Story about communication: The Socrates triple filter

In ancient Greece, there lived a philosopher named Socrates, a man known not only for his wisdom but also for his ability to make people think before they spoke or acted. People often came to him seeking guidance, and he was respected throughout Athens for his deep understanding of life and human nature. One afternoon, as Socrates was walking through the marketplace, an acquaintance approached him in great excitement. The man’s face was filled with urgency as if he had something extremely important to share. “Socrates, do you know what I just heard about your friend?” the man asked eagerly. Before the man could continue, Socrates gently raised his hand, signaling him to stop. He had seen this kind of situation many times before, when someone was eager to spread news, perhaps even gossip, without fully understanding the impact of their words. Socrates took a deep breath and looked at the man with calm eyes. “Before you tell me anything,” he said, “I would like you to pass a little test. I call it the Triple Filter Test.” The man blinked in surprise. “Triple Filter Test? What’s that?” he asked, now slightly puzzled. Socrates smiled knowingly. “It’s a simple way to decide whether or not something is worth saying. Let me explain. The first filter is Truth. Are you absolutely certain that what you are about to tell me is true?” The man hesitated. He shuffled his feet and looked down for a moment before admitting, “Well… no. I just overheard it from someone else, so I don’t know for sure if it’s true.”

Socrates nodded thoughtfully. “I see. So you are not certain whether what you are about to say is true or false. Let’s move on to the second filter, the Filter of Goodness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend something good?” The man shifted uncomfortably. “Um… no,” he admitted. “Actually, it’s quite the opposite.” Socrates remained calm, though his gaze grew more serious. “So, you wish to tell me something bad about my friend, and you are not even sure if it is true?” He let the words linger for a moment before continuing. “Let’s move to the final filter, the Filter of Usefulness. Will what you are about to tell me be useful to me in any way?” The man hesitated again. He had been so eager to share the information just moments ago, but now, under Socrates’ questioning, he was beginning to see the situation differently. “No, not really,” he admitted, his voice quieter now. Socrates smiled gently and placed a reassuring hand on the man’s shoulder. “Well then,” he said, “if what you want to tell me is neither true, nor good, nor useful, why tell it to me at all?” The man stood there in silence. He had never thought about words in this way before. He realized that he had almost spread a rumor, one that could have been false, harmful, and entirely unnecessary. He felt a mix of embarrassment and enlightenment. As Socrates walked away, the man reflected on what had just happened. He realized how often he had shared stories or news without knowing if they were true. From that day forward, he decided to change. Before speaking, he would make sure that what he was about to share would be true, good, and useful. If not he would remain silent.