Why is gossip so destructive?

Because it breeds distrust among all involved!

Johnny, Sally, and Freddy are talking about the recent football game. The home team is struggling as of late and no one in the city is happy. Freddy gets a call and then says his goodbyes. Immediately after he is out of ear shot, Johnny turns to Sally and gives her that look. She nods understandingly as they start talking about how Johnny’s life is just going down the toilet. He is so stupid to not recognize what he is doing and how nobody likes him any more.

Johnny, Sally, and Freddy are talking about the recent football game. The home team is struggling as of late and no one in the city is happy. Sally gets a call and then says her goodbyes. Immediately after she is out of ear shot, Freddy turns to Johnny and gives him that look. He nods understandingly as they start talking about how Sally’s life is just going down the toilet. She is so stupid to not recognize what she is doing and how nobody likes her any more.

Change the names, change the subject, you have all heard something similar, made eye contact in the same way portraying your disgust. It is gossip, no big deal. What Freddy/Sally doesn’t know doesn’t hurt them, right? Well consider this. As Johnny and Sally are talking about Freddy, both are wondering what the other says about them behind their backs. Sure, in the moment Freddy is the butt of the jokes, but would if Sally had left first, clearly Johnny and Freddy had no problems sink the knife deeply into her back, and if Johnny left, same result. In the end, all three of them trust no one. They doubt the sincerity of any compliment, they wonder everyday what others are saying behind their back. They are isolated, miserable.

Gossip isn’t about telling lies or spreading rumors, it is about trust, or lack there of. Without trust you don’t have relationship, you have pseudo relationship. You don’t have intimacy, you have masks and ruses.

It is tomorrow.

Jason