Gossiping about colleagues, friends and strangers should no longer be looked upon as a naughty indulgence, according to a new book by a New Zealand scholar.
Talking about someone when they are not present is not only an enjoyable pastime, but the positive power of gossip helps form important observations about people and societies, says When Private Talk Goes Public by University of Auckland associate professor Jennifer Frost.
"Gossip is significant and it matters," she said. "Usually it is ignored or dismissed as trivial, idle talk but it's a very significant and powerful discourse.
"It is a way of assessing people's reputation through crowd sourcing - it is a way of getting a view from a lot of people about if that person can be trusted, if we can reply on that person."
She said rumours and chitchat had long been of social importance, from the Salem witch trials in the 1600s to modern-day political scandals. The revelation last year that Auckland Mayor Len Brown had an extramarital affair was a prime example.
"It reveals something that people have a right to know," she said.
Ms Frost said celebrities and the celebrity culture was another case of harnessing the positive power of tittle-tattle.
Household names like the Kardashian family had built their empires on sharing intimate details of their lives with the public, and media outlet likes E!, TMZ.com and Perez Hilton have flourishing businesses specialising in broadcasting that gossip.
Auckland public relations guru Deborah Pead said being the centre of gossip had launched many high-profile careers.
"Madonna wearing her black pants helped put [Kiwi fashion designer] Karen Walker on the map," she said.
Ms Frost's work also revealed that men engaged in the practice as much as women, and carried a warning shared by Ms Pead -- make sure what you are chin-wagging about is true.
"There is a thin line between when gossip can be harmful or when it promotes," said Ms Pead. "It can be very useful but at the same time you need to be very careful that it doesn't become malicious and dangerous."
- By Morgan Tait of the New Zealand Herald
