Why we gossip; the flip phone revolution

Don’t repeat. Pass it on. Spill the tea. Shhhh. We are a culture infatuated with gossip. From celebrity scandals to drama with our friends, family, and co-workers, it can be hard to resist a juicy rumor. In her book, You Didn’t Hear This From Me, Kelsey McKinney wrestles with the pros, cons, and ethics of gossip. The founding host of the hit podcast Normal Gossip says it’s time to stop looking down on gossip, a nuanced and universal human habit with a rich history.

As tech continues to take over our lives, some people crave a simpler, less connected vibe, opting for the good old days of flip phones and less digital noise. But dialing back our use of tech isn’t so easy in a world built around the ubiquity of smartphones. We talk with two people from different generations who have actually tried to make a luddite lifestyle work.