Gossip is idle talk or rumour, especially about the personal or private affairs of others. It forms one of the oldest and most common means of sharing (unproven) facts and views, but also has a reputation for the introduction of errors and other variations into the information transmitted. GOSSIP is something usually attributed to women. But plenty of men do it too; they are just more mono-syllabic about it. Husbands and wives do it with each other about other husbands and wives. Columnists and entertainment shows make fortunes touting REAL or RUMOR. You know all that gossip and back-biting is what they promote on all these celebrity magazine we buy these days, competitive conversations. This hissing vitriol is considered “content”.
Gossip is like a hand gun. The only reason to buy into it is to hurt someone. There is a tone of voice that goes with gossip. We all know what it sounds like. We lean into it to participate, out of reflex. But as one friend said to me, after her phone had inadvertently recorded one of her catty conversations with a friend as she replayed it thinking she was going to listen to several messages at first, it stunned her. She almost did not recognize the mean-spirited voice. Who could possibly be so cruel? She could. It made her cry, listening to this voice the voice of someone she could not stand.
So, think about what might be true for you. When the juicy tidbits are flowing, when “the girls” get together, when you could be the center of “breaking news” about someone’s life that is flying into a million bits before you open your mouth (and shut off your heart) here is what gossip really means.
I completely agree gossip is like a handgun. It’s done for fun, and hurts like hell. I do however, think sometimes people don’t think before they gossip, and maybe it’s not done out of malice, just ignorance. And you’re completely right, women/girls do it as a past time…I suppose it’s easy at the time. However, when/if you get caught…you feel like a right cow, and yes sometimes you cannot even recognise yourself at all; for what you’ve done or said. And again if the role is reversed and if the gossip topic is you… it’s like a kick in the teeth…hurtful, embarrassing and upsetting. It’s really ‘bad behaviour’ and it shouldn’t happen…but let’s face it, is it going to stop?
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