08/07/2024
Socrates and the Three Sieves
In ancient Greece, Socrates was renowned for his wisdom. One day, a man approached him excitedly and said, "Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"
"Hold on a moment," Socrates replied. "Before you tell me, let's take a moment to filter it through the three sieves."
"The three sieves?" the man asked, puzzled.
"Yes," Socrates continued. "Before speaking about others, it's wise to pass it through the three sieves. The first sieve is TRUTH. Have you checked if what you're about to say is true?"
"No, I just heard it," the man admitted.
"So, you don't know if it's true. Let's move on to the second sieve: KINDNESS. Is what you want to say about my friend something good?"
"No, quite the opposite."
"So," Socrates said, "you want to tell me something negative about him, and you're not even sure it's true? There's still one sieve left—the sieve of UTILITY. Is it useful for me to know what you're going to tell me?"
"No, not really," the man replied.
"Therefore," Socrates concluded, "what you were going to tell me is neither true, nor good, nor useful. So why tell me at all?"
Moral of the Story:
Before sharing information about others, consider if it is true, kind, and useful. If it doesn't pass these three tests, it might be better left unsaid.
