Gossip. Everyone, no matter who they are, has indulged in this guilty little pleasure at some point in their lives.
It's okay to admit it -- we have all done it. Everyone has heard the quiet little whispers often including the words, "He said, she said."
Sometimes, we might even enjoy a little gossip. Actually, often times we most likely enjoy the gossip we hear. After all, we are only human.
I believe that gossip is in our nature. It is our way of nosing into other people's business without truly getting involved. Gossip satisfies the human need to be "in the know."
Years of television shows showing Lucy and Ethel talking about the neighbors, and the timeless Laverne and Shirley have made gossiping a part of pop culture as well.
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However, the integrity of the gossip spread can sometimes be in question. There have been many times in my life when I have heard a little tidbit of information that has teetered on the edge of exaggeration and blatant lie.
Obviously, gossip would not be gossip without a little bit of "embellishment," but sometimes things can be taken too far.
There is a fine line between gossip and defacing someone's name. Throughout my years in high school (where gossip runs rampant), I have seen many a young girl reduced to tears because of a "harmless" piece of gossip. Sometimes, gossip can be much more than a guilty pleasure. It has the potential to ruin lives and destroy the nicest of people.
All it takes is one jealous person or one conflict between friends, and that piece of gossip that seemed so much fun before can funnel into a dangerous downward spiral of deceit. Now I don't mean to get dramatic or anything, but it is true. Everyone can think of a time when gossip spread has significantly hurt an individual. That is when gossip crosses the line.
In many ways, gossip can be good for the human psyche. No one can honestly say that they religiously avoid it. Everyone likes to hear someone else's business, perhaps to alleviate themselves from their own lives.
Maybe one likes gossip because for once it is not them who are screwing up. Whatever the reason, gossip has its ups and downs (just like skiing) and will continue to be a part of every day life until the end of time.
We just have to remember not to take it too far.
Michael Dodes is a senior at Frazee-Vergas High School.
