Recently a colleague completely unprovoked began to gossip about another colleague who I admire tremendously and I starting thinking about gossip and its implications, especially in the work place. Gossip; we’ve all done it. It’s intriguing to munch on a juicy story about someone’s tragic romantic experience to the real story behind your colleague’s sudden disappearance. We gossip for fun conversation and bonding opportunities. Gossip can sometimes be good but its usually more often bad, condescending and tearing someone down and actually speaks more to our own maturity, insecurities, and jealousy but that is a whole different topic in itself.
In any case, when my colleague began to bad gossip, I politely stated that I did not want to engage in this conversation and by doing so, I created a precedent for future interactions with my colleague. It’s easy to get swept by gossip so let us look at a few thoughts and perhaps they’ll shine more light on gossip in the workplace.
Substantive Conversation
Talking about someone else’s shortcomings keeps you focused on the negative side of things and if you establish, maintain or nurture relationships by gossiping about others, it is a deprecating way to exist. Do you really want to be that person in your office? Turn it around by talking things through, identifying issues and seeking solutions.
Gain Time
By not participating in gossip, you will find a ton of time to be more productive at your work.
And as a by-product, you will become a better listener and a better conversationalist. You’d be surprised with the things that can come up and the conversations you will have will be healthy and creative that help you discover mutual hobbies and interests. By not focusing on gossip, you have more time to do your work and talk about healthy topics.
He Said, She Said
You know how when you gossip there is this uncomfortable feeling of uncertainty and you begin to wonder if the person you were talking bad about might hear the things you said behind their back?! Don’t put yourself through this burden and maintain your integrity.
These are just some thoughts on gossip and I am certain there are many other articles on this topic. If there is one thing you can take away from this post its this; do not say anything negative about anyone you wouldn’t say directly to their face.
In the summation of American iconography, one pauses to visit the contributions made by Saul Bass. Seven Year Itch is a famous movie from 1955. It idolizes Marilyn Monroe in the world famous scene where her white dress was lifted by wind pressures coming from below the subway system. Despite the fame of the movie or the scene, the question that comes to mind is ‘Why is that scene so famous?’, It is a combination of a few elements but the movie’s poster is certainly a key player; It is the genius of Saul Bass, the creator of the movie’s poster. I believe it is his choice of illustrating Marilyn in the white dress blown by the wind that made the movie enticing and the scene so powerful. Perhaps he tapped into the ingredients of Pop Art with this poster by idolizing Marilyn which Andy Warhol later idolized in many silkscreens. Saul Bass created the vertiginous poster for Hitchcock’s Vertigo where he illustrates a dizzying optical illusion, which seems to dance as the viewers eyes move across the poster. While the simplicity of Bonjour Tristesse poster is alluring but the poster captures the raw emotions of daunting story of a young girl who commits suicide.
M.C. Escher’s graphic works depict intense realities with borderline cruel humor. Perhaps in Relativity 1953, he’s conceptualizing a twisted museum with a double entendre where its visitors are intermingled in an optical illusion of viewing art, but they are the art. Relativity is most certainly an early concept of interactive art at yet another double entendre; the characters in the work are all interacting in a connected way and the viewer is just as involved and just as connected to the work. I find humor in this piece by imagining the expressions these museum visitors must have had when they were surprised at their realization that they were a part of the art. Belvédère features architecture which would not be able to stand forces of gravity since it’s an illusion. Its pillars look like they are holding the structure but its nothing but creative angles and a structure cannot exist in reality. It also features paths to various places that take its occupants nowhere. Perhaps Escher is a commentator on life. Various characters are constantly walking up and down through this endless maze; constantly going somewhere but end up nowhere.
I realize Escher’s works of abstract and hilarious realities filled with optical illusions are dark and at times true interpretations of life.
Paul Davis’ obviously possesses the craftsmanship of fine art due to his attention to detail in his various portraits. His focused attention to detail in his various portraiture pieces is easily appreciated but I am more interested in the reasons why he painted what he did, and what inspired Davis to paint political figures and other parts of pop culture. The two pieces that caught my attention are two variations for The New York Shakespeare Festival. In analyzing their historical content and when the pieces were produced, it is clear that they are perhaps a reflection or were inspired by the Subway Art program in New York City, where Davis lived. It is easy to imagine, that living in New York City and passing Times Square/42nd Street and seeing Roy Lichtenstein’s work on the tiles can be quite inspiring. The first piece is a painting that has a black and white painting posted on the way out of the subway system and features a very sleek looking man with an intense stare as if you share a common secret.
The second piece is a full color painting of a pensive looking African-American female with the text “For colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf.” It looks like both pieces could very well be a part of the Subway Art program. Davis is also inspired by politics as so observable from his portraits of Che Guevara and various political figures like Martin Luther King Jr . and Robert Regan.
