Gossip has no place in a respectful and mature society. Yet, it does exist and unfortunately, adults are usually the ones who are spreading it. Gossip is associated with idle talk or rumors about someone’s personal life or decisions. You have likely heard gossip, or even been in the gossip circles yourself. Today we will discuss the topic of gossip, who it affects and how to stop it.
Have you ever wondered why we gossip? Many, many people engage in and encourage gossiping. There are so many reality shows and gossip magazines in the media today. We inherently talk about what is going on in our lives, and of those that we know and love. Yet, we usually do this in a loving way. Most of the time, we tend to gossip about someone that we do not like and we get some juicy information about. While, at the time, the information may be interesting, it is not a good idea to engage in this behavior.
Most of the time, you will find that people gossip because they do not feel good about themselves. It is easy to bring others down, rather than to focus on themselves and how to improve. They are often looking for attention and if they provide some juicy gossip to others, they will get swarmed around by others and made to feel important.
Many psychologists have studied the act of gossiping. Studies have found that gossiping is just as harmful to the gossiper as it is to the person being talked about. Can you believe that sixty percent of conversations between adults are about someone who is not present in that conversation. That is ridiculous.
Now that we know that most people gossip, the question becomes,
how do we stop? If someone is trying to drag you into a conversation about someone else that you really do not want to be in, simply ask them, “Why are you telling me this?”
This question will stop them in their tracks because it disrupts their motive and their thought process. It takes away the attention off of them. It also makes it clear to them that you are not interested in being involved in this conversation. When you ask this question, they will stop. They may mumble some kind of an answer, but it never is a good, legitimate one. At that point, you can clearly state that you do not wish to be involved in that discussion and suggest that they discuss their information with the person that they are talking about.
Our society has become one that revolves around other people’s pains. Instead of joining this trend, refuse to engage in a conversation about a person that they would likely be hurt by should they overhear it.
