It Pays to Keep Your Mouth Shut

Gossip. 

That six letter word that comes alive especially by word of mouth. I wonder why people love to babble at work, at the mall, at the restaurant,even in social media. It maybe hard to believe that some people, women and men included, do not get tired of talking about other people's lives. At times I ask myself if they really get a kick of shredding a person's life to make it more appetizing while they were having dinner or worst, breakfast, like gossip is some sort of grace before & after meal kind of thing. 

I have asked my 80 year old Mom if Dad at one time engaged in gossip among his peers when he was young. My Dad was 12 years older than my Mom and had worked a lot of odd jobs just so he could finish his schooling.She said that he might have. The reason why I asked was because my siblings and I were among the very few kids in our place who were not allowed to watch gossip shows on local TV nor peep through our windows when there were fights on our streets especially if it involved a family washing their dirty linen in public. My Dad discouraged us not to engage in gossip and that included our Mom. In fact it was one of the things he asked from her to avoid before they got married. The other thing was gambling. He said that gambling and gossip comes hand in hand most of the time and that a simple story can become too colorful once it has been transferred and spread from one mouth to another.

Just like a virus. It can become epidemic before you even know it.

But no matter how viral or contagious gossip can be, a lot of people still find their day incomplete without it. To them, life is boring without a little bit of back stabbing. It adds spice to the conversation especially  if relished with sarcasm and envy. Top it with laughter then every thing about you is free lunch. From your unpainted toe nails to your favorite unscented perfume. Mind you whether you keep it low or dress loudly, you are not excused.  

             

Source

Worst, even if you keep your mouth shut and chose not to engage in gossip, you find yourself the menu for the next day.

Yes. You and everything about you.

Why? 

Because people do not like it if you do not engage in gossip. They find you off, weird and worst intimidating.

Yes. Silence can be intimidating. Probably because such gossip mongers feel that you will not engage in a conversation unless it is sensible and worth it. 

But is that too much of a good thing?

On the contrary, it can be a bad thing because being silent means keeping your distance from loud mouths especially if they are interested to know more about you. You know, just basic information like what did you have for dinner, what type of movies you and your husband enjoy watching, what sexual positions you prefer to the point of asking when was the last time you had sex.

Yup that sort of thing.

At times I do not know anymore.

Nowadays, uncensored conversation is very much the fad. Sadly some yuppies and mature adults even blame old age for people who do not join the wagon of gossip mongers. Privacy has become costly and at times evasive even in social media. And when you have nothing to contribute in the conversation, you become the target for the next session just because you chose to keep your mouth shut.

I hope I am wrong but what if I am not?

So what do you think. Does it really pay to keep your mouth shut?