Casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true.
Remember when you were in elementary school and your class played the telephone game? The first person and last person never heard the same word or phrase. Gossip is very similar, the words start to bend and transform as they go from one mouth to another.
But hey, no big deal because everyone does it and it's human nature to be curious about other people's lives. After all, curiosity only killed the cat... right? Maybe.
I read a psychology article about gossip yesterday. Research shows that people who gossip tend to be less liked and have fewer personal relationships. One would think it is because he or she is not trustworthy, but the study actually found it was because people tend to attribute the negative gossip to the individual who repeats it. People don't remember what he or she said, but they remember the negative connotation which causes them to dislike the gossiper.
Please talk to me about anything except for what my friend said about her boyfriend, who slept with who last night after the bar, how someone isn't reaching their potential or that so and so is a liar.
How about we talk about a book you read? Or that article that you thought was really insightful? Or what about that funny video you watched? That great pair of shoes you almost bought? Those jeans that make your ass look fabulous? That party you're really excited about next week? A vacation you can't wait to take? All the places you want to eventually visit? Your best memory? Favorite band?
Look at all the things you miss out on learning about people when you get caught up talking about things that don't matter.
I read a psychology article about gossip yesterday. Research shows that people who gossip tend to be less liked and have fewer personal relationships. One would think it is because he or she is not trustworthy, but the study actually found it was because people tend to attribute the negative gossip to the individual who repeats it. People don't remember what he or she said, but they remember the negative connotation which causes them to dislike the gossiper.
Please talk to me about anything except for what my friend said about her boyfriend, who slept with who last night after the bar, how someone isn't reaching their potential or that so and so is a liar.
How about we talk about a book you read? Or that article that you thought was really insightful? Or what about that funny video you watched? That great pair of shoes you almost bought? Those jeans that make your ass look fabulous? That party you're really excited about next week? A vacation you can't wait to take? All the places you want to eventually visit? Your best memory? Favorite band?
Look at all the things you miss out on learning about people when you get caught up talking about things that don't matter.
To be honest, if we spent half as much time building each other up as we do putting one another down, the world would be a much better place.
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