Quote:
Originally Posted by Pressing-On
I didn't think Sherri was backbiting, but I do agree that it is gossip. There is no way to deny that. Gossip is always repeating a story, conversation, etc. that tarnishes a person's reputation or reflects negatively toward another person - whether they've done that to themselves or not - it's still gossip if we repeat that in a conversation.
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My angst on the subject is the broadbrush toward a conservative group of people when I KNOW people that are not in the UPC or other conservative movements having their own mistakes being made.
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You say "gossip" like it's always a bad thing. It can actually be quite useful if we were to use your definitions here. If I told you that a neighbor of your's got a traffic ticket, that would be "gossip."
If I added the detail that he got the ticket at a particular "speed trap" - then that's "news you can use."
If further details were to be revealed, like there being a large number of fatal accidents at that location which warranted a higher police presence - then I might even save your life with this "gossip."
Here's an interesting article from an anthropologist discussing the importance of "gossip" in human success and survival:
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=...ence-of-gossip
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