Thread: How do you deal with persistent gossipers?

For instance, you have a good friend who tries to bad mouth another friend of yours while he or she is talking to you. Or you're out eating dinner with a group of friends who talk smack about various people without even realizing the harm they're doing.

Don't contribute to the conversation. Try to change the subject in a casual way. People nowadays have too much free time on their hands. They really need to get hobbies rather than living vicariously through others.