Technological Advances in Virtue Signalling

 

The American Astronomical Society is hosting its first virtual conference this week, thanks to the coronavirus. I’m not attending, but I understand that it includes a virtual experience, with a lobby and so on. I came across this screenshot of the virtual lobby. You will note that it includes a prominently-labeled “gender-neutral restroom.”

This just makes me laugh and shake my head. They felt the need to include that for an event that has nobody physically present.

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  1. DrewInWisconsin, Ham-Fisted Bu… Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Ham-Fisted Bu…
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Madness. I mean, you know what would happen if they didn’t include that.

    These things are now like some kind of magic words that people deploy so the rampaging gangs of the Wokerati don’t string them up.

    • #1
  2. Tim H. Inactive
    Tim H.
    @TimH

    DrewInWisconsin, Ham-Fisted Bu… (View Comment):

    These things are now like some kind of magic words that people deploy so the rampaging gangs of the Wokerati don’t string them up.

    Good point.  And now that I think about it, the computer programming and graphics design for this conference are probably a pre-made virtual lobby somebody else made that lots of conferences have bought for their virtual meetings.  Still, somebody thought they needed to put that in there.  ;)

    • #2
  3. PHenry Inactive
    PHenry
    @PHenry

    What good is having superior virtues if you can’t signal it?  

    • #3
  4. Columbo Inactive
    Columbo
    @Columbo

    An ultimate example of ‘virtue signaling’.

    • #4
  5. repmodad Inactive
    repmodad
    @Repmodad

    The fact that none of these virtual attendees is wearing a mask is quite surprising to me. 

    • #5
  6. PHenry Inactive
    PHenry
    @PHenry

    repmodad (View Comment):

    The fact that none of these virtual attendees is wearing a mask is quite surprising to me.

    Karen!  ;) 

     

    • #6
  7. Vance Richards Inactive
    Vance Richards
    @VanceRichards

    So, if you need to take a virtual leak and are unsure if you should virtually sit or stand, they got you covered? And this is what people in the so-called “hard sciences” are concerned about?

    • #7
  8. Randy Webster Inactive
    Randy Webster
    @RandyWebster

    @timh, did you ever know a guy named Sheldon Cohen?

    • #8
  9. Bob Armstrong Thatcher
    Bob Armstrong
    @BobArmstrong

    The lack of virtual masks shows a callous disregard for fellow digital humans of whatever gender. Deniers!

    • #9
  10. She Member
    She
    @She

    When there are no people anywhere present, and when it exists solely in a fake, CGI world and on the Internet, I think it’s known as virtual signaling.

    • #10
  11. Tim H. Inactive
    Tim H.
    @TimH

    Randy Webster (View Comment):

    @timh, did you ever know a guy named Sheldon Cohen?

    No, I’m afraid not.  I Googled the name just now and came up with a Carnegie Mellon psychologist who was innovative in measuring stress.  Is he the one you mean?

    • #11
  12. Tim H. Inactive
    Tim H.
    @TimH

    She (View Comment):

    When there are no people anywhere present, and when it exists solely in a fake, CGI world and on the Internet, I think it’s known as virtual signaling.

    This is the best reply.

    • #12
  13. Randy Webster Inactive
    Randy Webster
    @RandyWebster

    Tim H. (View Comment):

    Randy Webster (View Comment):

    @timh, did you ever know a guy named Sheldon Cohen?

    No, I’m afraid not. I Googled the name just now and came up with a Carnegie Mellon psychologist who was innovative in measuring stress. Is he the one you mean?

    No.  He taught philosophy at UT and was heavily into astronomy.  He was pretty widely known.

    • #13
  14. JimGoneWild Coolidge
    JimGoneWild
    @JimGoneWild

    The coffee is free too.

    • #14
  15. Henry Racette Member
    Henry Racette
    @HenryRacette

    I don’t think it entirely unreasonable that people of a virtual sex should have their own virtual bathrooms.


    One of the many anachronisms in the science fiction classic 2001: A Space Odyssey occurs in a scene on the space station where you can clearly see signs for a men’s room and a ladies’ room — and no other choices.

    Of course, come to think of it, back in 2001 there really weren’t any other choices. Things didn’t get squirrelly until a few years later. So I guess the movie got that part right, at least.

    • #15
  16. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    Randy Webster (View Comment):

    @timh, did you ever know a guy named Sheldon Cohen?

    I’ve heard of Sheldon Cooper . . .

    • #16
  17. cirby Inactive
    cirby
    @cirby

    Randy Webster (View Comment):

    Tim H. (View Comment):

    Randy Webster (View Comment):

    @timh, did you ever know a guy named Sheldon Cohen?

    No, I’m afraid not. I Googled the name just now and came up with a Carnegie Mellon psychologist who was innovative in measuring stress. Is he the one you mean?

    No. He taught philosophy at UT and was heavily into astronomy. He was pretty widely known.

    Oddly enough, I’ve met him. He was at a convention I worked – he gave a presentation while I was a graphics operator.

     

    • #17
  18. Randy Webster Inactive
    Randy Webster
    @RandyWebster

    cirby (View Comment):

    Randy Webster (View Comment):

    Tim H. (View Comment):

    Randy Webster (View Comment):

    @timh, did you ever know a guy named Sheldon Cohen?

    No, I’m afraid not. I Googled the name just now and came up with a Carnegie Mellon psychologist who was innovative in measuring stress. Is he the one you mean?

    No. He taught philosophy at UT and was heavily into astronomy. He was pretty widely known.

    Oddly enough, I’ve met him. He was at a convention I worked – he gave a presentation while I was a graphics operator.

     

    He was my best friend for 30 years.  One of the funniest people I ever met.

    • #18
  19. Mister Dog Coolidge
    Mister Dog
    @MisterDog

    A virtual conference is the perfect place for a gender-neutral bathroom. No one wants to use one in real life.

    • #19
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