Everyone has heard or been in a situation where gossip has been the main conversation. Oftentimes, people to talk about other people and not realize the words they are saying affect the people they are talking about. Gossip has been around for many generations and continues to escalate in society. Lots of people have opinions about one another, yet some tend to say their opinion before thinking about what their actions may cause. If you don’t know what gossip is, it’s a rumor or an opinion about people you see or meet. Rumors have negative impacts on people lives and relationships. Most gossip is cruel and unwanted. So many people make it their life goal to be involved in what’s going on, or what’s the new rumor. But why? How come people continue to hate and talk about people when they know we all have feelings too? The hardest question that nobody has yet discovered is, how do we as a society prevent ourselves from holding back on the opinions we have about one another?
Everyday people spread more and more gossip. It’s been so commonly done that we now see rumors and gossip as normal things that go on in everyday life. Why do we do it? Perhaps we should be asking ourselves, why do we love it? We people seem to be fascinated with the lives of other people, trying to make ourselves feel better about ourselves by putting others on a lower level. We use gossip as a way to bond with one another emotionally and personally. We create friendships by talking about someone that we both mutually dislike. Why create friendships based on the hate of other people? No one takes the time to think or question their actions. They never seem to put themselves in the shoes of the people they are talking about. How would you feel knowing the people around you may be talking about you?
Nobody likes the feeling of being talked about or spending time worrying if their friends or peers have negative opinions about them. Gossip can hurt relationships and even break them. It’s unpredictable and no one knows if what they’ve heard is true or just another opinion that was said to create drama. Not only does gossip hurt, but it can build up fear and resentment that encourages stress. The worst type of gossip is when people use it as a weapon. As in, when someone has so much hate for another they may use gossip for revenge. This leaves people feeling helpless, confused, rejected, and sometimes even depressed. Yes, it’s hard to hold back on the things you feel and the opinions you have on other people. But why say all those hurtful things, when you can realize the things you say and the actions you take drastically affect the people you have your “harmless” opinions about?
Lots of people may understand what they cause by gossiping but have no idea where to start on preventing themselves in holding back on their opinions. Gossip may be impossible to be rid of altogether. Yet, as a society, we can take drastic measures to reduce the amount of gossip we spread. We all know how hard it is to stop people from gossiping. To start, if you are hearing someone gossip, immediately change the subject. If they continue to talk about it, make them understand what they are saying is not very nice and/or not true. It’s important for you to show them what you are trying to get across so they don’t continue to go on about it. Also, don’t whisper around other people it may give the idea that you are talking about them. Another way to stop the gossip is to make it clear where you stand. If you know something is not true, say something and don’t let them continue to discuss it. Stand up and tell them what you know. If you aren’t sure about the gossip to tell them we don’t know what’s certain and move on. Gossip doesn’t benefit anyone and it never will. You have the power to stop others and yourself from saying things that aren’t true. Even if they may have some truth to them, you need to respect your peers and keep it to yourself. Spreading gossip makes you seem immature and it doesn’t give you anything to boast about. You have the power and the choice to stop: what will you choose?
Gossip is a big issue in everyday life. Many people have lost friendships and important relationships due to rumors that were created by gossip. You can tell people the causes, the after effects, and the way gossip makes people feel, but will they ever truly understand why it’s so important to cut back on how much you say about other people? What you say matters. What you hear and believe matters. What you tell other people matters. Gossip is spread quickly and has many unknown outcomes. We as a society need to realize the actions we take and the gossip we spread matters. Telling one simple lie could turn into something you never knew could happen. Nobody likes the feeling of being talked about, so don’t be the one to hurt the lives of other people. You have the ability to prevent gossip from happening as much as it does. If you hear or know someone who is talking about others, stand up and make it clear that gossip never has any good outcomes.