Thoughts on rumors?

[Guest]

What do you guys think about rumors and what do you think about this book? It would be nice to read some respectful responses on this subject. What are some of the famous rumors you have read about. It could be about Brad Pit and Angelina Jolie or any other star/powerful person.

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/books/chap1/onrumors.htm

 

http://www.minute15.com/?p=11832

[tokan 16826]

That article was really interesting, thanks for posting it :) I'd be lying if said I wasn't guilty of occasionally spreading a rumour but now a days I really try not to. I have experienced first hand what having a negative rumour spread about you can do to you, and it isn't very pleasant, so why would I want to put someone else through that.

 

What I found really interesting about this article though was it's effects on the markets and that they actually passed laws about spreading rumours about banks failing in New York. Makes me wonder if rumours have anything to do with oil prices spiking and falling.

 

The worst rumours I find though are the ones that are somewhat grounded in the truth because those are the ones that I find can do the most damage even if they are false. When it comes to celebrity gossip though I just roll my eyes, it doesn't effect me in any way so why should I care what some actor is doing to himself. An exception to the celebrity gossip for me though is politics as it could actually have an effect on me. One of the most famous ones recently that I find interesting, and it was mentioned in the article, was the one about the President not being born in the U.S. Now to me I don't really care cause he seems to be doing a good job under difficult circumstances. But it is a law in the U.S. that only natural born U.S. citizens are eligible for the presidency so this could have serious ramifications during an election if people believed the rumour.

[Guest LittleWingnut]

Like Christine, a rumour concerning something I am most interested in will cause me to investigate further and to locate credible sources of information. Rumours can be dangerous propeganda that harm many either directly or indirectly. I do not subscribe to rumours and quite often I question the sources of them. I recall being the target of rumours in the past and even when I tried to set the record straight too much damage had already been done to my personal life. I'm a nobody and I shudder to think or comprehend how those in the public eye can deal with rumours. Interestingly, there is a good rumour going around that I will win the $50 Million LottoMax draw tonight but I wouldn't put much on that one either.

[ArmitageShanks 100]

What is a "false rumour"? Isn't a rumour, by definition, false and if there's any truth to it doesn't it become gossip?

[April Dawn 12207]

Well here I was thinking this would be a thread on Fleetwood Mac :p

I try and ignore rumours to the best of my ability in my personal life but I will admit an addiction to tmz.

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[Guest]

All very great replies. Thank you for having mature opinions about this subject. I always judge people by face value. I would have to agree to everything joyful c said. I have the same opinion about rumors. Somethings you have to dig a little deeper, other things are not even worth the hassle.

[Athos 108589]

I wonder whether there is a difference between rumors and gossip. We probably all gossip, to some extent. But spreading rumors seems to me to possibly involve a more deliberate attempt to harm someone, with a wanton or reckless disregard for the truth. Gossip, of course, can involve rumourmongering, and may also be malicious, but it can also be harmless. I suppose much depends on context.

 

Porthos

[Phaedrus 209521]

What is a "false rumour"? Isn't a rumour, by definition, false and if there's any truth to it doesn't it become gossip?

I'd say a rumour is unsubstantiated, which isn't the same as false :) And I'm afraid I must also disagree with your implication that gossip is, by definition, true...

 

Either way, it's all highly entertaining... until it's about you or yours, and suddenly it's not so fun any more...

[LeeRichards 177238]

Having spent most of my adult life in smaller towns, and mostly my hometown I get a kick out of some of the things that roll of the rumormill. I have a good friend who goes to the coffee shop daily so he keeps me up to speed on the talk of the town and particularly what I am doing and who I am doing ;)

 

If they only knew what I was doing and how much fun I am having these days :eek:

[Guest LittleWingnut]

And for the record, I didn't win the $50 Million LottoMax last night...so much for rumours. "Rumours" by Fleetwood Mac is a classic!!!! Love it.

[Guest]

Having spent most of my adult life in smaller towns, and mostly my hometown I get a kick out of some of the things that roll of the rumormill. I have a good friend who goes to the coffee shop daily so he keeps me up to speed on the talk of the town and particularly what I am doing and who I am doing ;)

 

If they only knew what I was doing and how much fun I am having these days :eek:

 

 

I also come from a small town. If you fart sideways everyone knows about it. You do hear the funniest stuff from rumors in small towns. Sometimes it's hard to keep a straight face when you hear some of the stuff.

 

I always say give me a big city or give me the middle of nowhere with nothing around me. I will never move back to a small town. Maybe my opinion will change later but I doubt it.

