I have heard a good deal about virtue signalling in the past months and it seems to be a criticism of people doing things that show willing and caring but achieve nothing and risk nothing. It reminds me of the hours we spent arguing politics in the Junior Common Room and other places while possessing no power; or sending postcards ro Refuseniks to let Russia know we knew they were in prison. Sometimes arguing is all we have but there is a need to always be aware. No we cannot do anything, we cannot change a thing but we can be aware of what is going on.
And doing something in completely the wrong direction is a whole other story.