It is understandable for every mother to want to protect their children from what she perceives to be the ills of the world. However, we can’t deny that some women go overboard when their maternal instincts kick in. 

A young lady bore the brunt of a mother hen’s wrath when she decided to untie her bikini top at the public pool of her apartment complex. She was scolded and judged for supposedly exposing herself in front of the woman’s kids, even if she didn’t. 

After being called a jerk, she wonders if she may have done anything wrong. 

Some women may go overboard when their maternal instincts kick in

Image credits: Netfalls (not the actual photos)

A young woman experienced this when she untied her bikini top next to a mom and her kids at a public pool

Image credits: Image-Source (not the actual photos)

The author provided updates to her story

Image credits: Aggressive-Teach-539

People engage in “virtue bullying” to boost their self-esteem

Some people may call it virtue-signaling. In simple terms, this behavior intends to demonstrate one’s supposedly good moral character, regardless of whether they are offending another person. 

In this case, the woman felt she was protecting her children from the young lady’s supposed act of indecency. However, she came off as a self-righteous person harassing another individual.

Unfortunately, such behavior is part of human nature. A 2011 study revealed that people tend to bring others down to boost their egos. 

Nowadays, demeaning a person through virtue-signaling is rampant in social media comment boxes. But according to neuroscientist Dr. Dean Burnett, it may be a sign of the times. 

“Wanting to protect children is a good, moral aim, but consider all the books banned and drag shows attacked in the US under the guise of ‘protecting children,’” Dr. Burnett wrote in a 2023 article for the BBC Science Focus Magazine. 

Dr. Burnett also mentioned the “atrocities” some people commit in the name of their religion, adding that history is filled with “self-described moral people doing very bad things.” 

While some experts may argue that virtue-signaling has an upside, it is generally deemed hostile behavior, especially in the story’s context. If you encounter someone who acts self-righteously, life coach and social science researcher Dr. Jeremy Sherman encourages biting back. 

“These folks are dangerous. They’ll play God all day if they can get away with it. Don’t let them,” Dr. Sherman wrote in an article. 

However, he also offered a caveat. You may encounter people who aren’t worth the hassle. It was the case for the author, who didn’t want to cause a scene, and rightly so. 

As Dr. Sherman stated, “Know your limits” and “plan your getaway.” 

The author wasn’t wrong in this situation. She was minding her own business when the woman sat next to her and berated her for supposed scandalous behavior. If anything, she should be filing a complaint for harassment. 

Image credits: Keira Burton (not the actual photos)

Most commenters saw nothing wrong with the author’s actions, as many urged her to report the incident to the property manager

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