**Pretentious Morality**

the hollow performance of righteousness, the sin of doing the right thing for all the wrong reasons. It wears charity like a costume and speaks justice with a forked tongue. The pretentiously moral don’t seek to heal or help . They crave applause, power, or proof that they’re better than the rest. Their ethics are stage props, dragged out only when the crowd is watching. They weaponize compassion, twist causes into brands, and turn integrity into theater. There’s no real conviction beneath the show… just ego, insecurity, and the desperate need to be seen as good without ever truly embodying goodness.

**Examples:

John had planned to make a generous donation to the local church until he noticed that all online contributions were processed anonymously. After some reflection, he decided it would be better to deliver the check in person. No sense giving that much money if no one would know it came from him.

When Lydia joined the protest, she made sure to position herself near the cameras and wear a shirt with a bold slogan, something that would photograph well. She chanted loudly, held signs high, and posted a carousel of selfies to her story before slipping away just after the media left. She wasn’t there to stand for anything. She was there to be seen standing.