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Purity Spiral

A social ratchet effect within a community. A process of moral outbidding, unchecked, which corrodes the group from within, rewarding those who put themselves at the extremes, and punishing nuance relentlessly.

Not to be confused with 'virtue signalling', 'woke culture', or 'online mobs'.

A purity spiral can contain all of these things, but it is defined by the fact that it takes place in a defined community or society, where being purer-than-thou is always being rewarded, and holding a divergent, 'less pure' opinion is normally punished, a dynamic which leads to an inevitable escalation as only the most extreme can 'win'.

Could be anything, from Mao's Red Guard, to Neo-Nazis, to The Crucible, to Instagram knitting.
After Louise denounced Nike as bourgeois, the village fell into a purity spiral where first Nikes, then all sneakers, then all shoes, and later, socks, were burnt on a pyre by the villagers.

Foot amputations followed in the Spring.
Purity Spiral by pizzleswizzle January 30, 2020
Related Words

puriteen 

A (almost always) young person on the internet who thinks that the internet has to conform to being entirely sfw, and puts all of their time and energy into attempting to police art and media for any remote depiction of sexuality they personally disagree with. They are often seen screaming in comments sections and making personal attacks against nsfw artists over a drawing, when their anger would be better directed towards real people who genuinely advocate for harmful behavior.
Keep in mind, immature adults can also have the mentality of a child and fit this definition.
Puriteen: "OMG THIS DRAWING IS SO PROBLEMATIC DELETE YOUR ACCOUNT RIGHT NOW. EVERYONE ATTACK THIS PERSON!"
Rational adult: "My account says it's 18+. You're not even supposed to be here, you weird puriteen."
puriteen by gulk October 28, 2023
Word of the Day on June 29, 2025

puriosity 

A combination of 'pure' and 'curiosity' that is shorter than saying "pure curiosity".
John: Hey Mark, out of puriosity, how much money do valegrams cost at our school?
Mark: Oh, they're .50C each!
John: Great, thanks Mark!
puriosity by TheRealDaddyO5 February 9, 2019

purikura 

Japanese photo booths called "Print Club." For about three dollars you print out a sheet of sixteen small stickers with your photo on it, with crazy or cute borders and cartoon images (aka Hello kitty.)

VERY popular in Japan and it's catching on here too. Sticker picture booths are available in most mall arcades.
I'm covering the whole first page of my journal with all my different purikura sticker pictures!

Lets go get purikura together after school!
purikura by La La Lola May 13, 2005

rice purity test 

the rice purity test is a purity test from rice university (no shit) that gives you a purity score with 0 being least pure and 100 being most pure
"ah, no shit that jenny is a 32 on the rice purity test!"

purity ball 

a creepy, covertly incestuous ritual in which a girl "gives" her virginity to her father who will "give" it to her husband on her wedding day. inherently misogynist, since no one seems to care about what boys do with their dingalings. usually put on by evangelical fundie Christian dads who "date" their daughters, exhibit lots of family love, and have an unhealthy interest in their daughters' sexuality.
Did you see the Glamour article on incest-fest... er, I mean, purity balls?
purity ball by Heina January 7, 2009