[Guest LittleWingnut]

Peachy:

 

I was born and raised in Montreal...rumours abound in my hood, school and workplace. This crap happens just about anywhere. I've also lived in a small town and I agree that everyone seems to know your business. Best to move to New York City and go into the Witness Protection Program! LOL Stay out of the rumour mill. Oh, and some people like to start rumours about themselves too.

 

I also come from a small town. If you fart sideways everyone knows about it. You do hear the funniest stuff from rumors in small towns. Sometimes it's hard to keep a straight face when you hear some of the stuff.

 

I always say give me a big city or give me the middle of nowhere with nothing around me. I will never move back to a small town. Maybe my opinion will change later but I doubt it.

[roamingguy 300292]

Well I live in a small town, and I'm so discrete, no rumours about me.

People who spread rumours should ask themselves first is it going to hurt someone. And second, is it for fact true, or a rumour. And why do you need to tell other people the rumour, and why do you want to be a town (or work) gossip.

RG

[tokan 16826]

I live in a small town as well so I understand what Peachy said about if you happen to fart in a general direction suddenly the whole town knows, lol. There are some positives to living in a small town, but you definitely need to keep your nose clean or you'll be the centre of attention for the next while and in this business that's definitely not good.

 

The worst place I found for rumours was high school though. Gossip and rumours pretty much spread like wild fire and if you happen to be on the but end of a particularly bad rumour it can pretty much get you shunned by all your classmates. High School can be rough enough when your not exactly part of the cliques without having to deal with rumours, but tack that on and it can do some serious harm. Not only could it destroy someone's rep but it could also go on to hurt someone on a personal/emotional level. I guess you could say that spreading rumours about someone in high school could be considered a form of bullying and should stopped as soon as possible.

[Guest S**a*Q]

People love to talk. They talk to make themselves feel better. I know who I am and have no issues with people talking about me.

 

Means I'm more interesting than they are.

 

As for creating "rumours", I guess I'm okay cause when you're like me there isn't much they can say about me.

 

"Psst, I've heard she's slutty..."

 

"Yes, yes I am... Why you wanna f*ck?"

 

"Psst, I've heard she parties a lot..."

 

"Yuuup. Cause I can and people like me. Hmmm you seem to be jealous. :P"

 

"Psst, I heard she humps for money."

 

"Ha, you heard right, I do hump for money... and how many hours a week do you work?"

 

Now if someone called me not nice, I'd punch them, but then again I suppose that means I could have a mean streak or it means that I don't like liars.

 

Remember, rumours are only bad when you let them get to you. ;)

Otherwise, they are just talking about someone WAY more interesting than they are.

[LeeRichards 177238]

People love to talk. They talk to make themselves feel better. I know who I am and have no issues with people talking about me.

 

Means I'm more interesting than they are.

 

As for creating "rumours", I guess I'm okay cause when you're like me there isn't much they can say about me.

 

"Psst, I've heard she's slutty..."

 

"Yes, yes I am... Why you wanna f*ck?"

 

"Psst, I've heard she parties a lot..."

 

"Yuuup. Cause I can and people like me. Hmmm you seem to be jealous. :P"

 

"Psst, I heard she humps for money."

 

"Ha, you heard right, I do hump for money... and how many hours a week do you work?"

 

Now if someone called me not nice, I'd punch them, but then again I suppose that means I could have a mean streak or it means that I don't like liars.

 

Remember, rumours are only bad when you let them get to you. ;)

Otherwise, they are just talking about someone WAY more interesting than they are.

 

Something like :

 

Oh my God !!!! Like did you hear about Sara...like I hear like she is sooooo horny, and like parties all of the time and like gets paid to like fuck and like hump and have orgasms !! OMG OMG Like can you believe that ! ;) heh heh

 

Doesn't sound like a bad thing to me either Sara......

[ArmitageShanks 100]

I'd say a rumour is unsubstantiated, which isn't the same as false :) And I'm afraid I must also disagree with your implication that gossip is, by definition, true...

 

Either way, it's all highly entertaining... until it's about you or yours, and suddenly it's not so fun any more...

 

So in your view their is no difference between rumour and gossip then?

[JoyfulC 132299]

Funny thing is, for the past six years, I've lived in a small town. I really don't know much about the gossip as I haven't heard much. But the "over sharing" -- OMG!!!! I've had neighbours tell me stuff that makes my hair stand on end. And I think to myself, "why are they telling me this?????"

 

I used to worry a lot about keeping my secret out here in the boonies. But anymore, I really don't. My secret is pretty bland compared to some of the accounts locals have confessed to me about themselves. EEEK!

