Michael Goldstone, LCSW
A TikTok trend has emerged in which a video creator will eavesdrop on random gossipers in public, and then share what was said with their audience in hopes of finding the subject of the gossip to warn them of what their friends have to say. While these videos aim to shame the subjects that are gossiping, what they fail to recognize is that complaining and gossiping about others is actually a normal — even healthy — facet of the vast majority of relationships.
Michael Goldstone, LCSW and Alexandra Solomon, Ph.D. of The Family Institute were recently featured in a Vox article to offer insight on why gossip isn't inherently a bad thing for relationships, and how the exchange of information can be socially bonding.
