What to do?

Does anyone else remember the scene in 'Bambi' when Thumper, quoting his father, says

If you can't say something nice... don't say nothing at all

Well someone I am acquainted with has written something evil on the internet about their relative [no, nothing to do with the Milliband brothers!!] Now, do I tell that relative - a really good friend of mine? Or do I take Thumper's father's advice and 'don't say nothing at all'? My friend already has a low opinion of her relative so probably anything I say can't make her opinion worse but could add to the hurt said relative has already inflicted on her. So I think I will stick to Thumper's advice.

So why am I telling you this story when it seems I have already made a decision? It is because I see a minor parallel between all the spiteful blogs and political memoirs that have been in the news over the past few weeks. Unless it is really in the public interest can't we all stick with Thumper's father's advice? The 'cult of celebrity' that has grown over the past few years seems to think we collectively want to examine the dirty washing of every public figure - do we really?