The culture of rumours and rumourmongers

One of the worst socio-psychological phenomena affecting our society these days is the rumour culture, a series of explanations of events circulating from one person to another, often pertaining to a central idea, incident or subject of public concern. It includes, among other things, some kind of an issue whose reliability is not confirmed. In short, rumours can be a form of unethical falsehood of common communication concepts.

As part of a culture and way of life, this phenomenon is distinctive of people who spread rumours often in search of personal and social attention and approval. Mostly, they believe that life is a recognition competition and, therefore, they tend to be very vulnerable and mostly in need of people’s recognition in order for them to be popular to authenticate their self-esteem.

Their intention is, in a way, to oppose other people and have them perceptually demolished so that they can feel worthier themselves and eventually have control over them. Rumour-mongers, i.e., promoters, love deploying others and making everyone believe that they are victims and that the person or people they are opposing are nothing more than savage brutes. They do these hideous things because they view society as their own platform and other individuals as their instruments. 

The sad reality, in this regard, is that rumour creators never realise their faults, nor do they feel guilty or how fraudulent or pitiable they are as individuals. Quite often, they are too ill-mannered to realise how their words and actions negatively influence fellow citizens around them and the damage they may cause them, and even if they do know, they are incapable of feeling guilty. 

In my view, the originators of rumours are psychologically feeble, intellectually worthless and emotionally dispossessed. Even if they have families, friends and other acquaintances, in no way can they be anybody’s friend because they do not really like them and because they are purposeless inside and outside, so to speak! The only thing that can satisfy their greedy, sick nature is the benevolent, soothing appeasement and conciliation of others.

To be sure, those who create rumours do not make any effort whatsoever to ensure if there is any truth to what they are spreading. Characteristically, their rumours are spread from one individual to another, and these often change every time they are conveyed, eventually to become overstated and modified over time.

There are different reasons as to why rumour spreaders convey their rumours; some desire to get on with their friends, others want to feel socially special and the rest to impress others. As a result, they talk about other individuals in order for them to avert attention from themselves. 

But what has attracted my attention most recently is those who want to be in power and at the top of the social hierarchy, allegedly. When they are at the top of the social order, they do so by abating the position of another person. When they are jealous of another person, they will without doubt spread rumours to offend that person. They are also inclined to use rumours to take revenge on someone they feel he/she deserves to be offended.

In conclusion, if someone is spreading rumours then that someone cannot stop surviving on falsifying what others are saying, doing or thinking. But the key here remains to find an educated way to address this horrible culture of rumouring and maintaining an ethically and mentally healthy society free of falsehood, propaganda and fraud.

In a word, let us unite our efforts to keep our community rumour-free!