This is an instalment of a regular commentary on Big Brother from Dr Toni Johnson-Woods, Lecturer in Contemporary Studies, The University of Queensland.
Virgil describes Rumour (Aeneid, Book IV) as a swift, birdlike monster with as many eyes, lips, tongues, and ears as feathers, travelling on the ground but with her head in the clouds. This week she certainly had her work cut out for her.
It all started when Gretel K. promised a "surprise" for the BB contestants. The multi-tongued goddess certainly had her head in the clouds-some of the rumours were high flying. Some predicted an old contestant would return; some were sure that one of the contestants was about to be disqualified for discussing their voting; others believed that the audience was going to select the next evictees and the contestants would have to vote which one went; and there were those who "knew" that we were going to be told which of the contestants is the mole. But exactly which contestant was the mole, or to be returned, depended upon viewer's favourite.
Rumour comes in two varieties, wish rumour and dread rumour; both reveal our hidden desires or fears. So while you might gossip with your work friends about the BB contestants, the rumours that you find most entertaining reveal more about you than about the show. Rumour of course goes hand in hand with gossip. But while rumour can be about people and things, gossip is always about people.
"Gossip" comes from the Middle English word godsibb (God and related or godparent, crony). Until the 1800s, "gossip" denoted friendship. Today gossip is defined as "rumour or report of an intimate nature" and is often considered a female occupation.
Gossip has a bad rep. But it can be very positive. Gossip creates social bonds, especially when it acts as an informal grapevine. Not all gossip is malicious. This week, I learned much about overseas BBs. The intruder clause had been evoked in two European BBs and those in the know told me where further information about this was available. (Currently, the UK BB is inviting viewers to vote for one of three potential intruders). I was then able to share my information and was welcomed into a new community; a virtual community which is a storehouse of information about all things BB (Ozupdates.com at http://disc.server.com/Indices/154694.html).
This type of social networking is invaluable in the workplace (who to watch out for) and in social situations (who to avoid, who to trust). And while listening to gossip, the receiver actively assesses the quality of the gossip and making their own judgements. Of course, not everyone agrees with others' judgements, but people bond with those whose judgements mirror their own. People also learn who they can trust and are more likely to listen to those whose information is consistently reliable.
Gossip is power. The gossiper wields considerable power and can ruin a person's reputation but they also can also challenge more institutionalised power (ie whistle-blowers). Those in the "know" become central (and often powerful) leaders in the community and can bring about the downfall of other leaders. Consider the role of gossip in politics.
Social gossip functions as a moral barometer. Fear of being talked about can set limits on personal behaviour. Those most gossiped about are usually those who don't conform-those whose behaviour is deemed inappropriate. This is perhaps the most common BB gossip.
BB has created any number of gossiping communities. There is the virtual community of the internet gossipers, the TV/radio gossips (SBS's Going Home), and the real life water-cooler chats. You know, the ones in which you find yourself discussing who should be voted off and passing judgements on a contestant's behaviour.
For me, gossip will always be inexorably linked with power; single mother power and the moral of Tom T Hall's Harper Valley PTA.
(To read more the role of gossip, see Robin Dunbar, 1996, Grooming, Gossip and the Evolution of Language; Robert F Goodman's Good Gossip; and Karen Brison's Just Talk).
Dr Toni Johnson-Woods
The complete set of commentaries is available at https://www.uq.edu.au/news/bigbrother
