Psstt… I Heard Something…

Today, I have the pleasure of hosting Mrs Usha Menon on my blog.  Ever since I started reading Mrs Menon’s blog, which was sometimes last year, I was intrigued. I was amazed to see a 77-year-old retired educationist, discover blogging and taking it up so passionately. And in this one year I have seen her evolve, as she explored the art of writing a Haiku and stories in 100 words to poetry and prose. I am yet to come across somebody who is so keen to learn and explore at this age. Is there any age for learning new things in life? Thank you Ma’am for showing me that learning has no age limit. And today I’ve invited her to share a little of that passion in a guest blog post.

Welcome, Mrs Menon…

If we were to list the sin that is most commonly seen in all societies, gossiping would surely find its way in that list.  We find people who gossip everywhere, in offices, schools, colleges and even within the four walls of a house. gossip

Do you remember a game which we all played while we were children? A group of children would sit in a circle. The game starts with one child whispering something in the ears of a child, sitting next  to her. Let’s say that the first child says, “Pizza tastes great.” This sentence is whispered  in each child’s ear one by one. The last child announces what she heard. Can you guess what the last child heard and announced? She said , “Pete’s a great ape”. Can you beat this!! This is how gossiping works. It starts with one person and is passed on from one person to  another. In the process it assumes  a different  meaning altogether!

We find gossip columns in many newspapers, where we can  peep into the personal lives of  high society people. Generally people are curious to know about the personal life of  famous  movie stars,  politicians and other well known personalities.

However much we may disapprove in theory, gossiping is a very common behaviour.

Why do we gossip? Whatever we talk about another person, he is not present to defend himself. We gossip because
(a) we feel superior
(b) we feel we can have more control on power
(c) we want to take revenge against the person
(d) we want to attract attention
(e) or start some activity when they feel bored.

In the corporate world, gossip plays an important role. The top most executives have their own hired gossipers or informers who blend the ‘inside’ activities of the chosen one according to their own judgment. It can sometimes prove to be dangerous. But strangely gossip is the best means to collect or disseminate information.

In recent years much research has been done in the field of gossiping. Many psychologists have concluded that generally when two people speak to each other it is more about a person who is not present.

We all know that gossiping is wrong then why do we indulge in this activity? In a conversation between two individuals, words spoken about others give them a feeling of mutual trust. It gives a boost to their language and to a great extent; a bond is established between them. Such bonding is natural because shared dislikes bring them closer than shared likes. It is a method in which they share their sense of humour.

Is gossiping good for us? Gossip can be put to good use also. Through this we can judge the aggression hidden within us, which can lead to self introspection and we can correct ourselves to a great extent. Gossip varies according to the persons practicing it. If the gossip does not harm the person, who is being discussed in a group or by two individuals, it can be laughed away. But if the gossip is an evaluating and demeaning comment on someone who is not present, it amounts to spreading rumour against the person. Such gossip leads to heart burns. We can easily differentiate between malicious, mischievous and mean-spirited gossip as opposed to innocuous, innocent and harmless gossip. Gossipers enjoy mutual bonding, as it is colourful and juicy.

So, tell me what’s the latest buzz in the blog world? I am all ears…

Images Courtesy : Google Images

Tags: