One Business No Community Needs: a Rumor Mill

 

Most every town in America, no matter the population, has a rumor mill. However, the rumor mill is one business no community needs.

Volunteers specializing in gossip run the rumor mill. However, the only product made at the rumor mill results in hurt lives. Our goal should be to put the rumor mill out of business.

Putting the rumor mill out of business requires individual actions.

First, when someone starts to share gossip with you, just change the subject.

If a conversation is not heading in a helpful direction, choose to be the one who changes its course by changing the subject.

Second, say something positive about the person targeted by gossip.

Remind people who are gossiping that the person they are talking about has said or done something good in the past. Mention something specific that is positive.

Third, confront gossip politely yet firmly. It can sometimes be a good idea to point out missing information too.

Psychologists say that when someone is trying to involve you in gossip, the best thing to ask is: “Why are you telling me this?”

First, the question immediately disrupts any self-serving motive. Second, it shows the gossip that the person they are talking to is probably none-too-happy about being involved.

There are several negative impacts of gossip on an individual that can also damage leaders or emerging leaders in a community.

For starters, gossip will come back to hurt you personally. If you are spreading gossip about someone there is a pretty good chance that they are sharing gossip about you.

Earning a reputation as a gossip will isolate you because no one will trust you.

Gossip does hurt other people. It can cause people to feel embarrassed and ashamed. Being a gossip also tarnishes a person’s honesty and causes them to break promises.

Most importantly, gossip spreads lies, and that makes the rumor mill a toxic business.

Stopping gossip is an individual responsibility. Just like a stone thrown in a pond causes a ripple that has a wide reaching impact, individual decisions to stop gossip can help shut down the rumor mill in a community.