[backrubman 64800]

Funny thing is, for the past six years, I've lived in a small town. I really don't know much about the gossip as I haven't heard much. But the "over sharing" -- OMG!!!! I've had neighbours tell me stuff that makes my hair stand on end. And I think to myself, "why are they telling me this?????"

 

I used to worry a lot about keeping my secret out here in the boonies. But anymore, I really don't. My secret is pretty bland compared to some of the accounts locals have confessed to me about themselves. EEEK!

 

Maybe it's a little like Walkabout Creek in the movie Crocodile Dundee were you live:

 

Sue Charlton: People go to a psychiatrist to talk about their problems. She just needed to unload them. You know, bring them out in the open.

Michael J. "Crocodile" Dundee: Hasn't she got any mates?

Sue Charlton: You're right. I guess we could all use more mates. I suppose you don't have any shrinks at Walkabout Creek.

Michael J. "Crocodile" Dundee: No back there if you got a problem you tell Wally. And he tells everyone in town, brings it out in the open, no more problem.

[Nicolette Vaughn 294340]

I like to keep people guessing.. lol. Let them think what they WANT to think because frankly I couldn't give a flying fuck.

[Guest LittleWingnut]

My view as well as I find the older I get the less I care about what anyone thinks about me or says about me Nicolette. Not about to lose any sleep over it that's for sure!

 

Here's a good explanation of rumour vs gossip.

http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/friends/rumors/article2.html

[Guest]

Here is an interesting slide show that talks about rumors.

 

 

When I hear something about me I'm always a bit shocked and upset. I always wonder why someone would do that to me. But then I always remember my own advice I always give others. The only person you can control is yourself and yourself alone. So I let people talk and quickly remember all the good things in my life. People are going to talk irregardless of what you do. So it's best to ignore them and move on with your life. No need to hide away from things or to be upset about things. Say la vie.

 

I think for the most part cerb attracts positive people. People who do not want to take part in rummors. Or People who are too intelligent to be sucked into rumors. It's great to take part in such a great comunity and have the chance to meet some really nice people.

[Gabriella Laurence 301887]

I like to keep people guessing.. lol. Let them think what they WANT to think because frankly I couldn't give a flying fuck.

I mostly agree with you except when it has the potential to hurt my business, my name and integrity.

 

For "those" of you who have nothing better to do than to spread gossip/rumors like the plague:

"It is true that you may fool all the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all the time;

but you cannot fool all of the people all the time."

 

Understand that you will never ever be able to truly build up your self-esteem that way and it will only give you a false sense of self-confidence in the process. Putting others down has never helped anyone get ahead, if only, for a short time. There are better ways to work on personal insecurity issues without having to go down to a level where it is difficult to climb out of again (and again and again and again).

 

Nobody is perfect; not even the person who you might be jealous of or envy for whatever reason you think you might be lacking. Everybody has to work hard at what they have and it is only with hard work and dedication you will be able to succeed. Investing more time in ourselves is much more productive than spending time talking about others and the faults (you think) they may have. It's even worst when those assumptions are communicated to a lot of people who don't know better.

 

Manipulating people for your own benefit will only take you so far in life and it will never give you a true sense of happiness.

 

Happiness comes from the inside!

 

Additional Comments:

No, this post is not directed at Nicolette...

[Guest]

I mostly agree with you except when it has the potential to hurt my business, my name and integrity.

 

For "those" of you who have nothing better to do than to spread gossip/rumors like the plague:

"It is true that you may fool all the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all the time;

but you cannot fool all of the people all the time."

 

Understand that you will never ever be able to truly build up your self-esteem that way and it will only give you a false sense of self-confidence in the process. Putting others down has never helped anyone get ahead, if only, for a short time. There are better ways to work on personal insecurity issues without having to go down to a level where it is difficult to climb out of again (and again and again and again).

 

Nobody is perfect; not even the person who you might be jealous of or envy for whatever reason you think you might be lacking. Everybody has to work hard at what they have and it is only with hard work and dedication you will be able to succeed. Investing more time in ourselves is much more productive than spending time talking about others and the faults (you think) they may have. It's even worst when those assumptions are communicated to a lot of people who don't know better.

 

Manipulating people for your own benefit will only take you so far in life and it will never give you a true sense of happiness.

 

Happiness comes from the inside!

 

Additional Comments:

No, this post is not directed at Nicolette...

 

Gabrella, you have some really good points. Sometimes we focus on what others are doing. When we should really be cleaning out our own backyard. I think manipulators true colors end up showing in the long run. It is hard to deal with nasty people sometimes but it is best to just let go. Easier said than done sometimes. Karma works in it's own way. What goes around comes around.

[Phaedrus 209521]

For "those" of you who have nothing better to do than to spread gossip/rumors like the plague: