I think that there's a difference between the two. For instance: Mary getting a promotion at work is news. Mary sleeping with her boss to get the promotion is gossip.One man's gossip is another man's news.... .
I think that there's a difference between the two. For instance: Mary getting a promotion at work is news. Mary sleeping with her boss to get the promotion is gossip.One man's gossip is another man's news.... .
I think that there's a difference between the two. For instance: Mary getting a promotion at work is news. Mary sleeping with her boss to get the promotion is gossip.
The thing with small town gossip is it has consequences. It'll get around fast to the person being gossipped about and then you'll be called to account, and you'll have no way to vanish into the anonymity of the crowd. Small towns force you to own your words -- and you have to be willing to say to a person's face anything you'd say behind their back. Those of us born in small towns learn this from a young age, but people from away have to learn it thru sad experience.
Funny, but I've always associated gossiping to small towns more so than cities. [huh]
Been thinking a lot about this thread. I guess my take on small town living is that it forces you to act appropriatly. If you want to be a part of the community and be respected there is no room for arrogance, or being cocky, or gossiping or anything other behavior we associate with declining standards. You have to keep in mind that people are going to see you, know who you are and are going to judge you. Also, you are going to come into contact with a lot of people that you would avoid if you lived in a city. As a result, you just have to accept people and treat them as you would want to be treated. When think of the perfect small town persona I think of Atticus Finch. He always looked at things from the point of view of other people.
Funny you wouldn't see city folks doing that.A peek into what happens in the digital age in a small town when people can remain anonymous:http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/20/us/small-town-gossip-moves-to-the-web-anonymous-and-vicious.html?_r=1&pagewanted=1&ref=us
This is the Topix page from my hometown. Warning: it's pretty ugly.
http://www.topix.com/forum/city/winchester-in
In many ways it is often said, if you are looking for someone that knows how to work and work hard, hire someone that was raised on a Farm, and I know that is so very true!When I was a kid, we lived out on the farm and I'd go for walks around all the other farms and talk to the other farmers. When I was 8 years old, I had been running some of the farm equipment for a few years and the neighbors would tell me "Hey, so and so told me your Daddy said you're pretty good with a tractor, wanna give me a hand?" or something like that, and they'd have me come drive tractor, or something to help them out during planting and harvesting, depending on the time of the year. I miss those days.