First off, the concept of “counter-signaling” is not a useful abstraction. There is just signaling, period. Using your definition of counter-signaling, you only counter-signal when the content of what you’re saying contradicts the rest of the signal via body language, tone of voice, context, non-verbal communication, etc. The content of what you verbally say is not a major player in signaling.
When you take what you say at face value when “counter-signaling”, you’re lowering the status of the thing you’re referring to. In your case, you’d be lowering the status of the singularity institute by calling it a cult (even if it was a joke). You don’t want to come off pretentious by making a big deal out of the singularity institute so you lower its status to make people like you more. And you can lower something’s status with non-verbal communication too. For instance, saying “singularity institute” in your original example in a sarcastic tone would do the job too.
If I started dating a black girl (I am white) and came up to my friends (who know I am not racist) and I say “Guess what guys? I am dating a nigger!” (sorry for the crude example). In this case, I don’t come off as pretentious dating a black girl so there is no reason to lower her status.
In short, what you refer to as a “counter-signal” is a normal signal with a dab of humility.
First off, the concept of “counter-signaling” is not a useful abstraction. There is just signaling, period. Using your definition of counter-signaling, you only counter-signal when the content of what you’re saying contradicts the rest of the signal via body language, tone of voice, context, non-verbal communication, etc. The content of what you verbally say is not a major player in signaling.
When you take what you say at face value when “counter-signaling”, you’re lowering the status of the thing you’re referring to. In your case, you’d be lowering the status of the singularity institute by calling it a cult (even if it was a joke). You don’t want to come off pretentious by making a big deal out of the singularity institute so you lower its status to make people like you more. And you can lower something’s status with non-verbal communication too. For instance, saying “singularity institute” in your original example in a sarcastic tone would do the job too.
If I started dating a black girl (I am white) and came up to my friends (who know I am not racist) and I say “Guess what guys? I am dating a nigger!” (sorry for the crude example). In this case, I don’t come off as pretentious dating a black girl so there is no reason to lower her status.
In short, what you refer to as a “counter-signal” is a normal signal with a dab of humility.