"Did you hear?!"
"Oh my goodness I can't believe..."
"Guess what I just found out…"
For people of all ages, gossip plays a crucial role in the daily conversation. Gossip builds a social bond between people through making connections over shared likes and dislikes. It can be observed that people who have recently met can instantly feel closer by sharing something juicy about a mutual friend. We all know gossiping is wrong and hurtful. However, the real question here is, why do we do it?
Let's say you just heard a really scandalous rumor about someone you know. Even though it may not be true, it's too enticing to keep to yourself. Your first instinct is to tell someone, maybe you tell your best friend or maybe you dish to the first person you see. We all have had that urge, but why? Possibly blabbing the gossip makes you feel superior, allows you to fit in, and the rush that comes with the 30 seconds of fame. Sometimes the motivation comes from a deeper need of obtaining power or seeking revenge on that back-stabbing witch.
Whatever the motive, they all lead to the same place, making you look better than the person you're talking about. As long as you have the rumor, the truth is not important here, people are always up for the latest gossip and could care less if it is legitimate.
Let's be clear: there is gossip and then there is talk. A mere conversation about someone is not always harmful. Sometimes people share interesting news which does not necessarily mean the latest dirt.
"Have you seen her lately? I haven't heard from her in months". Unfortunately, in our society people encourage each other to be critical. Things take a turn for the worst when the inquiring about a friend's absence from school turns into a sorted tale about her "latest promiscuous escapade."
Yes, I and I am sure all of you reading this can admit that you have gossiped or heard someone say something not so nice about you behind your back. The hurtful comments that you know are untrue keep being passed around from person to person. Why do we continue to gossip about our friends when we know how awful it feels when we are the topic of discussion? In all honesty, there are better things to do than to talk about other people. Instead, we should be engaging in more meaningful conversations instead of worrying about what this person did or wore.
So, back to the question: why do we gossip? The answer is simple: we gossip because we are taught to! In a culture that promotes and glamorizes the latest, and often the bad behavior of socialites and sells it as news, it becomes second nature. People gossip so regularly that they often don't recognize it. It is almost like gossiping is a part of our DNA.
