When we hear the word murder, we imagine someone physically inflicting their target with a weapon ending in the victim’s loss of life. The definition of murder is “to kill (a human being) unlawfully and with premeditated malice.”
Many weapons have been used to murder, with the most popular being guns and knives. When a depraved mind is motivated to murder, they’ll use whatever they put their hands on to eradicate someone. “Basically, any heavy object, applied with the right degree of force, can be a murder weapon.”
Alternatively, there’s another method regularly used to murder someone, and it is slander.
The effects of slander can be both humiliating and devastating to the victim. Spreading misinformation based on speculations, rumors, and gossip won’t only damage someone’s character and reputation, but it can also sabotage their success.
For example, a female customer presents a coupon to a popular family-owned retail grocery store clerk. The clerk scans it and informs the customer that the system has rejected it. Then the customer yells at the clerk for not “pushing it through” despite being aware of the coupon policy.
The clerk apologizes to the agitated customer and advises her to search for the coupon in the following insert. The customer becomes increasingly angry and storms out of the store.
Upon returning home, the disgruntled customer visits the company’s website and writes a detailed 1-star negative review. In her review, she states, “The cashier was rude, refused to scan her coupon, and failed to provide a purchase receipt.”
The customer then spreads the information to her friends, family, and other customers, who then spread it to others in the community. A few months later, the store manager noticed a sharp decline in sales and an increase in negative customer reviews.
The malicious slander began leaking out to other stores close to the family-owned business. The other stores started to capitalize on the ill-repute of the failing business by dramatically slashing its prices, thus allowing them to gain the upper hand. The slandered store discovers they’re up against some fierce competition with other nearby stores.
Despite the running of sales, improving marketing strategies, and tweaking the customer service experience, their sales volume began to slow to a crawl, and customer retention became challenging.
Eventually, the store is forced to close its doors and file for bankruptcy.
Things to consider:
1. How did the evil slander affect the fictitious characters in the above example?
2. What negative experiences did they suffer after their downfall?
- Financial loss and stress
- Loss of community trust
- Declination in patronage
- A blemished reputation
- Defamation of character
Not only did a thriving, long-standing business end in financial ruin but the reputation it maintained in a community that trusted and supported them was damaged.
So, that’s what slander does.
It murders.
How?
The poison of slanderous words destroys good reputations. It’s designed to make others look bad, influence the opinion of others, and taint a person’s good name. Many successful and thriving businesses have experienced the heartbreaking devastation of being slandered.
The slanderer is in a position of power, especially if their audience is the tell-me-the-latest-juicy-gossip-group. Those with this mindset don’t care if the story is fabricated; they just love a good story.
The other audience, the I-don’t-want-to-hear-it-group, has an aversion to slander and prefers to verify the facts and hear both sides of the story before accepting it as truth.
Neither the slanderer nor the audience ever considers the harm it does to the victim.
Failure to maintain a position of neutrality results in siding with the vindictive slanderer whose goal is to destroy. The innocent victims of slander ultimately experience ruined reputations, failed businesses, severed relationships, and breached trust.
As aforestated, murder is “To kill (a human being) unlawfully and with premeditated malice.”
Though slander isn’t a physical murder that makes a person cease to exist, it’s still a form of murder. The dream of business ownership and the pride of having a good reputation is eradicated. These losses can’t only diminish the victim’s integrity, but it immobilizes them to take action to recover their losses.
And, in some cases, the damage is totally irreparable.
Why?
Because of the vicious act of slander.
Takeaway:
Be courageous and take a stand when someone spreads slander about others. It is wise to investigate the slanderers’ motive for attempting to spread the malicious story.
Always remember that the victim is not there to defend themselves, and there are two sides to every story. Do not be so quick to believe everything you hear, and remain skeptical about unverified facts spread through gossip.
Also, remain cautious amid the slanderer because you may be their next victim. If they slander others, they may eventually slander you. At that point, you’ll have to lament your losses, rebuild your good reputation, restore your dignity, and resume your dream.
Remember:
The slanderer who spreads false rumors is like an arsonist who lights a match, starts a fire, laughs as the fire erupts, and doesn’t leave until the house is totally destroyed.