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Gossip, public, private, social - to fight against it either by word or pen seems, after all, like fighting with shadows. Everybody laughs at it, protests against it, blames and despises it; yet everybody does it, or at least encourages others in it: quite innocently, unconsciously, in such a small, harmless fashion - yet we do it. We must talk about something, and it is not all of us who can find a rational topic of conversation, or discuss it when found. ~ Ch. 8

Dinah Maria Mulock#20

EthicsGossipHuman natureBehaviorConversationHypocrisy

About this quote

What does it mean?
Gossip persists because everyone participates or encourages it unconsciously, making it hard to fight.
In plain terms
People talk behind others backs even though they claim to hate gossip.
What can you take from it?
Gossip is hard to stop because everyone does it.

Where it applies

  • social gatherings
  • workplace dynamics
  • personal conduct

Putting it to work

  • choose rational topics
  • avoid encouraging gossip

Questions to consider

  • Do you engage in gossip?
  • How can you choose better topics?

Another view

It offers little guidance on how to actually reduce gossip.

More from Dinah Maria Mulock

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  3. What on earth should we do if we had no matches to make, or mar; no 'unfortunate attachments' to shake our heads over; no flirtations to speculate about and co…

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