Most people (including myself) have been told that gossiping is bad and that this sort of idle chatter corrodes any true form of conversation that benefits anyone. I’ll be the first to admit that my not so secret indulgence is celebrity gossip. This was the precise reason that when an opportunity to meet celebrity gossip extraordinaire Elaine Lui (aka Lainey Gossip), my friend Josh thought I’d be the perfect person to be his plus one.
We studied our celebrity gossip before the meeting like any good student and really didn’t know what to expect except to expect the unpredicted. During the 3 hours with Elaine, we talked about how Gwyneth Paltrow’s decision to “consciously uncouple” is creating a movement towards a new way of separating. We touched on topics such as self-image, feminism and what society deems as acceptable sexual behavior. Not the type of conversation most people would think when it comes to gossip. So what’s the moral of the story? Gossip is not idle chatter; it’s much more than meets the eye and it gives us insight into the psyche of our culture and how it influences us.
Before we delve into anything, we must define what is gossip? According to the Review of General Psychology, the most common definition of gossip is “any conversation between two or more people about another person who is not there”.
[You Might Also Like] Heart of Vancouver: Hollywood is now being accused of glamorizing obesity.
For those who might raise a brow to how gossip can possibly be helpful, consider this:
Researchers at Yale University found that while gossip can be used to harm others, gossip also binds social groups and is a valuable tool for learning social mores. In summary, gossip helps us navigate the social world on what is or isn’t acceptable.
Burgeoning interest in studying the utility of gossip also prompted research at Stanford University. In this study, researchers suggest that gossiping is a tool for groups in society to ostracize those who might not conform to social standards or mores. Perhaps the most interesting part of this research is their observation that participants who have been ostracized by the group via gossip often contributed at higher levels upon returning to the group. The power of exclusion through gossip compelled people to conform to more cooperative behavior.
[You Might Also Like]: Heart of Vancouver: Are your chances of finding love based on sex ratio?
We must recognize that misuse of gossip occurs. However, gossip does have an important function in assimilating individuals. It gives us a barometer on the values of society and why we feel that way. Why is it that when a celebrity such as Miley Cyrus is scantily dressed that we have such a negative reaction to it? After all, isn’t society today suppose to be more progressive in terms of feminist values that say 50 years ago? These types of questions bring into light some interesting observations about societal values and how it plays a crucial role in our behavior.
Amy Yew is a registered clinical counselor and relationship therapist. Tell us what you think and submit any questions you have to amyvancouvercourier@gmail.com. You can also tweet your thoughts on Twitter @AmyYew.
