Gossip, Then and Now

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Apr 3, 2025

Gossip emerges as a captivating and complex topic, revealing its dual nature as both a source of connection and harm. The conversation highlights gossip's historical roots, from biblical tales to its portrayal in modern media, illustrating how perceptions have evolved. With new technologies amplifying the speed of gossip, the ethics surrounding it are increasingly scrutinized, especially in the Me Too context. The discussion sheds light on how celebrities navigate their public personas amid rumors—making privacy a compelling concern in today’s society.

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ANECDOTE

Preteen Gossip List

Alexandra Schwartz wrote a list of classmates with pithy summaries for a new camper.
A counselor found it and reprimanded her, realizing it was gossip.

question_answer

ANECDOTE

DeuxMoi Gossip

Naomi Fry had dinner with a celebrity and was later described as "not pretty" in a DeuxMoi post.
This experience made her feel objectified and "murdered" by the gossip.

question_answer

ANECDOTE

Early Gossip

The speakers discuss early examples of gossip, including biblical stories and the origin of the word "gossip".
Vinson Cunningham mentions the story of Herod and Jesus, while Alexandra Schwartz points to Eve and the snake.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

The Double-Edged Sword of Gossip

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The Dual Nature of Gossip

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Gossip Through the Ages: From Emma to Modern Media

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Gossip in the Digital Age

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The Ethics and Impact of Gossip in the Me Too Era

43:24 • 4min

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#76083

The Lover's Discourse

Fragments

Roland Barthes

Roland Barthes' "The Lover's Discourse" is not a traditional book but a collection of fragments and jottings exploring the complexities of love. Barthes analyzes love as a discourse, a system of language and meaning-making, rather than a purely emotional experience. He deconstructs the conventional notions of love, revealing its contradictions and ambiguities. The work challenges the reader to question their own understanding of love and its representation in culture. Barthes' unique approach to the subject matter makes it a significant contribution to literary theory and the study of love.

#60315

Moses, man of the mountain

Zora Neale Hurston

In 'Moses, Man of the Mountain', Zora Neale Hurston reimagines the biblical story of Moses, incorporating elements of African folklore and voodoo. The novel explores themes of leadership, power, and the psychological impact of enslavement as Moses leads the Hebrews out of Egypt. Hurston's portrayal reflects a blend of cultural heritage and social critique relevant to the African-American experience.

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Emma

Jane Austen

juan perez

The novel follows Emma Woodhouse, a beautiful, clever, and rich young woman who has lived nearly twenty-one years with very little distress. Emma decides to take up matchmaking, despite the advice of her friend Mr. Knightley. Her attempts to match her new friend Harriet Smith with various men lead to complications and ultimately test her own detachment from the world of romance. The novel explores themes of education, courtship, and social class in Georgian-Regency England, highlighting Emma's journey of self-discovery and learning from her mistakes.

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You Didn't Hear This From Me, Mostly True Notes on Gossip

Kelsey McKinney

#10354

• Mentioned in 4 episodes

Custom of the Country

Edith Warton

Published in 1913, 'The Custom of the Country' is a satire that critiques the leisure-class marriage market and the culture of consumerism. The novel follows Undine Spragg, a young woman from the Midwest who marries multiple times in her pursuit of social power, money, and material possessions. Wharton explores the contrasts between Old New York and the new rich, as well as the differences between American and European social customs. The novel is notable for its sharp commentary on early twentieth-century society, highlighting the self-centered ambition and mutual disconnection between men and women, particularly in the context of marriage and divorce.

#9704

• Mentioned in 4 episodes

House of Mirth

Edith Wharton

Edith Wharton's "House of Mirth" is a classic novel of American literature that explores themes of social class, ambition, and the constraints placed upon women in the Gilded Age. The story follows Lily Bart, a beautiful and charming young woman who struggles to navigate the complexities of New York high society. Wharton's writing is characterized by its sharp wit and social commentary, creating a compelling and thought-provoking narrative. The novel's exploration of themes of wealth, power, and the hypocrisy of social conventions is both timely and relevant. The characters are richly drawn and unforgettable, their flaws and vulnerabilities making them all the more human and relatable. The novel's tragic ending is both heartbreaking and unforgettable, leaving a lasting impression long after the final page is turned.

Gossip, an essential human pastime, is full of contradictions. It has the potential to be as destructive to its subjects as it is titillating to its practitioners; it can protect against very real threats, as in the case of certain pre-#MeToo whisper networks, or tip over into the realm of conspiracy. On this episode of Critics at Large, Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz consider the role gossip has played in society over the centuries. They discuss Kelsey McKinney’s new book on the topic, “You Didn’t Hear This from Me,” which Schwartz recently reviewed in The New Yorker, and consider instructive cultural examples—from the Old Testament to “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.” Today, many celebrities have embraced being talked about as a badge of honor, even as new technologies allow questionable assertions about anyone—famous or otherwise—to spread more freely and quickly than ever before. “Just being in public makes you potentially fodder for gossip,” Schwartz says. “I do worry about a world in which privacy is compromised for everybody.”

Read, watch, and listen with the critics:

“You Didn’t Hear This from Me: (Mostly) True Notes on Gossip,” by Kelsey McKinney
“Is Gossip Good for Us?,” by Alexandra Schwartz (The New Yorker)
“A Lover’s Discourse,” by Roland Barthes
“Grease” (1978)
“The House of Mirth,” by Edith Wharton
“The Custom of the Country,” by Edith Wharton
“Moses, Man of the Mountain,” by Zora Neale Hurston
“Emma,” by Jane Austen
“Gossip Girl” (2007-12)
“The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” (2010—)

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