We’re all guilty. I don’t think any of us can say that we never gossip- we just can’t help it. Sometimes what you hear is just too good to keep to yourself, and so you pass it on. And few of us have the self control to stop someone in the middle of a juicy story- not when it’s just too good. So you listen, and you talk; even if you feel a little guilty, it’s usually not enough to make you stop.
If we all know it’s wrong, why do we gossip? The simple answer is that it’s entertaining. Sometimes there’s nothing like a good story, and that’s it. Strange as it may sound, gossip is actually a social activity, and deep down, we are all social beings. It’s something you do with at least one other person, and in a twisted way, it’s a way of connecting. While you are dishing on someone else, you are are connecting with your partners in crime- there’s nothing like a good gossip session to cement a friendship. Anthropologists say gossiping is in our DNA. It’s a way to get to know people and to let people know who you are. You can’t always know a person from your first-hand experience, so sharing experiences of others helps to shape opinions. Of course, those are just their perceptions, so be careful to keep an open mind.
What about celebrity gossip? Can our interest in the lives of the rich and famous be attributed to fantasy? Their lives are so different from the lives that most of us lead and getting a glimpse gives us ordinary people a taste of what it must be like to live in mansions, travel, wear great clothes, etc. Most of us would probably like to experience the glamour and excitement for just a little while, and talking about it makes us feel like we are sort of on the inside. Celebrities are in the news all the time, and their faces are so familiar that it may seem like we know them, so we talk about them. Sometimes we gossip because talking about other people’s mistakes makes us feel better about ourselves. Knowing that everyone gossips should help us control our own behavior. After all, do you want to be the one that everyone is talking about?
