FIGHTING RUMORS
A scholar says rumors reveal our fears and desires. “It’s very important to hear about them the instant they start,” he says. “A rumor is like a fire. You have to be on the spot. Otherwise you find yourself working on hearsay about hearsay.” He believes rumors reveal the desires, fears and obsessions of a society. “They are,” he says, “an echo of ourselves.” Hearsay can bring psychic benefits to speaker and listener alike. Kapferer says injured parties should be careful about how they fight back, since some rumors seem irrefutable. As an example, he cites Sheila, a celebrated French pop singer. Her delivery of a baby did nothing to dampen rumors that she was a male transvestite. From Time, March 16, 1987, “Psst! Wait Till You Hear This” by John Lee, reported by William Dowell/Paris
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