It's something that most people do at some point, yet no one likes to think that other people are doing it to them. Backbiting can be defined as speaking maliciously or slanderously about someone else behind his or her back.Imagine (or remember) how backbiting feels when you suspect or discover that someone has done it about you and it seems quite clear why it is bad. For the person on the receiving end, it is hurtful, offensive, unfair and leaves them feeling betrayed and powerless. However, it could be argued that for the people doing it, it serves a purpose. Sometimes it is just to let off steam if you are annoyed with someone but not annoyed enough to have an argument or want to keep the peace. For others, it seems to be seen as "fun" - usually done when they don't like someone and just want to bitch about them. Or it can be a deliberate attempt to turn people against the person in question.
The thing about backbiting is that it is so widespread and used for entertainment purposes that we've probably become desensitised to it. Politicians backbite (particularly in the run-u
p to the elections), as do celebrities and the media in general, whilst backbiting is a major theme in soaps and reality TV. Gossip magazines and tabloids thrive because people are willing to buy them to see what famous people are saying about each other. In this sense, backbiting can be seen as a perfectly normal part of everyday life, but it can still be considered "bad" not only in itself but because it involves disloyalty and also, sometimes, jealousy and lies.
p to the elections), as do celebrities and the media in general, whilst backbiting is a major theme in soaps and reality TV. Gossip magazines and tabloids thrive because people are willing to buy them to see what famous people are saying about each other. In this sense, backbiting can be seen as a perfectly normal part of everyday life, but it can still be considered "bad" not only in itself but because it involves disloyalty and also, sometimes, jealousy and lies. There's not much that can be done about backbiting - it will always go on and is a part of free speech, but that doesn't mean that there won't be consequences from it, mainly if it gets back to the person you are discussing. Recent examples of this include employees being fired for posting facebook statuses in which they complain about their employers.
Backbiting is often seen as a sin in religion and Islam views it as particularly bad, although it does allow some exceptions: http://blogs.muxlim.com/truelover_4ever/six-exceptions-to-backbiting/
An example of backbiting in the media: http://community.livejournal.com/ohnotheydidnt/8021121.html
No comments:
Post a Comment