Why do people like to talk about other people?

I think that it is one upmanship. We like to think that we know that little bit more than the next person thus giving the impression that we are somehow closer. Of course sometimes its just plain old jealousy, that's when people stat to run each other down. I'm struggling here K, its too late for me I shall have to go to bed. But you get the idea. I'll give you a fuller reply tomorrow

Probably because they don't have a life of their own, they can't think of anything else to talk about, as they may not read or do anything creative. They may never take a good look at themselves, or are scared to, so they look at everyone else. I guess it depends on if when they are talking about others, if it's in positive way, or a negative way. I feel that gossiping about others, and judging others, is very destructive to one's consciousness, and what they think they see in others, is probably inside themselves. I think if one can always be learning something, that would give them something to talk about other than other people, or if they are mindful of what's around them, that's beautiful and miraculous, or if they can think of ways of helping others less fortunate than themselves, that would give them plenty to talk about.

The most popular magazine in USA is "People" ,right? "People" magazine is talking gossip about stars. All news are form of gossip. Reputation can be total destroy by gossip, not only on local level, but also globally with internet gossip....

i think most people who gossip to try to win approval from there friends.like they are in a competion with others.it make them feel better about themselves to gossip and win someone on there side and make others look bad.oh well just my opionion.

it could be due to many different reasons as mentioned here. but mostly, people like the superior feeling i guess when no one knows anything but only they do whether it be true or not. also, like they curiosity kills the cat. they become really curious and can't hold them back especially if the people are the talkative type and can't keep secrets. at my place here, this is so common that we're used to it. people tell us gossips and we listen simply because we have nothing to do. others like to bring people they don't like down. i guess each has their own reason of why they gossip. it's just that they when they are talking, they don't think they are gossiping but to others, they are.

I am not one that really talks about people, I say what I have to say to them. If they don't like what I have to say o Well, if someone has a problem with me I would rather them come and tell me then to set back and not say nothing but say it to everyone else.

i suppose talking about people makes people feel better about themselves. its just how people are. we mostly talk about how they are like this and like that... it just seemed obvious that they do it because they think they are better than those people, which is so sad.

Hello, This is quite an interesting question.I too thought about this .There does not seem to be a single reason for this . One reason could be it being a natural instinct we are born with . Secondly,we sometimes do it to kill time or what we call as "TimePass" . Third,we might have our own problems or frustrations in life and we discuss about others to take our minds off our own problems . As for I , I do not like too much talking about other people.And even If I do ;I don't spread any Ill-News about others. With Regards, Icon

I think I live in the worst area I know for people gossiping! People where I live will sit and have a coffee with you, wait until you have just about got out of the room and then you can literally feel the knives go in! They pull each other to bits and talk and put each other down and then pretend they are best mates when they are together. Hence this is probably the reason I have no friends, because I cant stand it, and you cant tell anyone anything because you know within minutes it will be all around town. I last made the mistake of telling someone something a few months ago, Ive known her for ages, and I had confided in her something I was worried about to do with my sister in law and her exs family, she went straight to the person involved told them what I had said added a few bits and nearly caused an all out war between two families.I was quite gutted as I had been friends with this girl a long time and I felt quite gutted. So now the only person I talk to about things is my husband and myself!!! I dont know why people love to do this, around where I live they seem to thrive on it, its so hurtful to be at the centre of gossips.

I think that they are trying to get attention that they cannot seem to get from other sources. they can really do some awful damage because truth often gets mutilated and somebody is going to catch the downfall of that gossip. When I was a kid all the old women gossiped about aN elderly woman who lived along and had several cats. they all thought she was a witch which of course was not true. she was just a tad senile and all alone and a bit eccentric. When she heard all that gossips she committed sucicide and later we learned at one time she had been a very dedicated school teacher who had been beloved by her students. I did not join in the gossip as I knew from what my dad had said that at one time she had a much beloved school teacher. gossip can do some real harm. its one thing to gossip about some movie star you like or dislike but when it comes to trashing someone who is not hurting anyone then its malicious.

Some people are just straight gossip queens I think. I think the main reason why people talk about others is their insecurities and jealousy. So they have to say something about someone else to make them feel more compentent.

I've heard this from one of the speakers in a sales training that people love to hear that other people are more messed up than they are. By realization, I think it might apply to some people. But for me it's such a sick hobby. Just because many people are doing it, it has become an impersonal offense. The primetime shows that feature gossips are the concrete examples.

i think most of them are faineants, they have nothing to do in their lives so gossip has become the only thing in their lives. perhaps some of them jealous of other people's successes......

i hate gossip so i seldom talk about other people's bads. some of my friends and my classmate often do this,sometimes just for finding a funny topic.

seems to me that some harmless gossip is just of way of conversation between 2 people that have nothing more to say or know of nothing better to talk about. i never talk about anyone that could hurt someone. i read the gossip magazines, and chat about the articles. just conversation maybe? now, mean gossip, that is so uncalled for, and i don't take part in that.

People talk about other people when they don't have the intellect to talk about something constructive.

I think when one talks about someone else in a not so good way, they are making themselves out to be better than them by putting the other person down and making themselves bigger and better.

well i think that all living things talk about the others. if you can hear the language of the animals, i believe that they talk about other animals too. or if you can hear plants, they talk about each other too. it is just natural to want to comment on someone else but you should be careful what you say cos every word you say will be used against or for your favour on judgement day

The answer to this actually lies in the make-up of people. By nature, people are social creatures who crave for information. Gossiping itself is not really bad, it;s actually a way of sharing information. The only problem with gossiping is that sometimes, the gossip goes out of hand, and usually people unknowingly spread incorrect information. I guess that this behavior is just natural that even should the sky fall down this instant, people will still talk about other people. I guess that the best solution for this is to double-check first the information you possess in order to prevent the transferring of wrong information.

i think people talk about other people as some sort of way of making others not pay attention to their own flaws and mistakes. some do it because of envy , some just because they find it fun to gossip . either way gossip does more bad than good