Written by: Noelani Janey
Did you know that people have been gossiping since the 16th century? Gossiping is a common practice that has been going on for a long time. Well, what even is gossiping? Gossiping means to spread rumors or false information about something or someone. We know better than to partake in gossip, but it occurs constantly in schools all over the world.
In my opinion, gossiping is immature. I think this because stories can get twisted easily. Primary sources are way more reliable than secondary sources, and using time and energy to talk bad about others is a waste.
If a rumor is going around, then it’s not always the best choice to believe the first story you hear. Stories can get warped and twisted for many reasons, on purpose or by mistake. It’s the same way with the internet. For example, TikTok is not a good source to receive news. People can change the story and make it more dramatic than it actually is for views, and some stories can be completely made up. People can have a variety of different motivations to change the story, which is why it’s not wise to trust everything you hear or everyone who tells you something.
That brings me to my next point; primary and secondary sources. A primary source is something like a diary, journal, manuscript, or a person that was actually at an event, something or somebody that was there first hand. A secondary source is like a book written by a person who lived way after the person the book was about, or someone who heard a rumor then spread it to another and so on. A story going through so many people makes it unreliable. What good is the story if it’s untrue or hurts others?
A third reason gossiping is immature is that when you’re gossiping, you’re wasting time and wasting energy to spread negativity. Even if you think the person really deserves it, you forget to focus on yourself and use your time for better things. You can use your time to do more productive activities.
These are all the reasons why I believe gossiping is immature and a waste of time. To not want better for yourself shows immaturity. We need to do better.