19.1 Backbiting
Question:
Is backbiting really a bad habit?
Answer:
Even if you say unkind words in a man's presence, do not utter
slanderous words about him behind his back without thinking
about the
consequences. (Couplet – 184)
கண்ணின்று கண்ணறச் சொல்லினும் சொல்லற்க
முன்னின்று பின்நோக்காச் சொல். (குறள்
– 184)
Explanation:
Backbiting is
malicious talk about someone who is not present. When a person talks badly
about someone in their absence, the listeners are likely to conclude that that
person might talk about them too in the same manner in their absence. So, a
person involved in backbiting is likely to lose his friends, be labeled a
slanderer, and damage his reputation. Depending upon the severity of what is
said, it may even be considered slander or defamation. Defamation is a
punishable crime in many countries. So, backbiting is genuinely a bad habit,
and one should not indulge in it. For this reason, Valluvar says even if you
say unpleasant things in front of a person, never say anything bad about him
behind his back without thinking about the consequences.
