People Who Discuss Other People

[Rival]

How do you talk about politics without people being in the conversation?

I didn't think I should need to clarify this but...

"And then Graham's mom died and now..."

"And he had sex with her and omg his girlfriend is gonna be ssooooo annoyed!"

"You know Jody next door? Well I heard from her uncle, who heard it from his best friend's sister that she and her husband got a new T.V. and now they get their porn in H.D."

This crap.

 

[LuisDantas]

Other people are difficult to predict, and their behavior may easily impact on us.



A couple of related questions:

Why do we often feel so certain about other people's qualities, goals and motivations, regardless of actual indications pointing that way?

Why do we expect other people to have such a strong interest in us?

 

[Valjean]

Everything's interwoven, more or less, so people usually figure in some way in any discussion. But those who's primary interest in life is the social lives and foibles of others I generally consider shallow air-heads.

Most people prefer to talk about things and events, while the intellectuals occupy themselves with ideas.

 

[Rival]

Everything's interwoven, more or less, so people usually figure in some way in any discussion. But those who's primary interest in life is the social lives and foibles of others I generally consider shallow air-heads.

Most people prefer to talk about things and events, while the intellectuals occupy themselves with ideas.

A nod to Ms Roosevelt

 

[Valjean]

True-- mine's hardly an original observation.

 

[Papoon]

Why?

I once felt much like you. Eventually I realised a few things -

I was avoiding relationship, in a general way, because I felt like an outsider. Which I was.

I lived in my mind, not in my body.

I couldn't grasp the simple fact that life is both extraordinary... and ordinary.

I didn't like people. I had good reasons, but hey, sooner or later it's time to get down off the cross.

I didn't realise that people talk about others to understand people in general - including themselves.

And really, what is the point of discussing religion, politics or art if you find humanity too boring to talk about ? Answer - avoidance of relationship and inability to accept human nature.

Also, this kind of talk is a way of establishing what are commonalities, rules of engagement, 'normal behaviours' - how else would we know ?

 

[Rival]

I once felt much like you. Eventually I realised a few things -

I was avoiding relationship, in a general way, because I felt like an outsider. Which I was.

I lived in my mind, not in my body.

I couldn't grasp the simple fact that life is both extraordinary... and ordinary.

I didn't like people. I had good reasons, but hey, sooner or later it's time to get down off the cross.

I didn't realise that people talk about others to understand people in general - including themselves.

And really, what is the point of religion, politics or art if you find humanity too boring to talk about ? Answer - avoidance of relationship and inability to accept human nature.

Mate, I'm not avoiding anything. I can and do make friends, I have plenty. I just don't appreciate being told every single thing that everyone around me did. I don't care who bought what and who had sex with who and where the new telephone was from. It is downright dull and doesn't further anything.

I am interested in people. In psychology and why people do what they do - hence my thread. I'm just not into what one might call gossip; but I don't use the word gossip because it has negative connotations and I don't just mean people talking bullsh about other people, I mean just generally talking about them.

Moreover, I'm not talking about 'humanity'; I'm talking about people who talk about local people to me. I don't care what Sally down the street did. It doesn't effect me. If, however, Sally wants to vote Remain and I want to vote Leave, that interests me.

Do you see the point?

 

[Papoon]

Mate, I'm not avoiding anything. I can and do make friends, I have plenty. I just don't appreciate being told every single thing that everyone around me did. I don't care who bought what and who had sex with who and where the new telephone was from. It is downright dull and doesn't further anything.

I am interested in people. In psychology and why people do what they do - hence my thread. I'm just not into what one might call gossip; but I don't use the word gossip because it has negative connotations and I don't just mean people talking bullsh about other people, I mean just generally talking about them.

Moreover, I'm not talking about 'humanity'; I'm talking about people who talk about local people to me. I don't care what Sally down the street did. It doesn't effect me. If, however, Sally wants to vote Remain and I want to vote Leave, that interests me.

Do you see the point?

Local people are humanity.

 

[Rival]

Maybe this is made no better by the fact that I live in a little village of just under 800 people who all like to talk about the other people in the village, because we are quite remote. I don't know.

 

[Rival]

Local people are humanity.

Then you have literally no idea what this thread is about.

 

[Papoon]

Give people a break man. Life is hard. Chatter is just getting comfortable in the ongoing crises...

 

[Papoon]

Then you have literally no idea what this thread is about.

Funnily enough, maybe you don't, lol.

 

[Papoon]

We'll all be talking about you in chat now,

 

[Rival]

Funnily enough, maybe you don't, lol.

Of course I do. Don't try to tell me what my own threads are and are not about.

 

[Papoon]

Of course I do. Don't try to tell me what my own threads are and are not about.

Don't assume you know what gossip is not about.

 

[Rival]

Don't assume you know what gossip is not about.

So you're trying to twist the definition of words to invalidate my O.P?

No thanks. Not on my thread you're not.

gossip noun
uk /ˈɡɒs.ɪp/ us /ˈɡɑː.səp/

[S or U] conversation or reports about other people's private lives that might be unkind, disapproving, or not true: Her letter was full of gossip. I don't like all this idle gossip. I've got some juicy gossip for you. Have you heard the (latest) gossip?UK Jane and Lyn sat in the kitchen having a good gossip about their friends.

[C] disapproving (also gossipmonger ) someone who enjoys talking about other people and their private lives: She's a terrible gossip.

And if you're not happy with this definition, I'm sorry.

 

[Papoon]

You missed my point. Gossip has a variety of functions.

 

[Papoon]

OK. You mean specifically malicious gossip ?

 

[Rival]

You missed my point. Gossip has a variety of functions.

I understand that it can be functional, but that doesn't make it any less boring and I'd rather folks discuss ideas and books and so on.

This thread is about people whose primary discussion topic is other people.

 

[Papoon]

And no, I am not trying to invalidate your OP. I was trying to make clear that gossip has valid social functions.