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Triple Filter Test

In ancient Greece, Socrates was known to have great knowledge and was very honorable. One day, a woman met him and said, "Do you know what I just heard about your best friend?"
"Wait a moment," Socrates answered; "Before you tell me anything, I will give you a simple test called the Triple Filter Test."

The first filter is TRUTHFULNESS:
"Are you sure that what you are going to tell me is true?".
"No, actually, I JUST HEARD ISSUES about it," the woman replied.
"Good," said Socrates. "So you're not sure it's true? Ok, now I'll give you the second filter."

The second filter is GOODNESS:
"Is what you are going to say about my friend something good?"
"No, quite the opposite..." answered the woman.
So, Socrates continues, "you will tell something bad about him, but you are not sure whether it is true. Well, you still have one more chance; there is still one more filter, namely the third filter."

The third filter is USEFULNESS:
"Is what you are going to tell me about my friend useful to me?"
"No, absolutely not," said the woman.

So, Socrates concluded: "If you want to tell me something that is NOT NECESSARILY TRUE, NOT ABOUT GOODNESS, and even USELESS, why should you tell it to me?"

Let's use the "Triple Filter Test" every time you hear something about your best friend or someone else. If that is not about truth, kindness, or positive usefulness, then you don't need to accept it. And if you accidentally or have already heard it, then don't share it with other people, and don't hurt other people's feelings.

Pssst... I read this snippet a long time ago in a WhatsApp group. I don't know who the author of this philosophical conversation is or whether it actually happened to Socrates. I just think it would be a good idea to share it on this blog. Are you also tempted to find out about someone's bad things?

The philosophy to filtering out the bad stuff.

Photo by Michael Burrows from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/unrecognizable-person-brewing-aromatic-pour-over-coffee-in-garden-7125644/

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Comments

  1. Anonymous14/1/24

    This makes a huge load of sense . . .

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous14/1/24

    Its good learning to have an effective communicationšŸ‘

    ReplyDelete
  3. Tanza Erlambang - Sawan Fibriosis16/1/24

    great steps to filter anything news come to us.....
    thank you for sharing

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ross23/1/24

    Great post.
    By the way, the conversation uses woman as object as if woman like to makes gossip.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tikno24/1/24

      Hmmm... it's just the translation from the source. You can replace it to Mr. X

      Delete
  5. Titik Asa31/1/24

    Baik juga ya 3 test filter ini diterapkan, Mas.
    Sering ketika mendengar kabar, langsung saja menelannya. Menerima apa yang disampaikan dengan terbuka.

    Salam,

    ReplyDelete
  6. Earthpages.org12/2/24

    I remember years ago taking a pretty basic logic course and learing how an argument can be "valid" but not "true." Whether any statement is "useful" would be open to debate, I would think.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tikno.13/2/24

      Indeed, being logically valid is not necessarily the truth. Likewise, an issue that is useful for one person may not be useful for others. It depends on the context and circumstances.
      Usually, the issue about someone's bad things may be useful in the context of politics, like in the presidential election debate.

      Delete
    2. Earthpages.org14/2/24

      Nicely put. Perhaps sometimes we have to speak out, while other times it's not helpful.

      Delete
  7. Tanza Erlambang - Sawan Fibriosis12/2/24

    have a great day

    ReplyDelete
  8. celotehnur5423/2/24

    Menyampaikan informasi yang belum tentu kebenarannya, sudah merupakan penyakit menahun bagi segolongan orang. Celakanya, pendengarnya juga siap untuk mendengar. Makin didengar makin, hangat ceritanya. He he

    ReplyDelete
  9. Abam Kie1/3/24

    what a great post. It really opens up my mind.

    ReplyDelete
  10. LadyBird11/4/24

    Satu Syawal menjelang tiba,
    Saudara Palestin jangan dilupa,
    Sekiranya ada silap dan dosa,
    Ampun dipinta di hari mulia.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Djangkaru Bumi11/4/24

    apalagi sekarang eranya video short atau reel
    banyak masyarakat yang terkecoh, antara sekedar konten dan peristiwa sesungguhnya

    ReplyDelete
  12. Sudibjo4/11/24

    triple test is absolutely amazing. but sometimes we forget to do that, we are often follow the flow.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Fajarwalker.com5/1/25

    Thank you, this is very important in daily life. Sometimes we get too excited to share things that we forget they may not be beneficial at all.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tikno6/1/25

      Sometimes I get too excited too, ha... ha...

      Delete

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