They say war is Hell and it’s true
But even in war there are rules
You tend to know friend from foe
But in gossiping anything goes
No one is safe from whispered words
Spoken when one’s back is turned
Power comes from dirt that’s shared
Whether true or not few seem to care
Stab friends in the back with a smile
Pretend to like them all the while
But be sure they’re gone when you do
That’s part of the fun for gossiping fools
The only defense it seems to me
Against this cruel conspiracy
Is to life a life so true
No one will believe gossip about you
–Russ Towne
Russ Towne's A Grateful Man 
This is beautiful Russ. And for me the answer is to just rise above it. If you don’t gossip about others, then (hopefully) people will realise that you are a person of honour and will not gossip about you. And even if they do, at least you can rest safe in the knowledge that you yourself do not gossip, and do not contribute to the harm that it does.
Thank you, Meg. Yours sounds like an excellent approach to me.
Russ
love this. Gossips suck–and the thing is: who talks about them? Obviously their fodder is of more interest than they themselves…
Thak you for your feedback, Charron. That’s an interesting observation.
Russ
Nicely put!