Socrates, as you probably well know, was a Greek from yonks ago who 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.
Posts
Hi Aneel,
ReplyDeleteYour article on Taming the tongue is so soul stirring. In James Chapter 3 verses 1-10 speak about how our tongues need to be kept in check and we need to control them and not the other way around.
Saint James warns that with the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. This should not be.
May we nake a concious effort to keep quiet and speak only words of life.
Love and Blessings,
Debika
So I came here to see what HSI is. I appreciate this post. Not enough consciousness to this command of taming the tongue. I was told when I was young, if what you say is not for someone's benefit, it does not acomplish good , it does not need to be said. The Socrate's triple filter test is a good way to remember!
ReplyDeleteSusan D
We can use our tongues to bless and uplift or curse and pull down others. May our tongues which receive Jesus in the Eucharist be used as instruments of kind words, blessing and healing to all we interact with each day. Thank you Aneel. Holy Spirit take control of my tongue, forgive me for all the times I have not passed the Triple Filter Test in my communication with others, specially those who do not know Jesus. Amen
ReplyDeleteGood one.I feel we can keep more than half of our life's problems away by simply following this filter test. Thanks Aneel for sharing.
ReplyDeleteShveta