By Katy Nguyen, Staff Writer
At school, social gatherings and even when we’re waiting in line, we hear gossip. A tiny piece of information can be passed around and sprinkled with lies. It’s a bad habit that everyone has.
A Chinese proverb describes, “words have no wings but they can fly a thousand miles.”
Rumors spread like wildfire, they’re everywhere. You might hear something you’ve never heard about yourself or someone you know. Whispers and chit-chat, sometimes casual and sometimes horrifying.
Andy Warhol once said, “I have Social Disease. I have to go out every night. If I stay home one night I start spreading rumors to my dogs.”
One thing for sure is that people like to gossip. Even a little bit might seem harmless, but it can drag someone’s entire reputation down.
Associating with gossip is dangerous, you’re skating on very thin ice. Don’t hide behind closed doors to vent your anger and displeasure about someone you dislike.
Take it to the source.
The essence of why we talk about others so negatively, lies within ourselves. We are afraid to admit that we’re flawed. People are fueled with the need to be inferior, and often lack courage to confront the individuals they speak in passionate jealousy about.
The only way you can solve an issue you have with a specific individual is by telling them directly.
People gossip because they crave information and have the desire to seek attention. They want to engage in a controversy, they want to play with fire.
What do we gain from gossiping? Why are we discussing about things people want to hide?
When you share someone else’s intimate secret to a group of people, there is no guarantee that it stays with them. People will add on bits and pieces, altering the truth.
We don’t want to listen to rumors about us, so don’t spread false assumptions about others. Your reputation is the most important thing you have. Once you ruin that, what will you have left?
Trust is destroyed through rumors and gossip. You will feel betrayed and might not trust anyone for a while. You will struggle to repair your tainted reputation because of something false said about you.
Dealing with gossip is mentally exhausting and extremely stressful. It can lead to social anxiety and various trust problems. Respect everyone else, they have pride like you. Don’t believe in gossip or rumors. Instead, initiate a conversation with the person everyone is talking about.
Next time you talk about other people, think about it. How does it benefit you?
