Gossip: The word brings to mind a myriad of images, from middle-school girls snickering by their lockers, to Blaire Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen exchanging Upper-East side secrets on the latest episode of Gossip Girl.  Gossip, in its many forms, is a part of American cultural narrative.  But what role does it play in the narrative of Notre Dame?

With this question in mind, the Rover set out to find the true story on gossip under the dome.  The first interviewees shared the opinion that gossip does exist on campus, and that its existence is not surprising due to the highly social atmosphere.

Sophomore Annemarie Coman admits that gossip is an inevitable part of daily life here at Notre Dame.  She concedes that, unfortunately, gossip is an especially prominent part of the dorm experience, where whispered rumors are frequently heard in the hallways.  The effects of all of this gossip, she shares, are not pretty.  While it may not inflict any serious harm, its results—wounded feelings and tarnished relationships—take a serious toll on the dorm community, and thus on the university at large.

The views of other interviewees were as varied as the stories on the rumor mill.  Freshman Ryan Leen shared a much more positive view of the role gossip plays on campus: He does not believe it plays much of a role at all.  In his first semester at Notre Dame, outside of one or two instances, Leen noticed no gossip.  He believes that gossip is not an inevitable part of the Notre Dame experience, but that the amount of gossip one hears is directly related to the people one surrounds himself or herself with.

Sophomore Marissa Thompson echoed Leen’s sentiments; she says that the amount of gossip one encounters depends on one’s social group’s dynamic.  Thompson sees gossip at Notre Dame, but believes that it is petty—something that people start seeking not to inflict harm, but to fend off boredom.  She purports that gossip only exists on campus because it gives people something to talk about, and that the effects of such gossip are negligible at best.

Gossip’s existence may undermine the sense of community that exists at Notre Dame, but many things undermine this sense of community as much or more than idle chatter.  Thompson admits that gossip may have an impact she does not fully recognize; even so, she says that this impact is detrimental only in terms of taking “fruitful time” away from things that matter.

According to Thompson, despite gossip’s significant presence on campus, its impact is anything but significant.

Others disagree.  Is gossip only a time-waster or is it something more dangerous?  Perhaps it is both.  Professor John Duffy, director of the University Writing Program and specialist in the ethics of language, explains that gossip exists on a spectrum, ranging from a harmless form of amusement to something maliciously used to inflict pain.  The difference between painless banter and a serious sting depends on the intentions of the speaker and the perception of the listener.

The truth about gossip, then, is not simple.  Gossip is not inherently evil, but can be molded and used as people wish, either as a conversation starter or as a dangerous weapon to pierce through even the thickest skin.  Intentions have the power to help or to hurt; gossip is a vehicle through which those intentions are expressed.

The pertinent question, then, is not necessarily whether gossip exists at Notre Dame, but what intentions lay behind it.  Duffy noted to the Rover that human beings have the unique capability to use language to create realities.  The challenge lay in what intentions and thoughts should be realized through exchanges.  People can choose which ideas to inspire with their words; since everyone can gossip, anyone can stop it.

Now that is a rumor worth spreading.

Elizabeth Charles is a sophomore majoring in English and Music with a self-declared minor in Spanish. She is originally from sunny Las Vegas and enjoys the snowy weather in South Bend because it makes her feel like she is living in Arendelle, the magical kingdom in Disney’s hit new movie Frozen. If you have any rumors you would like her to check up on, you can reach her at echarles@nd.edu.