I have noticed, within all generations, there seems to be an overwhelming amount of gossip. I've distanced myself from numerous people to avoid getting caught in it, and I wonder as to why. Why do they gossip? Why do they talk ill of others or talk about everyone else's life? What is so good about it that it must take up your precious time on this Earth?
I understand it makes you feel nicer, that you are somwhat above other people, but why is that so important? It's such an empty investment I don't see why everyone keeps on with it? Why can't they do something practical rather than gossip? — Fruitless
There's not just one reason for it. Some of it is just curiosity about other people and what their lives are like.
Sometimes it's a way to live vicariously through that person, who might have a life that's unlike any you'll ever have--a lot of celebrity gossip is of that nature. — Terrapin Station
Gossip is a very human entity that starts from childhood. Just the other day, my 8-year-old cousin and her friend were caught passing notes in class, the content of which was comments about their classmates. Although they weren't being malicious, this shows how human it is to gossip. Humans are thrilled by drama, this is why soap operas are so successful!
As others have stated before, gossiping enables us to socially fit in; we learn what is acceptable behaviour so we do not end up being a topic of gossip. Why do we as humans find it thrilling to "spill the tea?" Learning of another's misfortune gives us a sense of schadenfreude, "at least my life isn't as bad as theirs." — TessiePooh
1 Gossiping satisfies a need to feel superior to or better off than others. "Guess what: Bob met a nice girl" is not gossip; "Guess what: Bob has herpes," is.
2. Gossiping can also be a way of forming alliances against the person gossiped about by sharing the juicy tidbits with someone else, and it can also be a way of taking an indirect dig at the person with whom the gossip is shared: "Do you know what Bob said about you? He said you're ugly and stupid. Can you believe it??"
3. As implied in # 1, gossiping takes our minds off our own miseries. So Bob tells his co-workers, "Guess what: Joe has contracted HIV."
4. Gossip is a way of spreading lies and distortions: "Guess what: Joe got HIV from having sex with a gerbil." — uncanni
Your language, reflecting society's natural judgement, makes it sound criminal. I wonder whether you could share your thoughts about how that fits with your idea that it is a "very human entity"?cousin and her friend were caught — TessiePooh
When we say they’re not the same type of information, I think we’re missing an opportunity to understand why we gossip and how we can alter its potential to cause harm. — Possibility
But that is not contained in the definition of gossip: gossip is, by definition, not harmless. You want to change the definition of gossip. — uncanni
I disagree - gossip, by definition, is idle talk about other people’s lives that may not necessarily be confirmed as true. It is neither harmful nor harmless by nature. — Possibility
Anything that is not of truth but carries the weight of truth, is harmful.about other people’s lives that may not necessarily be confirmed as true — Possibility
about other people’s lives that may not necessarily be confirmed as true
— Possibility
Anything that is not of truth but carries the weight of truth, is harmful. — Serving Zion
Ok, granted that it must be made effective by a possessor, to produce harm.. I would like to see if we can identify what makes the difference between harmless and harmful gossip.But I never said gossip wasn’t harmful, just not necessarily harmful. — Possibility
saying something about someone that I wouldn't say in front of them — uncanni
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