ABSTRACT
If you pause brie±y at the checkout counter of any grocery store, you will —nd yourself coming in contact with gossip-and not just any gossip, but juicy gossip, complete with in-depth, full-color, Photoshop-enhanced pictures. Between magazines at the checkout counter and reality television shows, not only is gossip one of the recognized coins of the popular cultural and commercial realm, but it is also accepted by average citizens as normal in our society. ‹e general thinking seems to be that gossip is fun and entertaining, so what is the harm? ‹is attitude is so pervasive that a person refusing to participate may be seen as peculiar.
