Hearsay

Hmmmmm … what is the value of gossip? Is it merely to make us feel like we are the one in the know or is it to make ourselves feel better about ourselves because we are not doing whatever the person we are talking about is rumored to be doing? Hard to tell. It is probably a different motivating factor depending on the gossiper and the gossipee.

My only thought after an entire semester of the laws of evidence is that there is a distinct reason why hearsay is not allowed as a form of evidence in most cases: it is unreliable. There are too many variables affecting the truthfulness of the statement. Seems logical, but yet we all typically cave for any gossip a person can provide us. We are all more than willing to believe just about anything we are told even if we know that it is purely based on a speculation or completely innocent event or conversation.

I feel as though I may have gone on this tangent before here, but I cannot find evidence of it. If it is a repeat, I apologize. What leads me to this conversation is that the Party Boy has quite a reputation with his group of friends. He is known to know how to have a good time (take as many inferences as you can – I mean all of them). He may or may not be able to legally justify his income and expenditures. I didn’t really hang out with him enough to confirm anything, but I was well-warned. I decided to just go with the flow, but do so with my eyes and ears wide open. Nothing implicating anything extremely strange or even slightly illegal was ever mentioned while I was out with him. Maybe he was just being careful considering my education area or maybe the rumors are merely just that and nothing more.

I admit though, typically rumors and stereotypes result from some legitimate fact, whether it be misconstrued or exaggerated. These stories come from his frat brothers … maybe he was young and dumb, and he has changed his ways. Or maybe I should stay away. Doesn’t really matter in this case because I’m not interested … thank God I don’t have to find out!