You know that feeling when someone walks up to you and says:
“Okay, don’t tell anyone I told you this, but…” Yeah. That. Rumours have existed for basically as long as people have had someone else to talk to. A tiny piece of information gets passed from one person to another, and somehow, by the time it reaches the tenth person, the story has become almost completely unrecognizable.
Welcome back to another rendition of Diva Digest, the place where we step away from the battles, events, and chaos to get to know the divas who make this community ABSOLUTELY iconic.
This week we’re putting on our highest heels and stepping directly into the rumour mill.
Because whether it’s harmless gossip, a misunderstood conversation, or a story that somehow becomes more dramatic with every person who repeats it, there’s something fascinating about the way rumours travel. And honestly?
Divas are no strangers to a little chaos.
DID YOU KNOW?
There’s actually a reason some rumours spread like wildfire while others die almost instantly.
Psychologists have found that rumours are especially likely to spread when two things are present:
- People care about the subject;
- But, they don’t have all the information.
Researchers describe this as the combination of importance and ambiguity. If something matters to people and they aren’t sure what’s actually happening, they’re much more likely to start talking about it, speculating, and passing information along.
Let’s use an example like celebrity relationship rumours.
If two famous people are suddenly seen together, but neither of them has actually said they’re dating, there’s a perfect recipe for a rumour.
People notice the photo.
Someone posts a theory.
Another person points out that they’ve been seen together before.
Someone else says they heard they’re definitely together.
Suddenly, social media is full of people discussing a relationship that neither person has actually confirmed. The situation matters because people are interested in the celebrities, but there’s also ambiguity because nobody knows the full story.
But enough about the psychology behind it…
What happens when we ask someone who knows a thing or two about gossip?
It’s time to hear from one of our founding Diva Warriors and find out where they stand on rumours, secrets, and the ever-dangerous phrase:
“Girl, did you hear what happened?”
Meet This Week’s Diva Warrior:
ANDI
Be honest: how much do you love gossip? What’s your favourite part about it?
Andi: “I hate to say it… but this girl loves some silly gossip. It just ALWAYS gives you something to talk about with your friends. I love seeing someone and immediately going “you cannot believe this”. Or just even beating the dead horse (that sometimes comes back to life…). It’s truly a bonding activity!”
How good do you think you are at keeping secrets?
Andi: “I’ve been told I am quite good at it. I definitely have a handful of close friends I tell EVERYTHING to. But if you genuinely ask me to keep a secret, regardless of how tight we are my lips are sealed. I don’t take promises lightly!”
Have you ever heard a rumour about yourself that was completely wrong?
Andi: “Oh 100%. I’ve had it happen a few times, even recently. The stuff people come up with is so stupid you just can’t help but laugh at it. Like how much free time do you have? 😭”
Do you think rumours spread faster when there’s some truth behind them, or when they’re completely outrageous?
Andi: “This one is a hard one to answer. I would say when there’s some truth behind it, but the “truth” is most often twisted. When people gossip, they aren’t telling the story just flat out what they heard/saw. They are telling the story with their opinions and perception. And the people they tell do the same thing, and so on and so forth. Sometimes the rumor stays the same, but sometimes it evolves into something so far off from what the original statement was.”
What’s do you think the difference between harmless gossip and gossip that has officially gone too far is?
Andi: “Gossip is supposed to be light hearted and silly. When you hear gossip, it shouldn’t really change your opinion on someone. But if you are spreading flat out lies about something, that defames their character, it is no longer gossip. It’s just being mean.”
What do you think is the most obvious sign that a rumour is about to become way more dramatic than the original story?
Andi: “Oh you know it’s about to explode if you’re hearing it from multiple separate friend groups. Especially if the gossip centers around you and then YOUR friends start getting texted about it. Glhf.”
What do you think is worse: being the person who starts the rumour, the person who spreads it, or the person who believes it?
Andi: “People naturally want to share stories with their friends, and their friends are going to want to believe them. Obviously, if you hear a rumor that you can tell is false, and you continue to spread it, you are in the wrong. But the person who started it, who created the lie, often does it with malice. So they are the worst by a mile.”
Do you try to correct people when you know a rumour is false?
Andi: “I do, especially if I hear it about someone I know. If it’s about me, I will share my perspective if other people are willing to listen. But at the end of the day, I know that my true friends would never believe that kind of stuff. And if they do, then they didn’t really know who I am to begin with!”
DIVA QUESTION OF THE DAY!
What is YOUR golden rule when it comes to gossip?
Andi: “Say it as it is or don’t say it at all! And I always ALWAYS keep things to a handful of close friends who I know aren’t going to be dramatic and explode things out of proportion.”
Thank you to Andi for being our featured Diva this week and giving us a little glimpse into what makes her such an iconic founding Diva Warrior!
Well folks, that brings us to the end of the rumour chain… but now it’s YOUR turn to keep the conversation going! Head to the comments and give us your answers:
1. Would you rather know everyone’s secrets or have everyone know yours?
2. What’s something people tend to assume about you that isn’t actually true?
3. What’s the biggest red flag that tells you a rumour probably isn’t true?
And with that, we’ve officially reached the end of this week’s Diva Digest!
Thank you all for reading, sharing your thoughts, and joining us for a little hot gossip. 🫖 Whether you’re the person who hears the rumour first, the person who asks “WAIT, WHO SAID THAT?!”, or the person sitting quietly in the corner watching the entire story unfold… there’s a little bit of gossip connoisseur in all of us.
Until next time, keep your secrets close, question what you hear, and never underestimate the rumour mill.
Stay iconic.
Julia
Supreme Commander
Filed under: Dark Warriors | Tagged: Diva Digest |
