4.1.3.4.3) What do I do if people spread a vicious rumor about me that is untrue? (King Hall Law School)
Description
This article is from the King Hall Law School FAQ, by David F. Prenatt, Jr. NetEsq@dcn.davis.ca.us with numerous contributions by others.
4.1.3.4.3) What do I do if people spread a vicious rumor about me that is untrue? (King Hall Law School)
There is very little that you can do about vicious rumors about
yourself at King Hall. In any small community there are ignorant
busybodies who falsely believe themselves to be among the enlightened
and well-informed. King Hall is no exception. Generally speaking,
these people have lives of their own that are so mediocre or tragic
that they must poison the reputations of others to boost their own
self-esteem.
Don't think for a moment that there is honor among these gossips.
After all, knowledge is power and power corrupts, so the malcontents
who chime in today about your common enemy will tell tales out of
school about you tomorrow. If you are the victim of idle gossip,
straighten out the record with your close personal friends; they will
take care of the rest when you are not around.
The term idle gossip is difficult to define. After all, it's a
matter of perspective. If you are among the enlightened and well-
informed and your sources are reliable, then you are performing a
valuable community service as a purveyor of accurate information. On
the other hand, if you are an unwitting victim of hidden agendas
(i.e., most of us), you are receiving incomplete and inaccurate
information from your sources, and you will do irreparable harm to the
reputation of others when you repeat a rumor.
I always asked myself three questions about any rumor that I
heard at King Hall:
1) Is it kind?,
2) Is it true?, and
3) Is it necessary to repeat it?
Even when you repeat the truth, you can intrude upon people's personal
lives. This makes enemies out of people who would otherwise be your
friends and who would be willing to help you when you need help the
most (and you never know who or when that will be).
Gossips are the worst kind of false friends. None of the secrets
that you share with them are confidential. On the other hand, silence
is a friend that will never betray you.
Continue to:
My Books
