The Nurturing Well by: Jill Starbuck
Rumors have been around for as long as humans have existed. If we aren’t talking about ourselves, we are often talking about other people. It’s what we do. For the most part, this is just human nature. However, it can get out of hand when too much speculation takes place rather than properly researching for the correct information. When this happens, damage to relationships and hurt feelings occur. Many times rumors are harmless, but sometimes people start them to be malicious, which can damage a person’s reputation.
Rumors entail information about a person that has not been verified. There may be some truth to them or they may be completely false, based purely on speculation. The problem with rumors is that they spread like diseases and can become overwhelmingly inaccurate to the point that they seem ludicrous. Yet, there will still be people who want to believe even the most ridiculous story.
Most often, rumors involve personal or intimate details about people that are not generally discussed in public. This is why rumors get out of hand. People are too afraid to ask the victim of the rumor whether a personal issue is in fact true or not. Therefore, the person spreading the rumor speculates based on something that may not even have to do with the issue. After all, how many times has the rumor spread that Jennifer Aniston is pregnant, based on how her wardrobe fits her body on a particular day? If those rumors had ever been true, she’d probably have a dozen kids by now.
Naturally, we are a curious race. Therefore, we want to know more information. According to researchers from the Rochester Institute of Technology, people often use rumors as a vehicle to get to the truth. Therefore, the juicier the details, the faster the news spreads—just like negative news in the media.
While rumors may become a way for people to get to the truth, victims of those rumors find themselves in awkward positions. They feel that they must defend themselves, fearing that people will believe the rumors. Rumors cause victims needless humiliation, shame, embarrassment, or worse. In some cases, rumors ruin reputations and relationships. Furthermore, they can cause a host of negative physical effects on the victims, such as depression, suicidal thoughts, eating disorders, and anxiety, to name a few. As a result, most victims would rather someone ask personal questions than for someone to spread untruths, half-truths, or embarrassing information in an effort to fulfill curiosity.
Although our curiosity as humans will never wane, it’s always better to go straight to the source than to guess the answers to our questions. The worse that can happen is that a person refuses to answer.
Jill Starbuck has 20 years of experience as a business writer, editor, and market research analyst. She is a certified health coach through the Integrative Institute of Nutrition and a certified running coach through the Road Runners Club of America. She is also the co-owner of a running business. She can be reached at jillstarbuck@hotmail.com.
