The act of signalling exclusivity or secrecy, even when there’s no substantial reason. It mimics in-group dynamics to create a heightened sense of importance, often leaving outsiders feeling excluded, even when the content is trivial.
Super-signalling can be thought of as a kind of unintentional gaslighting. The term comes from the 1938 play Gas Light, where a man drives his wife to the brink of insanity by gradually dimming the lights in their apartment while pretending that nothing has changed.
Super-signalling operates similarly, although more subtly. There’s really nothing there, yet our very human Fear Of Missing Out is triggered. While gaslighting is deliberate, super-signalling is often unconscious—those engaging in it are likely unaware of the (super) signals they’re transmitting.
The behaviour is rampant on social media. Vague status updates, cryptic tweets, or ‘stories’ that hint at something significant without revealing any details are the digital equivalent of those whispered huddles. They tap into our instinct to belong, leaving us wondering what we’ve missed.
The same is true for airy corporate slides with conspicuous stamps of saying “CONFIDENTIAL,” when it’s apparent that they contain little of substance.
Or scientific presentations where heavy smoke screens of technical jargon obscure the fact that the subject being studied is actually quite inconsequential.
As Gertrude Stein once quipped: “There’s no there there.”
Super-signalling operates similarly, although more subtly. There’s really nothing there, yet our very human Fear Of Missing Out is triggered. While gaslighting is deliberate, super-signalling is often unconscious—those engaging in it are likely unaware of the (super) signals they’re transmitting.
The behaviour is rampant on social media. Vague status updates, cryptic tweets, or ‘stories’ that hint at something significant without revealing any details are the digital equivalent of those whispered huddles. They tap into our instinct to belong, leaving us wondering what we’ve missed.
The same is true for airy corporate slides with conspicuous stamps of saying “CONFIDENTIAL,” when it’s apparent that they contain little of substance.
Or scientific presentations where heavy smoke screens of technical jargon obscure the fact that the subject being studied is actually quite inconsequential.
As Gertrude Stein once quipped: “There’s no there there.”
by SlowThinker October 26, 2024
Get the Super-signallingmug. by Pirate princess September 3, 2023
Get the Titty turn signalsmug. by k.djmasta November 23, 2014
Get the west coast signalmug. A gift that is given, not in order to bless the recipient but to serve the giver's own benefit.
For example a train signal gifted that a child gifts to his mother which is of no use to her but works perfectly with his own train set. Therefore, he uses the train signal for himself while still appearing to be generous.
For example a train signal gifted that a child gifts to his mother which is of no use to her but works perfectly with his own train set. Therefore, he uses the train signal for himself while still appearing to be generous.
by It's illegal don't do it November 13, 2023
Get the signal presentmug. by mayogayo November 20, 2022
Get the mixed signalsmug. Occurs when your phone displays completely full bars, thus ascending in a shape that resembles an erect penis (a boner).
by joerun26 July 21, 2010
Get the signal bonermug. The squirt of urine that happens after you have taken a shit which alerts you that it is okay to wipe your ass.
by Linguist453 May 20, 2014
Get the signal squirtmug.