Gossip has always been a part of people’s lives, whether they are hosting midday tea time in grand manors or on their phones texting their friends about the latest drama at school. Gossiping has been a social norm for hundreds of years. Although, that does not necessarily mean that people like the nature of gossiping. Many people go out of their way to avoid gossiping about people’s lives. That brings us to the question: why do we gossip? When, along the way of human evolution, did this curiosity become so popular? And, is gossiping good or bad?
The History of Gossip
To get the full picture, we need to go back to the beginning. Gossip started as a morally neutral activity. It was a way of forming bonds and making connections with the others around them. Hundreds of years ago, people had limited ways of communicating with each other, thus gossip became a popular option.
“Gossiping was viewed as a natural part of interactions among close friends, siblings, or people in general. It served as a means of bonding and expressing affection toward one another,” Folio Weekly wrote.
It was also a very gender-specific activity. Gossip has been related to women for years, even up to the current time. Although, it was done by both men and women as it is, essentially, just idle talk and a form of communication. However, women were more open with this idle talk. They hosted parties and lunches where other women would come over and they could chat about life, their husbands and anything that was a woman’s role. Men were more secretive when it came to their gossip and their talk was viewed as more important than a woman’s.
Even back then it was a hostile activity as men felt threatened by women’s gossip and seeing them in groups publicly speaking. It got to the extent that it was associated with witchcraft. Women’s gossip became frowned upon and deemed unacceptable. Eventually, a torture device was made called “A Scold’s Bridle” or “A Gossip’s Bridle” to keep women from gossiping.
The Human Nature of Gossip
Gossip is an utterly human activity. In its entirety, it is the need to express feelings to others and to connect with other people. Humans crave connection. They have had to stay in groups since the cavemen days to survive and that has evolved over time to our need for trust and camaraderie.
In fact, the appeal of gossip goes far beyond the need to talk. There are chemical benefits of gossip. It has been proven that gossip triggers an increase in oxytocin and serotonin, which transmit emotions similar to cheerfulness and closeness that make people bond and trust each other.
“Venting to loved ones also allows us to relieve burdensome feelings of anxiety and stress. Additionally, sharing personal stories about people who have hurt us provokes feelings of empathy and understanding from others,” The Women’s Network wrote.
Gossip Today
Gossip culture has changed over time, it has female connotations but is now normalized for all genders. Although, the meaning of gossip now differs. It is still a way of connection and communication but many people associate gossip with judgment and back talking others, which gives it a bad name. While some people do use gossip to be mean and spread false information, not everyone does. Just like it has been for centuries, it is a tool for communication.
There are many reasons for why gossip changed so drastically from being an option for connecting with others to being rude and negative. One being the rise of social media. Social media has made communicating with others dramatically easier. Therefore, it has also made spreading rumors and false information that much easier. Social media has also become a hostile ground for hate and disparaging comments, as negative uses of gossip adds fire to the flame.
Now, it boils down to intention. Do you gossip with the intention of creating human connections or to hurt others? That is the question that needs to be answered when it comes to how we view gossip today.
Is Gossip Good or Bad?
It is not possible to declare whether gossip is good or bad. It is not that black and white. Gossip has had positive and negative effects on people and their lives. Although, it began in a positive light. A way for people to communicate and connect with each other when that was so difficult. It specifically gave women comfort when they were so often isolated. While gossip has had a bad name for years, it has also been an enjoyable activity for people to share.
People should let gossip turn over a new leaf, give it a new chance. Every negative feeling associated with gossip is because of people and their bad intentions. Gossip should be used to express people’s thoughts and feelings without hurting others in the process or spreading rumors. If people change their intentions when they use gossip, it can be a rewarding activity for everyone, rather than just one group of people while they hurt another.
