There are many reasons people gossip:

-Jealousy

-Hearsay (catching wind of something)

-Jumping on the proverbial train

-Feeling included

-Self-preservation

-Sense of superiority (power tripping)

-Driving opinions in a specific direction

-Boredom

Of late, it seems to be on the uptick. Perhaps the overall atmosphere that openly welcomes hate, insinuation, prejudice, racism, etc. has given the keyboard warriors a reason to voice things… things that haven’t been researched… those that show no proof or documentation… those that have purposeful misinformation.. It’s exhausting.

Gossipers seem to forget that the words they toss on the internet last forever. They are responsible for those words and the repercussions of those words. Where is accountability?

When I was growing up, my mother told me, “Go to the source. Then go to everyone discussed by the source.” There are two, three, sometimes dozens of views on any heated topic or person. The key is how do YOU respond?

What are your feelilngs about gossip and what do you do when you encounter it?