"The 3 filters of Socrates"

 

This week the exercise is simple - no gossiping.

 

What is it to gossip?

Saying things that are defamatory - a statement that damages the good name or the honor of a person, group of people or organization.

 

Recently gossip is gaining momentum on social networks like Facebook and Whatsapp. This phenomenon of spreading rumors can have severe social and emotional consequences.

One of the examples of this is "shaming" - or in Hebrew "ביוש פומב": exposure of information or personal details about a person in order to shame him, mock him or ridicule him, condemn him or his behavior, criticize him and denounce him.

 

When we gossip often we don't intend to hurt or shame another person, we gossip for the pleasure of the speech itself.

 

Socrates, the wisest man, suggested using 3 filters before telling something to someone: truth, good, necessary.

 

1. Am I sure what I'm about to say is the truth?

2. Is what I'm about to say (about another person) good?

3. Is what i am going to say really necessary?

 

If the answer to at least one of the questions is no - we will not say what we thought to say.

 

As a continuation of the exercise, if we catch ourselves gossiping, we will take a few minutes and think about what was our motive to say what we said. We will write down our motives in the diary.

 

This is how we can understand ourselves better, and decide if we really want to act from the motives we wrote down.

 

Speak on your insights

And good luck to all of us