hippychick
08-12-2004, 03:01 AM
Here's something to think about! Keep this philosophy in mind the
>> > > next time you either hear or are about to repeat a rumor.
>> > >
>> > > 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. It also explains why he never found out that Plato
>>was
>> > > banging his wife.
>> > > next time you either hear or are about to repeat a rumor.
>> > >
>> > > 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. It also explains why he never found out that Plato
>>was
>> > > banging his wife.