Monday, July 31, 2006

Technical Definition of "Gossip"

What is gossip? Really, what does it mean - technically? Someone shared with me that gossip is talk or chatter that is malicious in nature. I didn't really catch the entire definition, but something about that particular definition didn't sit right with me. It sort of sounded like this: "I didn't gossip because my intent was not malicious." I disagree.

Malicious = deliberately harmful; spiteful (used to describe something: malicious gossip)

The word "gossip" does not refer necessarily to something malicious in nature.

Gossip = to talk socially without exchanging too much information; a report (often malicious) about the behavior of other people; rumor or talk about others of a personal, sensational, or intimate nature

Gossip often reflects the shallowness of character and the self-righteousness of a person's heart - spoiled kids love to gossip, stay-at-home moms tend to gossip, and people with control problems like to gossip (and often with malicious intent to demonize their opponents thereby re-establishing control in the void).

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