10 Questions

I find it hard to believe people think telling lies is just a bit of harmless fun. That's what gossip is, lies.
Gossip grows, what starts as an off hand comment takes on a life of it's own. It gets added to, amended and by the time it gets back to the original source is a completely different story.
Spite is the source of gossip. I have yet to hear a rumour that isn't derogatory. When a person repeats a rumour they do it for the thrill of sharing something naughty. How often is the repetition of gossip preceded with a phrase like 'I know I shouldn't tell you but...........'?
Gossip never leads to a positive outcome. In the worst cases people find themselves being ostracize and shunned without ever knowing why. Families have been torn apart based on the lies told.
The next time you're tempted to listen to, believe or repeat gossip asked yourself these 10 questions.

1) Where was this person born?
i.e. what county or town

2) What is their birth date?
Can you at least say what month?

3) Does this person have children?
If so how many, what sex, what are their ages and names

4) Does this person have pets?
If so what pets do they have

5) Where do they work/what job do they do?

6) What qualifications does this person have?

7) Does this person have any hobbies?

8) What is this person's marital status?

9) Have I ever had a proper conversation with this person?
This would be a conversation that lasted more than 2 minutes and went
beyond polite pleasantries.

10) What do I know about this person that hasn't come from what other people
have told me?

Can you answer them with confidence? If not you have to wonder what you are doing talking about someone you obviously don't know. If you can answer them then what is your motive for talking about this person?

Being a gossip is not something to be proud of. Gossips are untrustworthy, devious, unfeeling liars who don't have a problem hurting others and often take pleasure in it. Gossips are not bothered about the consequences of their actions either to themselves or to others.
Gossip is dependant on people who are not willing to let the facts get in the way of a good story.

So the 11th question has got to be 'Is this the sort of person I want to be known as?'