self-centered behavior and gossip

I just remembered an activity that a professor in one of my classes made us do. We had to get into groups of two and carry on a conversation for maximum 5 minutes without using the word 'I'. Sadly, none of the students could follow this simple set of intructions:p I failed miserably. Yes, this was only a minor exercise - but it really amazes me how humans can be so self-centered.

On another line of thought - I find it quite silly when some people are always in a quest to show that they are better off than others. Some people do it knowingly and some people may not even know it and yet they do it. The latter sect is more interesting because they are totally unaware that they are doing it. People who do it knowingly, do it out of jealousy, and people who do it unknowingly are very insecure about themselves.

This also leads me to the topic of gossip. Why do people gossip about other people? Why do people need to hear information that they don't really need to know? And worst of all - they all have a good laugh by bad mouthing other people they hardly know. People who gossip mindlessly are the worst kind of people. I know that I have gossiped in the past and I know I was wrong. I do not try to do it now and I figured out the cause why I used to gossip. A few people learn to gossip from other people - it becomes a culture for them - while others do it for various reasons mainly jealousy; to prove you are better than the subject of your gossip; you don't like the person and you want to spread rumors so that other people hate them too; insecurity etc

The fact is that by gossiping you are stooping to a pathetic level. Why do you need to show that you are superior to others? What are you trying to prove? Will it make you feel better that you are better off? Why are you happy by only showing that other people are below you? Why can't you be happy just being who you are? If you are not happy being who you are - only then do you resort to these acts. If you are secure within yourself you would never tend to criticize other people and try to prove you are better; because you do not need to prove to yourself that you are better than others to be happy. You are happy being who you are and what you are and find no sense in talking about people you don't really care about! So, next time somebody is gossiping with you about somebody - STOP - THINK- and make a WISE decision!!

Also, it is interesting to note that people who gossip with you will gossip about you:)