Testing For Gossip: The Triple Filter

Have you ever wondered why bad news spreads fast? Like wild fire. The most disturbing part is that many times, the news is even false. These days, while trying to make gossip not look so bad, people often end their 'gist' with the clause "it is well o". Before you pass on any piece of information about some one else, run it through the triple filter test in your head, if your gist passes that test, then gist on! By the way, mature people talk more about ideas than about other people.

Read about the triple filter test 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?"

Cover image via Ketekete