Keep this in mind the next time
you are about to repeat a rumor
or spread gossip.
In ancient Greece {MES - 399 BC), Socrates was widely lauded for his wisdom.
One day an acquaintance ran up to him excitedly and said, "Socrates, do you
know what I just heard about Diogenes?"
Waite moment," Socrates replied, "Before you tell me I' d like you to pass a little
test. It' s called the Triple Filter Test,"
Triple filter?" asked the acquaintance.,
That' s right," Socrates continued, "Before you talk to me about Diogenes let' s
take a moment to filter what you' re going to say. The first filter is Truth. Have you
made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"
No," the man said, "Actually, I just heard about it,"
All right," said Socrates, "So you don' t really know if it' s true or not Now let' s try
the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about
Diogenes something good?"
No, on the contrary..."
So," Socrates continued, "You want to tell me something about Diogenes that
may be bad, Ewen though you' re not certain it' s true?"
The man shrugged, a little embarrassed. Socrates continued, "You may still pass
the test though, because there is athist filter, the filter of Usefulness. Is what
you want to tell me about Diogenes going to be useful to me?"
No, not really."
Well," concluded Socrates, what you want to tell me is neither True nor Good
nor even Useful, why tell it to me or anyone at all?''
The man was bewildered and ashamed. This is an example of why Socrates
was a great philosopher and held in such high esteem.,
It also explains why Socrates never found out that Diogenes was banging
his wife.
...
