Gossip: Good, Bad, & Juicy
You’re telling me spilling tea is unhealthy?! Well, then, lock me up and throw away the key, because I’m a repeat offender. Let’s face it, we all love a good gossip sesh. But is it a harmless indulgence or a recipe for disaster?
Everyone gossips. Even those men who turn their noses down when asked about the same!
Like Rachel Greene once said, “What? I don’t gossip. Maybe sometimes I find things out. Or hear something and pass that information on. You know, kind of a public service.”
Gossip is a daily occurrence. But what exactly is gossip? Well, gossip is just our moral judgment of someone who isn’t there, plus it’s very entertaining! This does raise a question, though. Is gossiping healthy for us?
To be honest, yes and no. Well, it’s a conflicted topic. Some feel that gossip is very unhealthy and can make you “sick.” Others say that gossip enhances our social skills and has many benefits. But whom should we believe? Let me break it down for you!
Let’s start with everyone’s least favorite side. Is gossip unhealthy? In some ways, yeah.
Society has a lot of terms for us: gossipers, blabbermouths, gossipmongers, and so many more.
Research suggests that gossip has many effects on our mental and physical health. Often, gossip leads to social exclusion, distortion of truth, and evokes negativity and distrust. Though most gossip is harmless, we need to make the important differentiation between facts and fiction. If the line between facts and fiction is blurred or nonexistent, it can cause immense harm to the said person’s reputation and personal life.
Gossip is a fun little activity, and it should stay a fun little activity. But what if we don’t stop gossiping? What will happen then?
Excess gossiping can sometimes turn into bullying. This bullying mostly affects teenagers and the young people of the population. This bullying is extremely harmful to the mind and body. Bullying is often overlooked by adults. They just brush it off, saying that it’s just “word of the mouth.” Not cool! Everyone says that this “word of the mouth” is just harmless. But what they don’t understand is that people react a lot to this very gossip, positively and negatively.
People who are the subject of gossip (which might not be the truth) are reported to be dealing with exhaustion, depression, anxiety, and even panic attacks. Doesn’t sound appealing, does it?
Sometimes, these people also tend to use physical violence as a means to deal with this bullying. This can quickly escalate. It causes harm to both parties.
People who are the subject of gossip (which might not be the truth) are reported to be dealing with exhaustion, depression, anxiety, and even panic attacks. Doesn’t sound appealing, does it?
Sometimes, these people also tend to use physical violence as a means to deal with this bullying. This can quickly escalate. It causes harm to both parties.
How do you deal with unwanted and unnecessary gossip?
One thing, just one thing. Don’t engage! If you don’t engage or share the gossip, there’s nothing to worry about. Try to report these rumors or false gossip when you hear them. Remember, not gossiping is always better than spreading false rumors and ruining someone’s life. Not every gossip you hear might be true.
And if anyone ever tries to gossip about you, show them. Show them that you are not some weak little human who cannot “learn to take a joke.” If the rumors are causing harm, put a stop to it before it escalates. Be sure about yourself and tell them ‘no’. Sometimes, being firm about yourself helps a lot!
And now! For the part that everyone was eager to read about, calm down! I know you guys are excited!
Many researches also say that gossiping is actually healthy and provides us with many benefits. It has proven to be good for developing social skills, and it is considered good for social circles. So, our yapping and gossiping is actually a good thing! We blabbermouths, provide “social benefits!” Sounds cool, right?
Now, you might be thinking that I just said, “Gossiping is bad!” and now I’m saying it provides us with social benefits! What should I believe?! I just read your mind, didn’t I?
The answer to this is with you. Why do you gossip? I gossip because, at times, I want to vent my feelings or thoughts about someone to my friends without any confrontation. It allows us to strengthen our connections and helps with our emotional well-being by allowing us to talk about what’s bothering us.
It gives us a sense of belonging. Don’t you feel happy when you find out that you and your friends hate the same person? It brings people closer, and we connect in a way that’s different from our everyday conversations.
Plus, gossip allows us to strike up a conversation with someone, or it is helpful to make small, harmless talk. It often provides us with useful or helpful information. Sometimes, that information allows us to see a person in their true colors. Gossiping allows us to observe and understand other people’s behavior. Yeah, that shit makes you observant!
So you see, gossip’s natural! There’s nothing to be ashamed of or secretive about it! The urge to share a juicy piece of gossip is a part of us, and it is a natural characteristic! Everyone gossips! You do, I do, everyone does! Even those (you know what), especially those hypocritical Indian aunties! Don’t think I forgot about them!
So, you can breathe! Gossiping is not unhealthy! It just depends on the context. We just have to make sure that we are promoting healthy gossip. How do we do that? Knowing when to stop! It is important to draw a line and distinguish between fact and fiction, unhealthy and healthy gossip. Make sure not to engage in bullying or false rumors, as they are capable of ruining someone’s entire life.
Also, the next time you have some hot goss, make sure not to go overboard and maybe even spill it to us!!
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Articulated By Juee Pandit, 1st year Student at Media and communication, Fergusson College.
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