Some concerns

I wonder if the issue of respect will prove to be any sort of detrimental occurrence at the work place.  I was raised by "If you have nothing good to say, don't say anything at all."  However, at work, this proves to be quite contrary to what others were taught.

I'm not too crazy about how whenever a regular carrier is gone, regardless of how strong or poor of a work ethic that carrier has, the other guys at work would never fail to criticize that person.  I just feel that this would make me more secretive and more quiet of a person if I knew that I would be talked about as if I were a stinky, guilty street dog out on the town in search of a bite to eat.

What is the line between defending one's self and not fueling the fire of another's desire to provoke?  How important is it to maintain one's reputation when living in a den of gossip?  If you live in a village of fools, is salvaging the perception others hold of your reputation as crucial as bolstering the reality of said character?

I  live day-to-day with a clear conscience; should I really get worked up over silliness at the workplace?