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Gossip
Opinion: Gossiping is all very well, but have you ever been on the receiving end of it?
Gossip is part of human nature and despite what people may say, everyone at some stage or another, has had a good old chinwag. There is no harm in a little innocent gossip, but often gossiping can get out of hand and can turn into something much more sinister.
Gossip is nature’s way of showing that someone is curious and is taking an interest in life and the people around them. Take the media for example; magazines and the tabloid press are built around the human interest in gossip. Think of all the gossip columns and stories we read about celebrities and what they are up to. These are just a step up from mother’s gossiping outside the school gates or a quick gossip on your lunch break. Most of us know that gossip is just a bit of idle chat and tend to take it all with a pinch of salt, but too often it can turn nasty.
Gossiping is all very well, but have you ever been on the receiving end of it and overheard someone gossiping about you? It’s not very nice and it’s automatic to think that you were being discussed in a negative way, which is often not the case. However, unfortunately there are also the occasions when negative things ARE being said.
Remember the game Chinese whispers at school? Well, gossip circulates in a similar fashion. What starts out as original fact can often escalate into something completely different by the time it gets to the end of the gossip line. That person who has won a couple of thousand on the lotto can incorrectly be said to have won the jackpot by the end of a day’s gossip. Always take everything you hear with a big pinch of salt, as often the version you hear is far from the truth.
There is also a fine line between innocent gossip and spiteful bitchiness. This line is crossed when jealousy enters the equation, and results in false rumours being quickly spread along on the gossip line. This can cause immense distress for the individual involved and you may be naively contributing to the problem by passing on the false information that you have heard. To avoid something like this, try to avoid passing on hearsay that may cause distress to another individual, as it probably isn’t even true. Put yourself in their position and think of how bad you would feel if people were saying false things about you.
There is nothing wrong with a bit of harmless gossip, but be careful, as it spreads like wildfire, and if you take part there is every chance that you could get burnt.
By: Marie Duffy
