"Mind your own business." we're told."Don't talk about others behind their backs."The problem with this advice is that,not only is it unrealistic,it's also counterproductive . Common sense holds that gossip hurts people's feelings and damages relationships.But recent research shows the opposite--that strong communities and relationships between people would be impossible without gossip. Gossip is a way for people to let you know the limits of social behavior."If you move into a community and your neighbor tells you how the former homeowner never dealt with his rubbish properly,his gossip is letting you in on something,"says Dr.Ralph Rosnow of Temple University."Gossip says:these are the boundaries and you are crossing them.You're not _ the rules and you'd better get back in line." Seen this way,gossip is a way to communicate criticism without conflict ,giving you a chance to change your behavior without losing face. On the other hand,what about ill-willed gossip,the kind that puts other people down? Gossip is hearing something we like about someone we don't and,in nearly every country in the world,gossip magazines have huge numbers of readers.According to researchers,however,this kind of gossip also has a good side because it helps us put our own problems in perspective ."If we read bad news about well-known people,or get the frightful details of our neighbors' bad situation over a cup of coffee,our own problems begin to pale in comparison ,"says Dr.Jack Levin of Northeastern University. However,that doesn't mean that gossip is necessarily a good thing,either.Researchers found that people who gossip a lot tend to feel like they're under a lot of stress.This might be because while they're busy talking about other people,they're also busy thinking what other people are saying about them. What is the purpose of the text?
To encourage us to spread gossip about others. To prevent us from spreading gossip about others. To make a comparison between good gossip and bad gossip. To recognize certain positive functions of gossip.