Topic Posted by: Cassies grandma
Date Posted: Fri Jan 6 19:08:08 2012
Additional Comments: I heard a discussion about gossip on the radio recently. It made me wonder what you would consider gossip. I tend to be a person who wants to inform people of things I feel they want to know. ie--when I posted about farmer and his surgery.
So here are the 'items' I might pass on. Tell me what you think is gossip if not all or none of them.
1. Sharon is ill and in the hospital.
2. Sharon is in the psych hosptial
3. Sharon's husband drove her crazy and she is in the psych hospital
4. Sharon had some physical problems complicated by her husband's behavior and she is in the psych hospital.
5. Sharon was taking meds from more than one doctor and is having some emotional problems and is in the hospital
6. Sharon is in a nursing home after her stay in the hospital
7 Sharon is in rehab.
OK what is gossip?
Posted by: Mitch Date posted: Sat Jan 7 17:46:50 2012
Message:
Potentially "all of the above".
It depends upon with whom you are speaking and why you are telling this person. Is it a close friend? A relative? A stanger? In HIPPA-speak, is there "a need to know"?
Then there's "How would Sharon feel about this person being told?"
Unless I knew more, I would say nothing. If it was a close friend or relative, I would tell him/her #1. I would consider the others gossip.
Posted by: hollykins Date posted: Sat Jan 7 11:38:40 2012
Message: Great topic. I recently had this conversation with my father. He was kicked out of one of the boards at the church for gossiping. He doesn't think what he did was gossip. I think gossip does not always mean telling false information. I think it is when you tell people private information about other people. It's when you discuss other people. I think people confuse rumors with gossip which are closely connected. He was leaking personal information. He thinks it was not gossip because everything he said was true.
Posted by: Ricky Date posted: Sat Jan 7 5:05:51 2012
Message:
If Sharon calls you on the phone and says, "Elaine, here's what I'm going through right now; please tell all of our mutual friends about it", then no I don't think it's gossip. I believe you're just relaying a message from Sharon to the intended recipients.
But if Sharon is trying to maintain her privacy and would prefer that nobody know what she's experiencing, I think I'd simply say, "Sharon's gone away for a while. She'll be back soon", and let it go at that. Anything beyond that is gossipy and is a violation of her privacy, IMHO.
Posted by: serialmom Date posted: Fri Jan 6 21:49:54 2012
Message:
I believe it all depends on whether or not you and the listener like the person.. While I don't think the other selections are gossip, the phrasing may leave a bad connotation. With that in mind, I think number 1 is the only one I would be comfortable telling
Here's a good quote about true gossip.
Gossip is when you hear something you like about someone, you don't.
Posted by: J-L Date posted: Fri Jan 6 21:01:56 2012
Message: Numbers 1 and 6 aren't gossip. You are passing on information about Sharon that others who care about her need to know if they care about her and want to visit. The other items are things that only Sharon should tell people when and if she wants to. I think sharing info about another person that has to do with personal aspects in their life is gossip. I have been quilty for doing this, unfortunately, because people are curious for salacious details and it gets attention.
Posted by: J-L Date posted: Fri Jan 6 21:00:28 2012
Message: Numbers 1 and 6 aren't gossip. You are passing on information about Sharon that others who care about her need to know if they care about her and want to visit. The other items are things that only Sharon should tell people when and if she wants to. I think sharing info about another person that has to do with personal aspects in their life is gossip. I have been quilty for doing this, unfortunately, because people are curious for salacious details and it gets attention.
Posted by: Jenny Date posted: Fri Jan 6 20:02:58 2012
Message:
To me, gossip is a lie or a manufactured embellishment. The truth is not gossip. However, some people tend to personalize their stories with opinions that may or may not be warranted.
I'd say that all of the below could be true and they wouldn't be gossip. However, #3, #4 and #5 seem more like "edited" reporting that could be true or not.
1. Sharon is ill and in the hospital. 2. Sharon is in the psych hosptial 3. Sharon's husband drove her crazy and she is in the psych hospital 4. Sharon had some physical problems complicated by her husband's behavior and she is in the psych hospital. 5. Sharon was taking meds from more than one doctor and is having some emotional problems and is in the hospital 6. Sharon is in a nursing home after her stay in the hospital 7 Sharon is in rehab.
Good question. I'm curious as to how other people see this.
I would think an example of gossip might be:
"I wouldn't be surprised if Sharon had to go to the hospital the way her husband treats her and how many jobs he's lost because of his bad temper."
