Sherlock Holmes, Gossips and Then Some Bad Stuff.

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson examines a piece of gossip.

 

The general impression is “gossip” is bad. It’s talking behind someone’s back – often mentioned in same bitter tone as “stabbing someone’s back” – no not the sexual stabbing. It was not until I started reading the Sherlock Holmes stories that I had a totally different view on gossips, and the activities of gossiping. 

Gossip is defined as “casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true”. Means, not fact. But what is fact, then?

Here’s what Holmes said about fact ““There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact.” When the fact that is being dealt with is murky, hazy, such as ghosts? Holmes has this to say on two occasions, if not mistaken, “When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”

There has to be some truth that is the basis for the gossip, those things you have to ‘eliminate’, the untruths. But the husk would not emerge, if there are no hard shells to protect. They say when there is smoke, there must be fire. Likewise, gossips do not stem out of nothing. A supposition, a presumption, some guess work, or random thoughts can push for an embryonic version of the fact. It may not be full born human, but it can be a potential xenomorph. 

Like that baby alien, gossips are harmless as we go down the age group. As schoolkids, gossips are about who smokes after school, or which boy is seeing which girl. We hear, too, about dating teachers. At that stage, no one really gets hurt, except the smoking boy, because gossips can lead to snitching. 

At that stage, facts are those in the text books, newspapers, or whichever your parents say you have to do because, dammit, you shut up and do. Things like, praying or the use of right hand to eat. Facts are so often buried in tradition. Traditions are based on fear. Fear is the weapons of the ruling class. So, we are susceptible to believing anything that is being told to us, no matter how much the original fact has been edited, cut off, modified, re-shot in different location, and have brand new soundtrack in it – its state now has completely deviated from the original script. But we love the end product, its spicier.

The flows of news that may and may not influence our day to day decision making are usually factual, unless they issue an apology note few days later. These would end up in print, or are blared out on audio or visual medium. Other forms of gossips are told in hush noises in kitchen. The former are just that….news, while the latter, no matter how accurate they are, would immediately qualify as gossips. 

Some of these gossips are sold down to the children as cautionary tales. “Aunty X has left Uncle Y because of his drinking. See what drinking does?”. Never mind years later you learn that Aunty X was banging co-worker T, but hey, you were too young to hear that. A made-up story is explained to you, it then became the basis for gossips to follow and circulate among the family members, relatives and then the community of course; and of course, the same gossip will be remembered each passing anniversary of Uncle Y’s suicide.

Of course, not all gossips are bad. In form of rumours, some have saved lives and some, led to catastrophes. 

The best thing about gossip about us is they are kept out of our reach, at best possible way. We are purposedly shielded from it, because people want to be in our good book. Then ones that has stopped talking to you at least has a working conscience. As to being at the receiving end, know this, the gossip monger:

1. - would have told you his or her version, edited it to make him or her look good in the process – you know, the risk taking messenger that they are. In the process, the gossip delivered becomes a heavily modified version when it reaches you. Its like pizza that gets repurposed several times till it finally became dog food. 

2. – is a sadist who gets hard-on (or whichever version of hard-on gals get) looking at the misery and anger, or whichever reaction the receiver gives. It’s cruel, sadistic, disheartening and makes a great reality TV show.