Definition: The sneaky-good social tactic of deliberately pumping someone’s tires behind their back instead of to their face, creating an aura of genuine positivity that inevitably boomerangs back to boost your own reputation. Unlike standard gossip, which spreads negativity and makes everyone paranoid, reverse gossip involves strategically dropping glowing reviews about someone’s character, skills, or quirks into conversations with third parties. When these compliments eventually filter back to the subject—often through the emotional telegraph of mutual friends or overheard chatter—they land with ten times the impact of a direct compliment, feeling more authentic and less like flattery. It transforms you from a potential backstabber into a perceived human hype machine who notices the good in people, making others subconsciously trust you more and wonder what nice things you might be saying about them. The psychological payoff is massive: people associate you with warmth, observational skills, and emotional safety, effectively laundering your social capital through unsolicited praise. Master this, and you’ll weaponize kindness into the ultimate reputation lubricant.