Urban Celebrity Gossip website

Gossip is a social behavior that will never fully cease for most people. It is often considered by sociologists to be necessary for survival, a useful social function in bonding group members together. However in our society it seems to have evolved out of a survival mechanism and into a pass-time. With shows such as “Gossip Girl” and popular celebrity-stalking blogs, it seems that more of our time is being spent discussing the lives of others.

The obvious problem with modern day gossip is that time spent gossiping is taking away from productive and healthy activities. Gossip can involve negative thought processes, upsetting discoveries, and the expression of anger. Gossip becomes especially problematic when it is used to elevate your sense of self above that of another person. Statements such as “Can you believe he did that?”, “You are so much better than her”, “I’m right, he’s wrong” or “I know best, she should have listened to me” are all too common amongst even the closest of friends. Gossip can have a profound negative impact on relationships with friends, family and loved ones due to the devastation that can be felt when one finds out that confidentiality has been broken or that they themselves have been the subject of a conversation between others.

The physical response to a negative thought, word or conversation is an immediate chemical reaction that manifests quicker than the effects of dangerous stimuli such as smoking, drinking alcohol, or eating bad food. In our article on Stress, we explain the undeniable mind-body connection and how negative emotions can cause a damaging chemical response in the body. Furthermore, the effects can be lingering; the aftermath of a night out binging on wings and beer might “pass” in 24-48 hours while a negative thought can manifest itself for decades. The immediate toxic effects of negative thoughts include stress responses and lost sleep which can eventually result in impaired immune function. Longer term, gossip can encourage a constant spiral of negative emotion, which can churn in both the conscious and subconscious mind, affecting future thought patterns and most problematic – behavior – for years to come.