Question: What is gossip?
Answer: Gossip is defined as, "Idle talk or rumor, esp. about the personal or private affairs of others". Rumor or talk of a personal, sensational, or intimate nature. A person who habitually spreads intimate or private rumors or facts. Trivial, chatty talk or writing.
Gossip is potentially destructive.
My husband accused me this weekend of being a gossip and he said "it's to be expected since you read tabloids." It's true that I read "US" & "PEOPLE" but I have never thought that reading these magzines would fuel my own actions. His accusation really got me thinking. It's true that I have on occasion dabbled in the art of gossip. I am not sure how to defend or excuse my actions but I am thinking that I really want to clean up my act & keep idle chat to minimum. I am not sure how to this other than to go cold turkey, make a conscience effort not to talk about others and their lives. I think the reason I have talked about others is that it is usually a way to measure my own life by their actions. It's interesting that we can talk about others as long as it is positive but the moment that the conversation turns negative we are now in the area of gossip. I am guessing that by the definition of gossip that even if you have seen something with your own eyes and you tell someone else it is now considered gossip.
I do not believe that I have intentionally meant to harm someone, however, I have to admit that some things that I have said about people if they heard me talking about them it would have hurt their feelings. That makes me feel bad and willing to change my ways and realize that I need to be careful not hurt someone I know.
Magzines are included.
2 comments:
I always found the idea that it's not gossip unless it's negative to be very interesting to me. Kind of reminds me of a similar idea, that we should only say nice things about a person when they are dead.
I always came back with just a one word answer. Why? Some people are, in fact, bad people. Negative people. It's the life path they have chosen, so unless you're speaking about it maliciously, you're most likely just stating fact.
I think that unless the really bad side of me is happy that something is happening to someone I remember with no kindness, I generally just don't talk about people anymore. My own life is a story enough...lol! Of course, I'm still working on trying to just stop even thinking about the cruelty of others, but sometimes my vindictive self wins. /sigh.
Anyway. Just some thoughts. :)
hmmm...good thoughts!
Post a Comment