Drama is entertainment; every TV show, movie, book, or web series that has some sort of drama-centered plot has an expansive, die-hard fan base. This obsession over drama isn’t limited to the media, but everyday life as well; there’s always something going on that other people just need to know about, and usually, that’s what leads to a lot of conflict, gossip, and theatrics. Even though there’s a handful of people that say “I’m not interested in drama,” or “I hate conflict,”, they still scour the internet looking for the newest scandal to dive head-first into. It’s fun to watch from afar and giggle with your friends about what might’ve happened last Saturday—what isn’t so fun, though, is to be on the other side of the story; to be the one being ridiculed for something that normally isn’t true.
Some theorize this meddlesome behavior may be because people naturally gravitate towards negativity or challenges; they find it thrilling to face social problems and get involved. In practice, this might look like asking too many questions about a fight you might’ve had with a friend, or sticking too much to the “he said, she said” statements. What many fail to notice is that it makes them argumentative; people who seek out issues and decide to fuss at any sort of mishap that arises end up isolating themselves from others. Wanting to know everything about everyone usually goes sideways, making you the next focal point for criticism.
Having people murmur to each other when you say something in class or glance at one another when you try to greet them isn’t very amusing. Being at the center of slander by people that don’t even know your full name is heartbreaking. Someone might come up to you and ask you something you don’t even know the answer to, and when you furrow your brows in confusion they just laugh—leaving you alone, out of loop on whatever they’re cackling about. It leaves you wondering, slowly spiraling into a pit of anxious thoughts: “Are they laughing about me?” “What’s going on?” “What did I do?”. Gossip alienates you, transforming the idea of whoever you used to be into the actions other people brand you with; you could’ve won an award last week, but if someone decides to make up a silly little rumor about you or overexaggerate one of your mistakes, that’s all you’ll be remembered for, the thing others will warn their friends about.
Drama is entertainment, but it shouldn’t be. Whatever he or she said last week shouldn’t be what so many people fear while simultaneously centering their lives around. Yes, it might be exciting to sit down with your friends and gossip about whatever that one girl did, but it’s not worth it. I’ve been on both sides; I’ve been the one whispering and cackling while holding on to my friend and the one watching, painstakingly realizing that whatever was going on—it was about me. I can confirm that the fleeting moment of joy and exhilaration isn’t nearly enough to cover the amount of pain your words will bring.
Illustration: Violet Trajtenberg
