BS: Street Corner Talkin'...

Subject: BS: Street Corner Talkin'...
From: Bobert
Date: 29 Jun 11 - 10:57 PM

Okay, this oughtta be fun... Ya' know that the Bible tells ya not to repeat gossip but didn't say you couldn't put some juicy stuff on the, ahhhh, innernet... So...

...here's yer chance to talk shit or roses about yer neighbors!!!

**********************Just One Rule**********************

No identifying any real people...

****************** 2nd Just One Rule*********************

Fact and/or fiction welcome

_________________________________________________________

Bring it on!!!

Tell ya' what... When I hear something about Ella Mae that my gal, Bernice, can't beat, I'll jump back in...

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Street Corner Talkin'...
From: gnu
Date: 29 Jun 11 - 10:59 PM

I know's this here guy down south what likes ta stirrrr up shit. But I ain't namin any names eh?

Subject: RE: BS: Street Corner Talkin'...
From: Rapparee
Date: 29 Jun 11 - 11:34 PM

I understand that when he sweats his head sweats pure melted lard.

Subject: RE: BS: Street Corner Talkin'...
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Jun 11 - 03:17 PM

Where in the Bible does it say you're not supposed to gossip?

And exactly how do you define gossip? Where do you draw the line between gossip and important information that ought to be told? If you have reason to suspect your neighbor is a serial killer—say, there's a smell of rotting meat coming from his house and you often see him digging holes in his back yard—are you not supposed to tell anyone because that would be gossip?

"Gossip" is one of the things "Dr." Laura Schlessinger used to harp on (I used to listen when I drove to work, maybe 15 years ago.) but she never defined it to my satisfaction.

There's a potential for a serious discussion here.

Subject: RE: BS: Street Corner Talkin'...
From: gnu
Date: 30 Jun 11 - 03:45 PM

Seriously?

Subject: RE: BS: Street Corner Talkin'...
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Jun 11 - 04:00 PM

Yes, seriously.

One thing I've noticed is that, if it weren't for gossip, a lot of people would never have occasion to discuss whatever moral standards they believe in.

Gossip is mostly how we tell other people what kind of behavior we disapprove of. If it weren't for gossip, they'd never know.

That's the main reason I'm ambivalent about gossip. It's the other side of the coin to the obvious fact that gossip is sometimes hurtful—especially if it's untrue. (But when it is true, doesn't the miscreant deserve to be gossiped about?)

Subject: RE: BS: Street Corner Talkin'...
From: gnu
Date: 30 Jun 11 - 05:22 PM

That's the crux of the biscuit. The recipient doesn't KNOW if it's true and therefore should not spread it. I was REALLY UPSET when I was told sommat by a friend of a relative at a family function at that relative's house. It about ME! About MEEEE! It was totally false. I was enraged... I asked where she heard it. Of course, it could only be from that relative who could have only heard it from one person and I shant discuss that. She was obviously shaken and trying to backtrack when she said she had just assumed it and I said, "Then you are a fucking idiot." and walked away.

Gossip is NEVER okay.

Subject: RE: BS: Street Corner Talkin'...
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 30 Jun 11 - 05:30 PM

Well our neighbor, are so uncooth! The Patriarch wears shoddy clothes and whittles. I hear the Mother in law consistently violates the stamp act. The young man shot our the flamingoes from their other neighbors reflecting pool and the daughter! The daughter! The daughter likes animals and wears men's clothing as it was never meant to be worn. But it works for her!

Subject: RE: BS: Street Corner Talkin'...
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Jun 11 - 07:13 PM

Gnu: I don't blame you for being upset about someone telling a tale about you that wasn't true. In fact, I think you would have been within your rights to demand to know from whom she heard the story, and to whom else she might have told it. Then you would have been within your rights to track down each one of those people and set them straight—or demand that the original tale-teller do that. No doubt this would have been very embarrassing to the tale-teller, but so be it. Such people deserve to be embarrassed. Of course, you might have good reasons not to want to carry it that far.

But before I can agree with you that "gossip is never okay" I have to know how you define gossip.

Is it gossip if it's true?
It it gossip if it's true as far as it goes, but it leaves out some extenuating details?
Is it gossip if I truthfully tell you about something I personally witnessed?
Is it gossip if someone I trust tells me he personally witnessed it, and I believe it and repeat it?
Is it gossip if someone tells me they read it in the newspaper, and I believe it and repeat it?
Is it gossip if the information is not particularly damaging?
Is it gossip if you don't know the person I'm talking about?

Subject: RE: BS: Street Corner Talkin'...
From: Bobert
Date: 30 Jun 11 - 09:24 PM

Ya' don't say, Jack???

Hmmmmmm??? Got any more on the daughter???

Pic???

B~

Subject: RE: BS: Street Corner Talkin'...
From: gnu
Date: 30 Jun 11 - 09:50 PM

Jim... gossip is NOT okay. Don't matter any of that. Fact is, why bother anyway? Only shit can ensue so one should not gossip.

I am taken back to what happened here a while back. Mudchat essentially died because of gossip and related shitstorms caused by gossip. It got so crazy that myself and others started copying the chat sessions to ensure there was a written record of what was going on as Mudchat cannot be "read back"... ya gotta be there or you can't read what is or what was said. The only reason the "gossip" (read "inane bullshit and bullying") stopped is that Max said on a thread regarding the problem that he could "read back" all of what was posted. The bullying and gossip and CRAP stopped immediately and so has Mudchat for all I know.

Gossip is equal to bullying from the bushes... sniping... gutter-sniping.

Subject: RE: BS: Street Corner Talkin'...
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 01 Jul 11 - 11:35 AM

Gnu: So, since you haven't given me any clue how you define "gossip" I can only conclude you believe people should never talk about other people, even to share good news about people they love and admire.

Is there anybody in the world who has ever followed a rule like that?

I suppose you couldn't say so if you knew such a person....

Isn't there anybody else interested in this topic? As serious discussion, I mean.

Subject: RE: BS: Street Corner Talkin'...
From: Amos
Date: 01 Jul 11 - 01:27 PM

Gossip is usually distinguished from informal communication by its irresponsibility and intent to electrify and worsen connections. It is typically characterized as fear-driven or malicious. This is the sort of harmful nitwittery that often ruins reputations recklessly or maliciously. It should be differentiated from informal networks exchanging information, where people try to get the facts as right as theycan, and do not worsen the picture just by relaying it, and have some sense of responsibility, providing caveats and indications of the degree of uncertainty, including the source of their information, and so on. They are two entirely different kinds of communication. One is beneficial, generally, and the other harms the community by making it dangerous.

Subject: RE: BS: Street Corner Talkin'...
From: gnu
Date: 01 Jul 11 - 01:49 PM

"good news about people..." is good news. Gossip is as per Amos.