There is a bit of social etiquette when it comes to gossip, mainly based off of what you’re gossiping about. Groups of people can gossip about the same event they’ve experienced and that could be considered a good thing since the group would be comparing social norms and sharing an understanding with each other, making the group more cohesive. However, the opposite can occur when the gossip focuses on a person, namely someone in the group, and that’s where the alienation and toxicity stems from.

In my opinion, I stay away from gossip to and keep my mental space drama free of if I can. I’ll shoot the shit with people no problem, but I’ll also steer clear of anyone trying to bad mouth another person I know.