Triple Filter

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 20 Aug 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

jade	20 Aug 2002
Triple Filter Test 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?" This is why Socrates was a great philosopher & held in such high esteem. Use this triple filter each time you hear loose talk about any one you know. ~Unknown~

Kiama	20 Aug 2002
Although Socrates' second 'Filter' can be taken another way... Whilst the person in this case took it to mean, 'are you gonna say something nice about my friend', it could be taken to mean 'are you gonna say something other than what I would find pleasant to hear?' and if the latter is the case, then Socrates would be not listening to a whole lot of things which, whilst not plasant, could be good all the same. I would actually like to know what Socrates would do if only 2 of the 3 filters were met, or one say... This is a very interesing piece Jade, thanks for posting it, but I thinkit serves more of an inspirational purpose than a philosophical one. (Let me explain myself frter before I unwillingly offend!) It was probably written as inspiration, but I would prefer that thewriter hadn't claimed that Socrates was such great philosopher cuz of his 'Triple Filter Theory'. Socrates is largely remembered because of the way he died, and his principles. He was executed for 'corrupting' the young men who he debated Philosophy with, even though that philosophy was considered, and still is considered, to be the truth... According to Plao, Socrates also had many more useful and great things to say, so for the writer of the above piece to claim that the Triple Filter Theory is what made him grea is a bit... Unfair... Again, not having a go at yo, just making intellectual conversation abou Socartes and how, although the written piece does conain agood remineder of how to cope ith gossip, it could have been written in a way that didn't make Socrates out to be less than he was. (It also means that this thread will have even more cool stuff written in it, and could possibly lead to even more great discussion! :D) :D Kiama

jade	20 Aug 2002
kiama, thank you so much for your sharing of wisdom. i didn't know any of that. heehee, just sharing something that i thought was a 'somewhat' good idea for most things. truth, goodness, usefulness is the ideas posted. so what would be YOUR triple filter? anyone? i think that mine would be truth, clarity, growth possibility/enjoyment. truth - is it really true or untrue gossip? do you know it to be completely true. clarity - will this bring some clarity to me or to a situation involving me. growth possibility/enjoyment - will it assist me to grow in some way or is it for enjoyment purposes. i don't know if mine are any good....i'm just typing while i'm thinking.........but i'ld love to hear everyone elses!!! love jade

Kiama	20 Aug 2002
My Triple Filter... I suppose it would depend on what I'm about to be told... If it's about someone, then I guess if I were to use a filter, I would use jut one: If the thing I am being told is being told with a purpose to cause trouble, or put a stain on the person's name which isn't true. But, usually I do not use a filter, as I prefer to hear what I would be told, and decide for myself if there is any truth in it, and it would also give me an indication as to the personality of the person who told me the thing... I am not sue I, nor the prson telling me th einoformation, could acurastely decide whether or not the information would be useful, good, truthful etc, at the teim, because you never know exactly at the time whether it will be those things at all! I often find that it's weird how the future unfolds, and there is alwys omthing you think is unimportant which actually prves to be very important... Anybody who has read a fantasy fiction novel will understand this concept: It's always the case that the hero of the novel has been given some apparantly pointless, yet decorative item, usually a piece of jewellry, which he/she suddenly discovers contains huge magical powers, quite accidentally, and usually when he/she is facing death... :D I just lurve the predicatblility factor of these novels! :D Kiama

amyel	20 Aug 2002
My mom has her own version of the "triple filter" test. Whenever gossip or rumors came her way, she would ask "Why are you telling me this?" or if I was asking her advise about gossip or rumors that people sometimes go out of their way to tell me, she would say: "Ask yourself what is their motivation in telling you this." I just recently had to use this. One gal I work with was on a team that despised her, and have continuously gone out of their way to defame her personally & professionally. They finally succeeded in getting her off their team, and they thought, off the project. But I have worked with this gal before and knew she'd do great on my team, so I brought her on, with the clients' blessing. While I was on vacation (coincidence? I think not), these same former team members came to the client and told her that to bring this gal on was aksing for trouble, and they had a laundry list a mile long to "justify" their concerns. When the client asked me about it upon my return, I said to her: 1. Are you concerned I didn't have the full picture when I recommended her to join us? 2. Are you concerned that perhaps she really isn't a good fit on this team, based on her experineces on the other team? 3. What was the motovation of the person who came to you to try to stop this gal joining us? Was it for *your* benefit - or *hers*? The gal is still with my team - and doing great!

Malachite	20 Aug 2002
dammit, that rules out everything fun! conversation is a way we bond...it serves me no purpose to know many of the things people tell me, but if i didn't have those conversations, i wouldn't truly know any of the people around me... Baboons scratch each other...we talk about stupid things...or stupid people...or with stupid people...its natural...bland conversation itself is useful! (Btw, if anyone wants to try and triple-filter everything they say for 48 hours, and comes back at the 49th hour, feeling as fulfilled as they would any other day, i will give you $100) Still...its a sweet idea tho...;)

the hermit	20 Aug 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Malachite (Btw, if anyone wants to try and triple-filter everything they say for 48 hours, and comes back at the 49th hour, feeling as fulfilled as they would any other day, i will give you $100) Still...its a sweet idea tho...;) I'd have to toss just about every piece of email I receive every day and that would definitely NOT be fun... plus I probably couldn't make an hour let alone 48, no one would talk to me :)

Umbrae	20 Aug 2002
A truth that's told with bad intent Beats all the lies you can invent. ~ William Blake, in the Pickering Manuscript (c.1803) Auguries of Innocence

the hermit	20 Aug 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Umbrae A truth that's told with bad intent Beats all the lies you can invent. ~ William Blake, in the Pickering Manuscript (c.1803) Auguries of Innocence Umbrae you are awesome! I've been wracking my pea brain all afternoon trying to remember this quote. you know they say the brain is the first thing to go... too many brain cells killed by sour mash I guess :P

Poetlove	21 Aug 2002
That is a very interesting way of looking at life. I mean why spread things that are un true. I try to do right in all aspects. Like don't throw stones while living in a glass house. :)

DarkElectric	21 Aug 2002
I would probably have to phrase my triple filter as question to myself. The first question would be: Why. Why are they telling me THIS, why are THEY telling me this, why are they telling ME this. Next question: Who. Who benefits from this knowledge, who does not, and if someone is not going to benefit, Who is trying to get away with something? refer to question 1. Last question: What. What is the agenda, if any , of the person telling me this? What is the motivation? What do I have to do with any of it? I try to look things like this, when I hear things from other people. If I can verify facts, I do. If not, I just file the info, and if there's something to it, I make my own decision based on information I can trust. I've found, lately, that a cow pie is a cow pie, even if someone has attempted to disguise it with a graham cracker crust. :P

The Triple Filter thread was originally posted on 20 Aug 2002 in the Chat board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Chat, or read more archived threads.