I walked into an office last week and immediately noticed, at one corner, three women glued together [ears-to-mouths]. Two of them had left their desks [with all their load of assignments] to join another to discuss her ‘shaking’ relationship. They left their shoes behind their desk apparently in a rush to grab their share of what their co-worker had to gossip about.
I could see the two ladies with their bare feet, stretching their necks over to the mouth of their host at her desk discussing how infidel her guy had been to her lately. Even on the various university campuses, you often see small circles of ladies discussing others as well as their individual relationships. They get so involved that some end up spending the entire day out of class but in continuous gossip roundtables.
But then again, who has never shared a juicy piece with a close buddy before? Everyone has done it, at least once in a while. It is the oldest of all pastimes. It is all about unoccupied speculations, general talks and nothing else. It also has to do with vague trustworthiness mostly associated with malicious intent, simply meant to give cheaply someone else’s esteem.
You will always see one or two women glued together [ear-to-mouth] in the process of ‘che-che-poly’, as gossip is commonly referred to in our setting. Traditionally, the act was associated with idle housewives. However, in current day Liberia, gossip has found its way in the different work places -- offices. Professional women will always try to cleverly steal time out to discuss someone else. Many of them say “the process relaxes, it is healthy” but, are not concerned with the effect of this practice. Others even refer to it as an inevitable social practice that both men and women enjoy doing; men, too, are good gossips. Biologically, some women particularly discuss other people simply because they (women) are interested in the various relationships existing between and among different people.
Whether it concerns us or not, women are prone to carry others’ loads on their heads; adding more burdens to theirs, thus, making their journey through life rather bumpy and tense. Most at times, those being discussed are seen looking healthy and happier than those actually doing the talking. Why worry ourselves about someone else's business?
Let’s distinguish the different kinds of talking that is done about others. Sure, some women actually refuse to spread or discuss nasty or malicious things about others. This category of women also bluntly refuses to associate with other women who do. Growing up, we often hear our parents, guardians or teachers tell this to us: “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop”. Critically analyzed, this saying underscores the need for one to be constructively occupied at all times.
Someone once said: “a secret told to more than one ear is no more a secret.” This is definitely true about African secrets -- they do grow wings and begin to fly through the community [via gossip]. Once told to one person, that person goes to relay to another (often, someone they feel they have explicit confidence in) and it goes on and on in that manner. It always starts like this: “Oh please, it is meant just for your ears and none else. Please don’t tell anyone else.” On another note: “have you heard the guiss” serves as another stimulant of gossip in the Liberian context.
But then again, who has never shared a juicy piece with a close buddy before? Everyone has done it, at least once in a while. It is the oldest of all pastimes. It is all about unoccupied speculations, general talks and nothing else. It also has to do with vague trustworthiness mostly associated with malicious intent, simply meant to give cheaply someone else’s esteem.
You will always see one or two women glued together [ear-to-mouth] in the process of ‘che-che-poly’, as gossip is commonly referred to in our setting. Traditionally, the act was associated with idle housewives. However, in current day Liberia, gossip has found its way in the different work places -- offices. Professional women will always try to cleverly steal time out to discuss someone else. Many of them say “the process relaxes, it is healthy” but, are not concerned with the effect of this practice. Others even refer to it as an inevitable social practice that both men and women enjoy doing; men, too, are good gossips. Biologically, some women particularly discuss other people simply because they (women) are interested in the various relationships existing between and among different people.
Whether it concerns us or not, women are prone to carry others’ loads on their heads; adding more burdens to theirs, thus, making their journey through life rather bumpy and tense. Most at times, those being discussed are seen looking healthy and happier than those actually doing the talking. Why worry ourselves about someone else's business?
Let’s distinguish the different kinds of talking that is done about others. Sure, some women actually refuse to spread or discuss nasty or malicious things about others. This category of women also bluntly refuses to associate with other women who do. Growing up, we often hear our parents, guardians or teachers tell this to us: “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop”. Critically analyzed, this saying underscores the need for one to be constructively occupied at all times.
Someone once said: “a secret told to more than one ear is no more a secret.” This is definitely true about African secrets -- they do grow wings and begin to fly through the community [via gossip]. Once told to one person, that person goes to relay to another (often, someone they feel they have explicit confidence in) and it goes on and on in that manner. It always starts like this: “Oh please, it is meant just for your ears and none else. Please don’t tell anyone else.” On another note: “have you heard the guiss” serves as another stimulant of gossip in the Liberian context.
It is an established fact the 90 percent of women gossip with women, and men with men. There is, however, a big difference between women and men gossips. Women gossips often tend to put in more time in their endeavor then men gossips. Women gossips are very good at hopping from topic to topic, person to person, which actually prolongs their gossips. Men gossips will spend at least 5 minute to discuss a particular issue, regardless of whether it concerns them or not. With the introduction of the mobile phone technology in our contemporary world, gossip has even become simpler, yet more viral --- the hearsay and they say.
Some women argue that, like everything else, gossip, too, has got its good side: it is accessible, it penetrates or transcends cultural, religious, social and political bounds. “It is within everyone's reach. It is the most interesting social practice to which people, either consciously or unconsciously, find themselves attached to as it helps to relieve them of the load of worries [of others, of course] that they are carrying on their chests. It reduces stress, anxiety and makes people happier,” a friend of mine told me.
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