Covirtue Signaling. The ostentation of virtue and public shaming during the Covid-19 pandemic

Journal title SOCIOLOGIA DELLA COMUNICAZIONE
Author/s Oscar Ricci
Publishing Year 2021 Issue 2020/60
Language Italian Pages 13 P. 82-94 File size 658 KB
DOI 10.3280/SC2020-060008
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The concept of "virtue signaling" defines the expression of moral values with the intent to improve one’s own image. The global epidemic we are experiencing has favoured a new nuance of this attitude, which I define "covirtue signalling": the ostentation of virtue during the Covid-19 pandemic. This phenomenon is linked to another behaviour that is somehow the base of it: the public shaming of other people’s behaviour. The covirtue signaling stance appears to have many as-pects in common with others ideology only apparently opposite, such as the No-Mask movement and the pandemic denial.

Keywords: Virtue signaling, Public shaming, Social media, Covid-19, Media representations

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Oscar Ricci, Covirtue Signaling. L’ostentazione di virtù e il public shaming durante la pandemia di Covid-19 in "SOCIOLOGIA DELLA COMUNICAZIONE " 60/2020, pp 82-94, DOI: 10.3280/SC2020-060008