Humans love to gossip, and gossip can harm our reputation, which in turn affects how others treat us. So punishment through gossip is both cheap and pleasant – and A’s fear of becoming the subject of gossip by C may be enough to deter bad behavior toward B.
根据这一观点，解决这一谜题的需要是流言和名誉的演化基础。人类喜欢“嚼舌头”，而嚼舌头可能伤害我们的名誉，这反过来影响到被人如何对待我们。因此通过流言惩罚成本低又令人愉快——而A害怕成为C炮制的流言的对象可能足以阻止他对B采取恶行。