Gossip

Paper Summary:

This paper presents a discussion on gossip, particularly why gossiping is so popular and how it affects people and society. Additionally, this paper addresses various ways to prevent gossip. The paper is based on the book by Rabbi Stephen Wylen's "The Power of the Word" and other scholars wishing to decrease the amount of gossip spoken. The paper looks at gossip as a social need yet also shows its damaging effects on society.

From the Paper:

"Dirt, mudslinging, hearsay and tittle-tattle are words synonymous with gossip. Encarta defines gossip as conversation about personal or intimate rumors or facts, especially when malicious; informal and chatty conversation or writing about recent and often personal events. Rumors are closely related to gossip in that rumors are usually gossip that is spread and repeated about a person's intimate details. According Robin Dunbar author of Grooming, Gossip and the Evolution of Language, gossip is a natural part of the human species, as apes and monkeys, humanities closets kin used language to keep up to date on the happenings of friends and family, just as we do. Dunbar believes that we need conversation to stay in touch, and we need it in ways that will not be satisfied by teleconferencing, e-mail, or any other communication technology. From a religious perspective Rabbi Stephen Wylen suggests in his book The Power of the Word that "idle gossip and malicious speech are the most frequent and pervasive sins of ordinary life" he believes people either consciously or unconsciously "persist in patterns of speech that disrupt relationships, create unhappiness, and even endanger lives." However one chooses to rationalize gossip it has become so embedded into American culture that oftentimes we cannot decipher mere gossip from news."

More papers on Gossip:

• Research Paper # 6472 : "A Technological Approach to Gossip in the Modern Workplace"
• Analytical Essay # 126494 : "Gossip Interactions"
• Essay # 67083 : "Rumors and Gossip"

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