(No subject)

[Guest guest]

The following anecdote is extremely spread-worthy (confirming to all

the three tests mentioned below)

 

In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem.

 

One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, " Do you

know what I just heard about your friend? "

 

" Hold on a minute, " Socrates replied.

 

" Before telling me anything 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

friend, it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what

you're going to say. That's why I call it the triple filter test.

 

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 friend something good? "

 

" No, on the contrary... "

 

" So, " Socrates continued, " you want to tell me something bad about

him, but you're not certain it's true.

 

You may still pass the test though, because there's one filter left:-

The filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend

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? "

 

This is why Socrates was a great philosopher & held in such high esteem.

 

Friends, use this triple filter each time u hear loose talk our near &

dear friends (and members of your workgroup, etc etc).

 

" An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A

pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves. "

 

" We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words

on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first

chapter is Today. "

 

--

With warm regards,

 

Lalita