47 Quotes On Gossip: To Speak Or Not To Speak Of Others?

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Excerpt: To speak or not to speak of others? THAT is the question this incredible list of quotes on gossip seeks to answer. Some might surprise you.

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Introduction: Harmful or Beneficial?

For the most part, gossip gets a bad rep. It gets associated with being negative, trivial, wasteful, demeaning, harmful etc. And many times—that’s exactly what it is. He said/ she said/ they said conversations pointing out negative, trivial, demeaning, harmful things about others that are wasteful in nature because they don’t do any good for any of the parties involved.

But, there’s more to gossip than that.

Gossip, as you’ll read more about in the quotes below, is the main form of communication in human society. It isn’t inherently deceitful, scandalous, or malicious—it’s simply chatter about our fellow humans. It’s inherently curious, explorative, and conversation-based. It’s an ongoing dissecting of other people’s character so we can better understand and mold our own. It’s story telling, experiential learning, and interaction analysis.

But, needless to say and as mentioned above, gossip isn’t always constructive.

As is the case with most things in life, gossip should be entertained mindfully, in moderation, and in a constructive manner. Below, you’ll find our list of quotes on gossip that will help you navigate what that means and how you might best do that. Take special note of any quote(s) that make(s) you nod your head or pause and let us know what you think in the comments at the end!

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17 Quotes On Understanding Gossip:

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“First law of gossip – there’s no point knowing something if somebody else doesn’t know you know it.”

Ben Aaronovitch

“You can be hurt, not by what others think of you, but by what you think of what they think or you think they think of you.”

Mokokoma Mokhonoana

“Who gossips to you, will gossip of you.”

Turkish Proverb

“When someone acts differently with you around other people, it’s because they speak differently about you to them.”

Steve Maraboli

“The key to the many is often the one; it is how you regard and talk about the one in that one’s absence or presence that communicates to the many how you would regard and talk about them in their presence or absence.”

Stephen Covey, The 8th Habit | More quotes from this book ➜

“When people talk about you behind your back, they’re not just behind you, they’re beneath you.”

Donald L. Hicks

“Don’t be too fast to highlight the weaknesses of other people. That is the quickest way of exposing your own weaknesses.” 

Israelmore Ayivor

“What Susie says of Sally says more of Susie than of Sally. Remember that.”

Unknown

“A man is no bigger than the things which he allows to annoy him.”

Napoleon Hill

“When we blather about trivial things, we ourselves become trivial, for our attention gets taken up with trivialities. You become what you give your attention to.”

Epictetus, The Art of Living | More quotes from this book ➜

“What other people think about you has nothing to do with you and everything to do with them.”

Jen Sincero, You Are a Badass | More quotes from this book ➜

“When we judge or criticize another person, it says nothing about that person; it merely says something about our own need to be critical.”

Richard Carlson, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff | More quotes from this book ➜

“It’s silly to worry about what others might be saying and thinking about you.  Whatever they’re saying, it’s not really about you – it’s about them.  In fact, what people say or think about you is a direct reflection of what they may be feeling about themselves.  Don’t even think about it.  If you want something to concentrate on, concentrate on treating yourself with more respect.”

Sean Stephenson, Get Off Your “But” | More quotes from this book ➜

“Nothing other people do is because of you. It is because of themselves. All people live in their own dream, in their own mind; they are in a completely different world from the one we live in. When we take something personally, we make the assumption that they know what is in our world, and we try to impose our world on their world.  Even when a situation seems so personal, even if others insult you directly, it has nothing to do with you.  What they say, what they do, and the opinions they give are according to the agreements that they have in their own minds.”

Don Miguel Ruiz, The Four Agreements | More quotes from this book ➜

“Gurdjieff used to say ’Don’t consider!’… and he is right. What others say is their business and their problem, it has nothing to do with you. Just look into your own nature and whatsoever is joyous, go with it. That is your responsibility. You are not answerable to anybody”

Osho

“When a toxic person can no longer control you, they will try to control how others see you. The misinformation will feel unfair, but stay above it, trusting that other people will eventually see the truth, just like you did.”

Jill Blakeway

“Someone who speaks badly to us may have been spoken to in exactly the same way just the day before, or by his alcoholic father when he was a child.  When we see and understand these kinds of causes, we can begin to be free from our anger.  I am not saying that someone who viciously attacks us should not be disciplined.  But what is most important is that we first take care of the seeds of negativity in ourselves.  Then if someone needs to be helped or disciplined, we will do so out of compassion, not anger and retribution.  If we genuinely try to understand the suffering of another person, we are more likely to act in a way that will help him overcome his suffering and confusion, and that will help all of us.”

Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace is Every Step | More quotes from this book ➜

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19 Quotes on Handling Gossip

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“The first rule of handling conflict is don’t hang around people who are constantly engaging in conflict.”

Naval Ravikant, Medium

“Fill your mind before you empty your mouth.” 

Habeeb Akande

“When you continually worry about what other people think of you, they own you.”

Donald L. Hicks

“You can’t change how people treat you or what they say about you. All you can do is change how you react to it.”

Mahatma Gandhi

“If you don’t like what’s being said, change the conversation.”

Donald Draper

“I am determined not to spread news that I do not know to be certain and not to utter words that can cause division or discord.”

Thich Nhat Hanh

“The problem isn’t that they all speak bad about me. The problem is that they all feel comfortable speaking bad about me to you.”

Monika Ramzy

“A lion does not flinch at laughter coming from a hyena.”

Suzy Kassem

“It is not a demonstration of kindness or friendship to the people we care about to join them in indulging in wrongheaded, negative feelings. We do a better service to ourselves and others by remaining detached and avoiding melodramatic reactions.”

Epictetus, The Art of Living | More quotes from this book ➜

“Gossip dies when it hits a wise person’s ears.”

Unknown

“If anyone should tell you that a particular person has spoken critically of you, don’t bother with excuses or defenses. Just smile and reply, “I guess that person doesn’t know about all my other faults. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have mentioned only these.”

Epictetus, The Art of Living | More quotes from this book ➜

“So many problems in the world would disappear if we talked with each other rather than about each other.”

Unknown

“Be careful whom you associate with. It is human to imitate the habits of those with whom we interact. We inadvertently adopt their interests, their opinions, their values, and their habit of interpreting events.”

Epictetus, The Art of Living | More quotes from this book ➜

“I want to be around people that do things. I don’t want to be around people anymore that judge or talk about what people do. I want to be around people that dream and support and do things.”

Unknown

“Cultivate your own garden and let go of your tendency to examine and judge how others cultivate theirs. Catch yourself in moments of gossip about how others ought to be living and rid yourself of thoughts about how they should be doing it this way, or how they have no right to live and think as they do. Stay busy and involved in your own projects and pursuits.”

Wayne Dyer

Don’t see everyone’s flaws; don’t listen to everything you’re told; don’t speak if it’s not kind. Always look for the good in people. Not everything is truth. Only speak words of kindness.”

Unknown

“Don’t be quick to believe the bad things you hear about good people. Everyone has a story left untold.”

Majid Kazmi

“Let them judge you. Let them misunderstand you. Let them gossip about you. Their opinions aren’t your problem. You stay kind, committed to love, and free in your authenticity. No matter what they do or say don’t you dare doubt your worth or the beauty of your truth. Just keep on shining like you do.”

Scott Stable

“Are you what others say and think you are?  Or are you who you are regardless of what others say and think?”

Richelle E. Goodrich

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6 Quotes in Defense of Gossip

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“Gossip isn’t scandal and it isn’t malicious. It’s chatter about the human race by lovers of the same.”

Phyllis McGinley, via Sunbeams (Page 96)

“Did you know that the origin of the word gossip in English is “god-sibling”? It’s the talk between people who are godparents to the same child, people who have a legitimate loving interest in the person they talk about. It’s talk that weaves a net of support and connection beneath the people you want to protect.”

Beth Gutcheon

“There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.”

Oscar Wilde

“Gossiping has become the main form of communication in human society. It has become the way we feel close to each other, because it makes us feel better to see someone else feel as badly as we do. There is an old expression that says, ‘Misery likes company,’ and people who are suffering in hell don’t want to be all alone.”

Don Miguel Ruiz, The Four Agreements | More quotes from this book ➜

“Literature and gossip are closely related. People who are curious and imaginative long to know ‘what it’s like for other people.’ This longing can be satisfied in its basest, most banal form through gossip, just as it can attain a more refined and complex gratification in art. Both gossip and literature, each in its own way, are capable of offering a partial antidote to fanaticism, because they both relish the fascinating differences between people.” 

Amos Oz

“When people come together — let’s say they come to a little party or something — you always hear them discuss character. They will say this one has a bad character, this one has a good character, this one Is a fool, this one is a miser. Gossip makes the conversation. They all analyze character. It seems that the analysis of character is the highest human entertainment. And literature does it, unlike gossip, without mentioning real names.

The writers who don’t discuss character but problems —social problems or any problems — take away from literature its very essence. They stop being entertaining. We, for some reason, always love to discuss and discover character. This is because each character is different, and human character is the greatest of puzzles.” 

Isaac Bashevis Singer

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5 Picture Quotes on Gossip To Share:

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