Link to November 2 New York Times article, "Office Gossip Strategies".
Excerpt: In a report published in the Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, [t]he lead author, Timothy Hallett, a sociologist at Indiana University, spent two years studying the institutional politics at an elementary school in a Midwestern city. During that time, Dr. Hallett videotaped formal meetings among a group of teachers (one representative of the teachers from each grade level) who convened regularly to discuss problems and policies.
The author, John Tierney, defines the two schools of thought:
1. Gossip is a useful tool for enforcing social rules and maintaining group solidarity.
2. Gossip is a hostile endeavor by individuals selfishly trying to advance their own interests.
Add this terminology to your vocabulary:
1. Praise the predecessor.
2. Pre-emptive positive evaluation.
Classic soul twin spin!
Great music. Caveman lyrics.
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