In life, everyone desires to have happiness and peace. No one wants to receive trouble or annoyance. Especially, rumors stories will have a greater impact on mental health. It may even lead to depression if one does not understand the cause and solution.
In this article, we would like to explain the meaning of the term “rumors”, which translates to “thị phi” in Vietnamese. To gain a comprehensive and direct understanding, let’s start by exploring the semantics of the term “thị phi”. This is a compound phrase in Vietnamese consisting of Chinese and Vietnamese words. The Chinese word “Thị” means “correct” or “praise”, but in the Vietnamese language, it means “observation”, “focus”, “crowded”, “society”, or “women”. The term “women” here implies gossip. On the other hand, the Chinese word “Phi” means “wrong” or “criticism”. However, in Vietnamese, it has a broader meaning, including “rumors”, “baseless gossip”, “subjectivity”, “invalid”, and “without value”. Therefore, “thị phi” refers to unfounded rumors that attract significant attention despite not being verified. Most people tend to focus on the negative aspects to make judgments through criticism, mockery, or sympathy from loved ones or enemies. As this behavior can go backward in one’s lifestyle, beliefs, ethics, and personality, it creates a topic for gossip. This shows that the semantics of “thị phi” in Vietnamese somewhat reflects the matter’s essence.
Besides, the origin of this term has existed for a long time, but it was not until the early 19th century, after the publication of the masterpiece “The Tale of Kieu” by Nguyen Du, that it gained significant popularity in the classical literature of Vietnam. It is mainly used in Sino-Vietnamese characters, which are Chinese characters used in the Vietnamese language. In the poem, the author mentioned the term “thị phi” many times. For example, the sentence “Thiên địa bất hưng, thị phi nhân tâm vô tình” has been translated into multiple meanings, but its essence is to describe that heaven and earth have inherently different directions, and if people often talk about trivial matters, right and wrong, they will find it difficult to empathize with others.
Illustrations of The Tale of Kieu – Nguyen Du
In later years, writers gradually introduced the term “thị phi” into everyday language, both in spoken and written forms, and it has been widely used since 2000. Within “thị phi (rumors) are divided into different levels, which can occur within families, friends, neighbors, colleagues, or even within the same industry. Especially in environments related to the arts, charitable organizations, or politics, it receives more attention from society. With the current development of technology, anyone can easily create an account or website to share and express their opinions. Furthermore, they can even earn money through these platforms. Therefore, sensational headlines and news stories will attract viewers or listeners more than ever before, not to mention being edited and spliced in speech and intentionally crafted with imagery.
By now, surely every one of us can relate to this feeling that we too could be the subject of someone else’s gossip. As human beings, we all have our flaws and imperfections. However, to avoid future harm from negative criticism, let’s apply the communication principles outlined in Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People”. This book is a passionate work of Mr. Dale Carnegie (1888-1955) – a famous speaker on personal development and communication skills. Through his writing, he has inspired and motivated millions of people around the world.
Photo. “How to Win Friends and Influence People” is considered a timeless classic book of its time.
One of the fans of this book is billionaire Warren Buffett, who confirmed that “How to Win Friends and Influence People’ is the best book he has ever read on building relationships, business, and success.”
The following is a summary of the 10 Rules of Behavior in “How to Win Friends and Influence People” book, which not only help oneself receive more goodwill from others but also reduce the causes of conflict in communication environments.
- Respect others’ opinions.
- Listen and accept their differences.
- Avoid criticism, complaints, and accusations.
- Care, empathize, encourage, and inspire.
- Receive others’ opinions before giving your own
- Seek calm and rational solutions to conflicts.
- Focus on the problem at hand, not on finding flaws in others
- Use polite and gentle language, avoiding rudeness, offense, or judgment.
- Keep a calm mood in all situations, avoiding being dominated by emotions.
- Show friendliness, modesty, and kindness to everyone around you.
Here, the author also advises readers to learn from failures, difficulties, accept and focus on positive things. By practicing these behavioral rules, we can build good community relationships.
Although knowing this, there are too many complex relationships around, and not everyone behaves skillfully or builds good relationships with others. It’s certainly impossible to escape from rumors. So how can we stay calm amidst the rumors about ourselves?
Except for cases where someone intentionally harms and seriously affects our job reputation, or when they terrorize or sabotage our happiness, we need to speak up and demand justice through legal means. On the other hand, in other cases, we should handle them gently and tactfully.
There have been many psychologists and philosophers around the world who have conducted research experiments to discover the innate good qualities of human beings. Among them, the famous American-Austrian scientist Walter Mischel discovered the important instinct inherent in every human being, which is patience and willpower when he conducted a psychological experiment for thousands of children with the theme “Marshmallow Test”.
Photo: Psychologist Walter Mischel giving a speech
And he found that this trait has a significant impact on success. Besides, it also has the ability to solve and protect oneself when facing the most difficult situations. He believes that daily training and awakening of the patience trait not only helps the brain function more positively but also strengthens emotional control.
A famous ancient Greek philosopher, Epictetus, also advised focusing on things that we can control and seek inner peace. Treat others with the utmost respect and politeness possible. At the same time, view rumors as an opportunity to cultivate one’s morality through patience and tolerance.
By TVVN Press
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