The Triple Filter Test
April 10th, 2008 by Dubai GuyDuring the golden Abbasid period, one of the scholars in Baghdad, the capital of Muslim caliphate at that time, was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great scholar and said, “Do you know what I just heard about your friend?”
“Hold on a minute,” the scholar 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,” the scholar 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 the scholar. “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,” the scholar 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 the scholar, “if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?”
Friends, what is your opinion about this story? And what the scholar said, can it be implemented in today’s fast paced world, where opinions are shaped by the media? Don’t you sometimes feel that our judgments are largely influenced by what we read, hear or see in the media?
On a less serious note, if the triple filter test was used by the journalists, I am sure almost all celebrity & gossip magazines will disappear forever from our lives 
I finally decided to write a comment on your blog. I just wanted to say good job. I really enjoy reading your posts.
Tina Russell
Well, I guess I am not the right person. Jim & Em are the masterminds behind this & they deserve the praise
Dubai Guy’s last blog post..The Triple Filter Test
See gossipin right, it’s like it can be really nasty it can be. That’s why me an David never gossips bout anyone or anythink.
Well like, that George Michael, he came round the other day he did an he says to me, “Alright Elt! Av youz twos eard bout that old Slapper McCacker now im an is gold diggin b!tch av like divorced.”
“Wotchit George!” I says, “don’t want no idle gossip ere, he’s a mate of mine he is, but tell us, wots he bin up to?”
Right listen see, it seems that Sir Paul was doin some roof an chimney repairs for this geezer up West like, you want to see im carryin them brick hods up the ladders, ever so strong he is. When he ad finished the job like he gives the client is bill (one hundred and sixty five smackers!!!) an tells im he wants it in notes! Yeah, cash!
Seems like that if that Heather Mucca Mills founds out bout it she would av been wantin 73% of is earnins, so that Macca only does cash jobs now an he doesn’t even declare them to the tax man, so all of that lovely cash is is!!
See, he is well wadded up wiv dosh is that Paul, when I was round is ouse last time, you couldn’t open the doors to the under the stairs cupboard coz it was stuffed right up the eyeballs in fivers.
An d’youz know what is worse? Everytime we goes down the pub for a couple of Babychams, he reckons he’s left is wallet at ome! Tight as bloomin rat’s @rse that McCartney is.
An he dyes is air!
Should get him on GSTF site, him and Jim could exchange ideas and tips -
Jim:Just for men?
McCacker :Nah, thats right expensiv tat that is, you wants to be using L’Oreal mate youz does, cos youz are worf it like an it all made in the same factory like anyways.
(sorry Elton, don’t know how McCacker speaks so I improvised)
GarethinChina’s last blog post..The Pee Wee Herman Syndrome
See I reckon youz is right GIC I do. That McCacker an Jimbo they’s both dyin their air they is.
Did youz see that photo ov im smokin that cigar? Keep it to yourselfs like, but ifs youz ask me, he dyes is eyebrows n all!
Well its post like this that make it dubai guy so we’ll all group hug and take the praise together Bud!
Gossip and rumour is totally rithe down here…
bored housewives with nothing better to do with their day than gossip and bitch and moan about the person up the road.. small country town nothing to do… it is true this town is full of it….
I know longer suffer the coffee club, except kellie she drinks tea anyway and supplies the tim tams..
The school is the best place to get told it, someone is always dieing to tell the latest about who ever and it is never nice always has to be some saucy bit of nonsense, usually to do with something nasty… and normally totally wrong… the thread of truth contained with in it is mostly left behind as the tail becomes more and more sensationalised….
but I ask the same question when someone says did you here…
Do you actually know or is it gossip…?
A wise approach to save yourself the greif of nonsense stress and worry.. perhaps….
aussiecynic’s last blog post..Australia has a Spine at LAST! Kevin Rudd in China.
How is life in a small country town? Do you recommend it?
Dubai Guy’s last blog post..The Triple Filter Test
It has tonnes of advantages …. people look out for one another, help when needed.. that short of thing,,, but the disadvantages… are everyone knows you, everyone knows what everyone is doing, legal or not…
so it really depends on the town and if youare happy there…. this town is lovely in a beautiful place, it is frustrating because the locals simply dont see what they have here… and it tends to be neglected because of it….
So yes I recommend it but it depends on the town and you
aussiecynic’s last blog post..This is just Weird!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I think it is human nature. We don’t appreciate the small things or pleasures in our lives until we go away from them. But certainly I plan to someday live in a small town or even a village. Hopefully that happens soon
Dubai Guy’s last blog post..Are Islamic Banks really Islamic?
Gossip is right down there…………reminds me the blog has been gossip and co-incidently BJ free for a while.
That is a great story Dubai Guy. Maybe we should all use the triple filter test when we get the urge to pass along some gossip. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve ahd the misfortune to hear or over hear some particularly nasty pieces of gossip about friends and aquiantances. It always bothered me too. I mean, why? WHY? Would anyone even want to pass something like that along, especially if its about a friend or an aquaintance.
Well, I guess some people do it because of habit only
Dubai Guy’s last blog post..The Triple Filter Test
Its a nice test.
