Why we gossip?

Let's be honest. If gossip was a Olympic sport, Humanity would have several gold medals.

I am not gossiping we say. I am just concerned. Then somehiw er soeand thirty minutes discussing some one's breakup, salary, family drama, relationship status, and the suspecious fact that THEY have not posted in Instagram for three days.

But here is the intresting question:
Is gossip actually bad?
The obvious answer is yes.

Talking about people behind their back sounds cruel or unnecessary and sometimes downright disgusting. But psychology makes the answer much more complicated.

Gossip is essentially talking about people who are not present usually involving information about their behaviour or relationship or reputation or private life.

And humans have been doing this forever. Before WhatsApp we got village gathering. Before Instagram stories people watched who entered whose house.

Technology did not create gossip. It simply made it remote.

------Against Gossips-------

Gossips can hurt people. Seriously.

A rumour can damage someone's reputation, relationships, career or mental well being.

And once information spreads, correcting it becomes much harder than creating. Someone says I heard she cheated.
Five people later Apparently she has been cheating for months.
Ten people later Everyone knew.

Nobody knows where the original information came from. And sometimes gossip is simply bullying disguised as conversation.

If can also makes us feel temporarily superior.
Well atleast I am not that stupid.

Yes.. gossip can becomes cruel.

-------But here is the other side--------

Gossip is not automatically evil (?)

Reasearch in Psychology suggests that gossip can serve important social functions.

It can help people understand who is trustworthy and who behaves unfairly and what behaviour a group considers acceptable.

Imagine a new employee joins your workplace. Someone tells you "Just be careful about trusting you. He has broken people's trust before."

That information could actually protect you. Gossip can also strengthen friendship. The Convo starts with "Okay...don't tell anyone I told you this...." Suddenly you are not just friends.

Suddenly you are not just friends. You are now co owners of classified information. Sharing personal information can create trust and strengthen social bonds.

Gossips can even help endirec social rules. If a group talks negatively about someone who repeatedly cheats or lies or exploits others, that conversation can communicate that We don't accept this behaviour.

So is gossip Good or Bad?

Neither. It depends on what you are doing with the information.

Are you warning someone about genuine Danger?

Or ruining someone's reputation because you are bored?

Are you discussing someone's behaviour to understand the situation? Or to enjoy their humiliation?

The real test is Would you say it if the person is sitting next to you?

If yes then perhaps it is a conversation. If absolutely not, maybe it's gossip.

Today you are holding the gossip. Tomorrow you may become the gossip.