Our interest in the lives of others extends beyond mere curiosity. And it isn’t just because we want to meddle that we involve ourselves in them.
In the Philippines, “Marites” is recognized as someone from nosy, gossiping neighbors who always talk about the latest rumors, news, or scandals. In colloquial expressions, the term Marites is derived in phrase contractions of Mare, anong latest? [Sis, what’s the latest gossip?]
This has become a part of our culture that did not just emerge out of nowhere. And it further reflects on deeper social conditions shaped by severe poverty, traditional views on morality, and the influence of the digital age.
Gossip has been a tool of discourse within communities, especially in barangays. With the rise of social media, the spread of gossip has taken on new forms and dimensions, especially when many Filipinos became more active on social media during the pandemic, which has further fueled the culture of gossip.
This wide-spreading information on social media platforms like Facebook, X, and TikTok comes with a surge of misinformation, disinformation, and fake news, and baseless gossip often goes viral and frequently causes damage to the reputations of individuals.
What is deemed a harmless cultural quirk seems to have become a practice that further intensifies the culture of division that only provides space for destructive behaviors, particularly towards women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and other marginalized sectors. Their relationships, decisions, and even fashion choices become the center of malicious discussions. Slut-shaming has also been normalized, and the morality of women is paraded as public property.
Such a culture has been weaponized to reinforce a patriarchal system that further oppresses women, LGBTQIA+, and the most marginalized sectors. The stereotype of gossiping as merely “being a woman’s habit” reflects the reality of systemic low regard and subjectivity for women in general. Meanwhile, in this modern era, the Marites phenomenon has expanded and is no longer confined by gender. This culture now baffles anyone who has access to information, reinforcing the individualism and voyeurism promoted by these platforms.
Worse, even progressive spaces are not immune to these. Among activists, internal matters that should be discussed within collectives sometimes spill over into social media and create unnecessary call-outs and public drama. This tendency, shaped by the pervasive neoliberal cultural offensive, undermines collective efforts and only sharpens divisions—a battle that we decisively and continuously struggle to address. Alarmingly, even the masses to be organized are exposed to these public scandals, witnessing the very behaviors we strive to combat.
These standards or norms are the result of a dominant conservatism anchored in traditional views of morality. In politics, the struggles of women to be recognized as having the fundamental right to vote and be acknowledged in society are historically significant. Even the passage of the Anti-Discrimination Bill or the SOGIE Equality Bill remains a long-standing issue in the country.
On social media, cancel culture may seemingly appear by means of achieving accountability. There are even what are referred to as “Twitter courts” or “X courts” because of the algorithm of constant and systematic release of information, whether true or false. Instead of sparking meaningful conversations, many focus solely on individuals rather than systemic issues. This practice only breeds intense fear: fear of becoming the next target, fear of making mistakes, and fear of being misunderstood. Worse, in some cases, the gossip is used as material for public relations or as humor, turned into memes or content meant to garner clout and trend on social media.
Even the concepts of fangirling and obsessive fandom where fans focus intensely on the very actions of their idols can often be taken too far. What starts as a form of admiration or support often crosses boundaries, and dangerous behaviors emerge, including but not limited to meddling in the private lives of public figures in an attempt to control or alter their image just to fit their standards.
Despite implemented laws like the Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act of 2009 or Republic Act 9995, the culture of voyeurism resorting to public shaming has never been fully addressed and hence continues to thrive, especially on social media where private matters become spectacles for the public to spread to gain tractions of cosmetic interests in forms of likes, shares, and comments.
Given these, such actions affect not only the individuals targeted but also those spreading the content. In hindsight, these cultures further benefit only the large capitalists who control social media platforms from the sensationalized stories of scandals and gossip to surely drive public engagement. The constant algorithms that promote such content make way for these platforms to profit from public participation.
All these practices create division and a liberal tendency towards individualism while the more important issues of worsening poverty, lack of jobs, and services for the masses remain unnoticed.
Building collective resistance
If we want to break the negative impact of Marites, cancel, and voyeurism culture, we need to start by recognizing our responsibility. Why are we drawn to gossip? Why do we find satisfaction in judging others? It is crucial to also examine our perspective on the root of the problem we wish to resolve.
Our collective action is also a powerful movement to begin with establishing avenues or spaces that promote critical thinking and empathy, leading to a meaningful change; be it in schools, offices, and communities to open and spark discussions about the adverse impacts of such cultures, especially on vulnerable sectors of society.
Promoting gender sensitivity discussions and media literacy are also crucial as it is necessary. Understanding how we are influenced by sensationalism on social media and promoting responsible media outlets that highlight meaningful stories instead of gossip can help combat such a culture.
We must also reject the patriarchal and conservative norms of normalizing destructive practices of cancel culture, slut-shaming, and voyeurism. Instead, we must advocate for progressive frameworks that affirm the rights and dignity of all, including the passage of the SOGIE Equality Bill.
It is a fact that this pervasive and rotten culture truly distances us from more pertinent issues to achieve genuine accountability and justice: from the women and LGBTQIA+ individuals fighting against slut-shaming, discrimination, and abuse to the workers advocating for better wages and the activists pushing for justice are all part of our collective struggle. Achieving genuine liberation requires dismantling the capitalist system that profits from this division. This means building unions of workers and organizing ranks of women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and other oppressed sectors to fight for genuine equality and justice.
Gossip may entice us, especially in our interactions and relationships with others, but it only strengthens the dangerous and harmful practices that destroy reputations and keep us divided.
