What’s the Gossip?

An opening line to many phone calls are “what’s the gossip?” Nothing sets my teeth on edge like hearing this opening line.   Early last week, there was probably one of the worst disasters in the world, the earthquake in Turkey and Syria and on TV we watched with great sadness the collapse of buildings, the many dead and injured and the rescue workers fighting relentlessly risking their lives to rescue people. It was not a sight for anyone and I wish it would not happen to any country.

It reminded me of the year of the tsunami where we, too, were deeply affected just not so long ago. Russia invading Ukraine, the famine in Somalia, gang violence in Haiti, the civil war in south Sudan, an entire populations pushed to poverty and many more horrors in the world, not to speak of the atrocities and sorrow happening in our own country, and people are curious to find out who is doing what with whom, who has had a dispute in the social scene and similar useless, natter that cannot be considered serious.  We are all aware of the many shenanigans going on in this city which are no longer hot gossip but seem to be common occurrences now.

What is quite obvious is the frenzied FOMO.  Not being invited to the launch of new products or businesses causes envy and jealousy of those invited and creates anxiety issues and problems with self-image and fear of being abandoned and ultimately damages the person’s self-esteem.  Not being invited to a big party or a fancy outing or a huge wedding, leads to a sense of helplessness that you are missing out. To think that one goes through all of this if not invited to an event, which is just for an evening to be forgotten tomorrow. 

Wanting to show off on social media on how important you are or hoping that some magazine or paper will carry your picture at an event for others to know that you are in great demand and that people are clamouring to be seen with you, I strongly feel is being rather common.  

People are curious to find out who is doing what with whom, who has had a dispute in the social scene and similar useless natter..... 

There is enough going on around us rather than worrying about an invitation or who is doing what with whom. It is better to mind one’s business and do some charity by helping at least one person in some form.