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. A accidental saying of Super Griddy where instead of saying Super Griddy the person in question ends up saying Griddy Super for some reason.
Mike: Yo do you have time now to try and hit a Super Griddy?
Josh: Yeah bro you bet. I have all the time right now to hit a Griddy Super!
Mike: Huh? A Griddy Super? Don't you mean a Super Griddy?
Josh: Oh, well, same thing don't worry. Just watch me! (proceeds to slip and fall)
Mike: Wow bro, that was trash. That was more trash than trash itself.
Josh: Yeah bro you bet. I have all the time right now to hit a Griddy Super!
Mike: Huh? A Griddy Super? Don't you mean a Super Griddy?
Josh: Oh, well, same thing don't worry. Just watch me! (proceeds to slip and fall)
Mike: Wow bro, that was trash. That was more trash than trash itself.
by ComputerWorld January 16, 2024
Get the Griddy Supermug. by Yeet defines September 5, 2019
Get the super pantsmug. Friend 1: What happened to Greg?
Friend 2: Oh, he was hanging out with Georgina and turned into a Super-Fruit
Friend 2: Oh, he was hanging out with Georgina and turned into a Super-Fruit
by magicallydelicious.com April 2, 2023
Get the Super-Fruitmug. Muahlonnbexplosion 🧨 🧨 🧨 🧨 🧨 show in little AMERICA the doubjrags 🐲🐉🐲🐉.
Relbjalooddy 🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸morquplextionality.
BeJrovBooTy GanBJraSTas 1 the last payback. By lbj as in Lonnie Benningfield junior LBJAY MARCH 10th 19eightynine.
Relbjalooddy 🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸morquplextionality.
BeJrovBooTy GanBJraSTas 1 the last payback. By lbj as in Lonnie Benningfield junior LBJAY MARCH 10th 19eightynine.
I invented and made and created super muahlonnbeo first fighting relbjalood shed games. By lbj as in Lonnie Benningfield junior LBJAY MARCH 10th 19eightynine.
by Lonnie Benningfield juniorshaq October 16, 2023
Get the Super muahLonnBeOmug. by GUOPERIMG December 6, 2017
Get the Super flickmug. by CheezePizzaa May 16, 2023
Get the Super Seniormug.