Why Do We Like To Blaspheme Others? What Does Science Say On This Subject?

Gossip is like suffocating smoke that poisons social relationships. Rumors, criticism, misleading comments about people we hardly know or are not present … Why  do we still like to blaspheme  others? What motivates us to speak badly about the neighbors, the archenemy or the boss?

It’s a very human quality: we like to talk about others and judge their behavior. Each of us has blasphemed others at some point. However, some take this behavior to extremes and invent stories to deliberately incriminate others and convey the wrong image. Often it is about one’s own position within a group.

We all know that gossiping is not a nice habit. Rather, it expresses disrespect and a lack of understanding. In this context we recall the three filters of Socrates: it is advisable to be sure that we are only spreading the truth, after which the question arises whether the stories we tell are good and helpful to others. In short, when talking to others, we should only mention things that are true, good, and necessary. However, we know that in many cases this is not the case.

But what does science say about this topic? Can researchers explain why we like to blaspheme so much?

Why we like to gossip about others

Before we get into why we love to blaspheme and spread rumors, we must admit, we’ve all done it before. Gossip doesn’t always mean negative behavior. Scientists have found that in many cases this habit is benign and even helped our ancestors survive.

In school, at work, within the family and in WhatsApp groups, gossip is the order of the day. To discover that a colleague in the office is cheating on his girlfriend, that the teacher has had a tattoo or that the neighbor has bought a sports car, undoubtedly arouses our interest. There are many occasions that make us gossip about others. Usually, however, it is only about exchanging information. 

A study by the University of California (USA) and other scientific papers indicate that men and women alike gossip and gossip. However, women are more likely to participate in a neutral exchange of information, while men are more inclined to use gossip with negative significance.

What does science say on this subject?

Blasphemy is inevitable

Studies in evolutionary psychology indicate that we inherited the taste for rumors from our prehistoric ancestors. Concern or curiosity about the life of others is preprogrammed in our brains. 

As the anthropologist Robin Dunbar explains in his book “ Grooming, Gossip, and the Evolution of Language”, gossip and rumors made it easier for the group to stay together. In addition to bonding, gossiping was also important for gaining information from other social groups.

In addition, this exchange of information could promote language development. So it was beneficial for survival and enabled psychosocial development.

Achieve power in a group

In the University of California study cited above, conducted by Dr. Megan L. Robbins, other interesting conclusions could be drawn:

• Younger people are more likely to spread rumors than older people.
• Some of the conversations in work environments can be called gossip. However, three quarters of them are neutral. In other words, it is a simple and benevolent exchange of information.

• After the neutral gossip, negative rumors are the most common.
• Extroverts clap much more often than introverts. The reason for this is to gain notoriety in a certain group. Those who avoid harmful and degrading comments are more likely to occupy a position of power. The end always justifies the means, if followers can be achieved with it (people who do not stop the gossip, but spread it and even exaggerate it).

The need to be part of a group: gossip as a social link

Blasphemy and gossip are also a means of escaping loneliness. Younger people often try to be the center of attention with it. Sensationalism can be a cheap way to accomplish this goal. However, this is changing in the elderly. A research paper by Dr. Stacy Torres, who works at the University of California , calls gossip a social glue. It enables people to stay in touch with one another and find motivation. 

One way to overcome loneliness is to speak to other people about certain rumors related to the activities of neighbors or famous people. Often it is also about series or films that cause controversy. It doesn’t have to be negative rumors. 

Often it is simply  curiosity or a masked desire to talk to someone. Blasphemy and rumors express pre-programmed, very human behavior that meets various needs. So it’s perfectly normal and nothing to worry about. Nevertheless, it is advisable to apply the three filters of Socrates.