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Sam's avatar

It sounds like 意識高い系 is closer to "virtue signaling," which has a negative connotation in English. "Woke" (at this point in time) has closer to a neutral connotation, but is becoming more and more negative as different groups of people continue to interpret it in different ways.

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Matt Alt's avatar

I agree there is some overlap, but “virtue signaling” feels more a cynical and corrosive term than “high consciousness seeming” is in Japanese. The reason being “virtue signaling” implies a fundamental distrust, even paranoia, about others’ motivations. “High consciousness-seeming” feels more like the “poser!” dis of my youth.

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