Gossip gossip evil thing (Socrates' Triple Filter Test)

Singing: "Gossip.. gossip evil thing, much unhappiness it brings. If you can't say something nice, don't talk at all is my advice..."

Yep, that's it.. Too many things happen around us everyday. And usually everybody already know how dangerous a gossip could be. Have seen too many unpleasant things happen just because a little talk over here, a little talk over there.. We might not intend to tell bad things, we might think that it's not harmful, and it's just a kinda joke. But we never know how other people would receive the message, how they would deliver it to other people, and how people would react to that story.. Little thing could become big in a very short time. Over-blown-up! And before you realize it, it's already too big to handle..

I got an article sometime before, and it's a nice one to share to remind us about the power of words and how to use them wisely..

Sorry, I got this story from a community, don't know the real source of the article.

Next time someone starts to spread gossip, think of this:

In ancient Greece (469 - 399 BC), Socrates was widely lauded for his wisdom.

One day the great philosopher came upon an acquaintance who ran up to him excitedly and said, "Socrates, do you know what I just heard about one of your students?"

Wait a 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?"

"That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my student 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 and..."

"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 my student something good?"

"No, on the contrary..."

"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, even 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 a third filter - the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my student going to be useful to me?"

"No, not really..."

"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither True nor Good nor even Useful,why tell it to me at all?"

The man was defeated and ashamed.

This is the reason Socrates was a great philosopher and held in such high esteem.