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Think before you speak. It really is that easy.
By Unwritten — Written on Oct 11, 2022
By Emma Spear
I hate drama.
That’s it. If you want to know one thing about me, it’s that I hate drama. And I’ll never understand why it exists.
Actually, forget I said that for a second. I do know why it exists. It’s because people are bored with their lives and want to have some fun, so they start spreading rumors or gossiping about them.
They might even straight up start telling people what’s going on in someone’s life when they don't have permission to say anything. It’s sick.
If I ever hear anything about drama at work, or if I see it on my social media, I scroll past it. Did you know it’s possible to do that? All you have to do is scroll.
You don’t have to comment or share the post, you just swipe up. It’s really that simple.
If someone confides in me, I keep the information to myself. And if I find out something about someone from a reliable source, I don’t go and tell the next person I see. I keep the information to myself.
Do you want to know why? Because what goes on in someone else’s life is none of my damn business.
I have absolutely no right to speak on anything that anyone has told me. If I’m told something about someone, my lips are sealed the moment the conversation ends.
Sure, I’ll admit if I see something weird, or hear something weird on Facebook, I’ll show it to my mom or best friend and we’ll exchange some thoughts. But other than that, I keep my mouth shut.
It’s not my concern unless it’s about me or someone I’m close to. And even then I don’t draw attention to it.
And you want to know why? Because I don’t care enough to participate in stupid middle school games.
People gossip because they want to be the center of attention. You heard the information from them, so they get credit for spreading the news. It’s not about the person they’re talking about, it’s about them.
They’re the star of the show, they get to take credit for creating the disaster in front of your eyes.
Well, newsflash: drama belongs on stage, it’s for a performance. If you want to be involved in drama, go be on Broadway. Go audition for a role in your local theater group. They’ll appreciate your need for drama on a stage more than the people in your everyday life will.
Look, I know sometimes it can be fun to talk about things going on, and you think it might be fun to tell stories about those around you.
But talking about other people and putting their information out for the world to see isn’t cute, funny, or cool. It’s disgusting.
And if you’re doing that, and you’re proud of it, you need to take a good long look in the mirror and wonder why you think this is OK. Because there must be a reason why you think it’s OK.
Why do you think it’s OK for you to potentially ruin someone else’s life because you can’t keep your mouth shut? If I did it to you, you’d probably flip.
Think before you speak. It really is that easy.
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Emma Spear is a student, paraeducator, writer, and contributor to Unwritten. She has a passion for writing about mental health, self-care, and education.
This article was originally published at Unwritten. Reprinted with permission from the author.