Why do people make up rumors, and why are others so quick to believe and spread such rumors?

[abbyjgriffin98]

Why do people make up/spread rumors? This is going to be a long story, so bear with me. But in the past month, I have heard three different rumors about me dating my coworkers. I went to a social gathering with some coworkers, and one of my friends, let's call him Tanner, posted a video on Instagram. One of my coworkers, Mark, and I were sitting next to each other, and a coworker, Karen, saw his post. So Karen went to the Day Shift Lieutenant, Marissa (we are all in Security) and reported the incident to her and Marissa proceeded to "investigate" our relationship. Because of that, someone told the Grave Shift Lieutenant, Billy, that Mark and I went on a dinner date. One of my friends, Maria, reported what happened to me, and she told me Billy was "crying" about it in the office and gave me a pointed look. I thought it was kind of weird, but I ignored it. But the next time I hung out with Tanner, he advised he overheard other officers claiming that Billy and I were dating. I told him we weren't, and that would be highly inappropriate because he was not only my boss, but he is in his upper 60s, and I am only 25. Then another friend of mine who is not even in the security department, Sarah, asked me if I was talking to this guy who has a crush on me. I asked her who, and at first I thought she overheard the rumors regarding Mark and me. But as she was describing the guy, she described another officer who was 38 and has been married for ten years.

I am usually pretty drama free. I just mind my own, and people leave me alone. I have only had issues with one of my supervisors, Dalia, and she has issues with everyone. But lately, I have been hearing rumors about me sleeping around with my coworkers, and I don't really appreciate it. With the first rumor, I tried to let it go. But these other rumors can get me into a lot of trouble in my job or my personal life, in general. Why do people feel the need to create and spread rumors?

[ManOnFire]

Completely understand you, seeing as I too have a troubled work culture much like yours that is full of gossip and rumors. Sex and relationships is what people at work love to talk about the most, because they're such intimate things and people like imagining what two people are doing together just because they see them talking, sitting together, etc. And if it's one thing I really hate is when you walk into an office and people are just having general chats, but then as soon as they hear you talking to someone they go dead quiet so they can listen in on it. That shit makes my blood boil. People are nosy and love to be snitches.

They also love trying to isolate that one person they've labeled as something sexually inappropriate, and it's not only unfair but it's sick that that's all they can think about. I feel bad for you because it was another female who got the ball of rumors rolling on you, probably because she was jealous. 9 times out of 10 - and I hate to say it - it's usually a female stirring up that kind of drama and complaints and making the work place feel toxic and uncomfortable. Even on my job, the reason everyone walks on egg shells with what they say is because of women who are literally just waiting to have something to complain to management about, or it's some pathetic dude who is upset because he's not getting love or attention from women.

[Summeroflove]

There is a few reasons. One is a smear campaign. Someone wants to make someone look bad. Another reason is people love to know something you don’t know. So they make stuff up.



Another thing is. Many people want to deflect attention form themselves. So they want to be the ones talking so it looks like they can do no wrong

[Nikki1989]

Some people have no lives, so they feel the need to fill that void by inventing stories about others.

[slatyb]

Imagined personal advantage.

[LavLavLuv]

I’d like to know too.. 🥱