December 6, 2025

What’s the difference between virtue and virtue signaling?

This was the question that occurred to me today as I read a delightful article, “A Sign of Virtue,” by Laura Hagar Rush in my hometown newspaper, The Sebastopol Times.

Sebastopol is a pretty little town (population 7,800) in Sonoma County, California, with “Black Lives Matter” painted in huge letters on the town plaza and a sign inside the public library promoting transgender rights. Many well-intentioned folks have preachy lawn signs informing passerby that, in effect, the occupants are not embarrassed by their moral grandstanding. Sometimes referred to as humblebragging, I call our local version Sebastopol-ier than thou.

But at least our small town groupthink is better than the vice signaling coming out of the White House, or what’s left of that building after a large part of it was torn down, soon to be replaced by a monument to a little man’s big ego. The ostentatious greed, corruption, and cruelty currently on display in Washington make the smugness of my trendy little burg seem saintly by comparison.

So I was charmed to read Laura’s article https://www.sebastopoltimes.com/p/a-sign-of-virtue about a local Sebastopol couple who have found a way to promote thoughtfulness and character building without talking down to their neighbors. Their idea is simple: twice a month, on the new moon and the full moon, they put a sign in front of their home with one word on it. That one word is a positive character trait, such as appreciation, courage, forgiveness, grace, honor, hope, integrity, and reverence. They have posted a different word 100 times over the last four years.

In my haste to run errands I have failed to notice their one-word signs as I have driven by their house. Maybe if I had practiced more patience and mindfulness, two of their posted virtues, I might have been more observant.

I like being inspired rather than lectured to, so their consciousness raising is the kind of high ground that I can aspire to. I’m not woke and don’t want to be, but I’m working on a different kind of awakening.

Thank you neighbors, for your kind and sincere character reminders.