Keep this in mind the next time you are about to repeat a rumor or
spread gossip.
In ancient Greece (469 – 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?”
“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?” 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, 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 Diogenes 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 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.