?
A theme that I've seen for some time on my Facebook/Instagram feeds (way before COVID) is the act of helping those out that are less fortunate than us. It's incredible to see the humanity behind the gestures, and it shows that at the end of the day that the world revolves around goodness. My only problem with this is when it's being filmed by the people who are doing it. These acts inspire, yes, but they also seem self-serving in a way. The person taking the selfie video of them and their friends helping out the homeless man on the street just doesn't resonate with me like a third-party broadcasting it would. It seems to me to be as much about the person doing the act as it does about the people they're helping. A way of proving to the world that they're a good person, which is known by another name: virtue signaling.
Good deeds should absolutely be done, even more-so than they currently are. But I don't think the goal should be to record every instance of the act occurring. I wrote a post on the concept of doing these things in silence a few months ago on a site that shall not be named: https://steemit.com/powerhousecreatives/@troubledsoles/a-single-seed-secret-goodness. But despite all of this, I do think virtue signaling is good for a certain audience:
yourself.
I believe the only person you should virtue signal to on a regular basis is the person who stares back when you look in the mirror. Our character is arguably one of the few things we really own in the world, and it can always use improvement, even if you're the Dalai Lama. That's why I think you should constantly be trying to prove to yourself that you are indeed as good of a person as you think you are/want to be. Doing as many of these conscious acts of kindness is one of the best ways to cement this in your character, and the best part about it is that no one needs to know besides yourself. Only you know of your true actions/intents, and by doing these things for others, you're reinforcing yourself on the inside as well as what other people see on the outside.
The irony is that in a way, I'm virtue signaling just be saying how I think we should do less of it. My high horse hasn't thrown me off yet, but I can see how the message could be taken. This isn't a post to tell people to stop doing good in public. Do as much for others as you can, by any means and in any way possible. But remember, there's really only one person that needs to know you did them.
"A Single Seed" is my attempt to get out one idea every day that I've learned or accumulated over the years, with the hope that it may stick in someone else's memory bank as well. The idea may be related to fitness, business, life, or philosophy, but I think you'll find that many can change domains if you wish them to. With each seed planted, a new life awaits.
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