I’ve always tried to stop rumour mongering in work as it is very divisive. Very little benefit comes from gossip and in general as gossip increases so do tensions and subsequently team cohesion decreases. I lost one very good team member due to gossip about 5 years ago. Rumours spread that he was involved in an affair with another man. The guy involved was as straight as they come but kept himself to himself and focused on his work. I think due to the fact he didn’t go out with the rest of them and shunned the normal subjects of sport and drinking he was targetted. In the end the rumours and sniping became so bad and upset him so much he quit despite me trying my best to retain him. Unfortunately the slut who spread most of the gossip made sure her legs opened for the right people so kept her job. Luckily we have regular management reshuffles and a couple of years later she was history as the next manager shared my view on gossip and workplace relationships, so even offering to drop her knickers couldn’t save her.
A similar thing happened to me about 9 years ago. I was in a relationship with the best friend of our HR manager. As such we talked a lot, joked and laughed and eventually the rumours cropped up - we were also very good friends. I confronted one of the guys responsible and asked him ‘What’s my mothers maiden name? What size shoes do I take? What’s my favourite pizza topping?’ He responded ‘What? how would I know any of that?’ I replied ‘Well you seem to think you know much more intimate details such as where I dip my wick, next time I hear that I won’t be so polite’ he got fairly embarressed about being caught and didn’t do it again.
Gossip is damaging and should not be done - I’ll try the tripple filter next time someone starts to gossip with me, I like the structure of the questions, but in general I tend to change subject or walk off if someone begins story telling about peoples personal life - mainly because I’m really not that interested anyway.
For the media I totally agree and have posted my views on those western hacks many times. What we need to think about more is why do people like to read that stuff? Why is bad news better than good news? Do we need someone to be doing worse than us to feel good or see that someone is suffering more than us to feel happy with our own lives? What drives this desire?
GarethinChina’s last blog post..The Triple Filter Test
Hi GIC - Agree with you 100% but on the news hacks… someone must be reading it or they wouldn’t keep printing it? Can’t figure out who reads it though - it ain’t me.
Jonathan’s last blog post..Photo Gifts make Publisher sit up and notice for Dubai Novelists
It ain’t me either
Dubai Guy’s last blog post..The Triple Filter Test
“What we need to think about more is why do people like to read that stuff? Why is bad news better than good news? Do we need someone to be doing worse than us to feel good or see that someone is suffering more than us to feel happy with our own lives? What drives this desire?”
Perhaps low self esteem which drives this desire? Or maybe it is sign of a sick heart, I don’t think a normal heart would feel happy seeing something bad. But on the other hand, I think looking at people who are less fortunate than us should make us realize how blessed we are. A healthy person realizes how truly blessed he is after he looks at someone suffering from a chronic disease.
Dubai Guy’s last blog post..The Triple Filter Test
Could be. Low self esteem or poor self attainment might well push people to try and look to someone doing worse than themselves.
I was also thinking that years ago everyone was much closer in their communities, as such the stereotype (and pretty accurate) image was of women gossiping over the garden fence about who was doing what with/to whom as everyone knew each other in the street.
These days, certainly in the UK, its not uncommon for people to have no idea who their neighbours are and therefore have no outlet for this desire to know what the rest of the street is up to - hence the proliferation of celebrity tat magazines and also the explosion in soap opera popularity.
Maybe these two items are filling a void that used to be filled by tongues wagging about the neighbours.
Not sure though.
GarethinChina’s last blog post..The Pee Wee Herman Syndrome
I believe you are pretty much right in your observation about the proliferation of gossip magazines
Dubai Guy’s last blog post..Are Islamic Banks really Islamic?
Mahbrook Dubai Guy, late I know, but well done with your Blog Idol success, and good first post as a founder.
Not a fan of idle gossip myself, but would be surprised if there is any honest person who cannot claim to have indulged in it at sometime to greater or lesser degrees. Sadly it is human nature…….
Thanks for your words of encouragement. Yes unfortunatelt, all of us at one point or another are guilty of engaging in gossip as you said.
Dubai Guy’s last blog post..The Triple Filter Test
Good post Dubai Guy - gossip might seem like fun, but is damaging and undermines trust and community.
I know people who form strong opinions about others based on no facts at all - nothing that they can verify as true - just stuff they have heard on the news or watched on TV, or overheard.
I also find it helpful to do some maths before I talk to people if I have a problem with someone:
Let A = the person who I have a problem with
Let B = me
Let C = a third party
Does A + B + C = The Answer ?
i.e If I talk to person C - is it because they are part of the solution - or is it just gossip?
mike’s last blog post..Mike Interviews: Julian Barnes Part 3 of 3
The latest big gossip we had was a typhoid outbreak…
Serious truth..
Large Indian population…. in town
Family goes to India.. returns mother is ill on return flight… is taken from airport to hospital, quarantined.. yes she has it…. she is treated and the family is treated although they arent sick…
mother remains in hospital for several weeks, family returns to town.. mother returns…. then the kids at the school get sick.. gastric bug… story leaks out someone had typhoid.. with in 4 hours the whole town knows and puts 2+2 and get 15 … but the rumour says the family we not treated, the kids that have gastric have typhoid… you could imagine….
kellie is here so I ring the Dept Health… tell the supervisor the rumour i tell him call back if there is any truth…. the Director of Health for the State of Tasmania calls me.. yep… serious.. 5 calls and permission from the family he tells me the truth, there is no outbreak in town yes some one had it but not in town… … and gives permission for me to call the all the women I know and tell them… this was a Friday evening.. it took until Tuesday for the story to get around that all was fine…. even the two schools where making enquiries on Monday.. until I gave them the story..
I hate Gossip and rumour.. and if am told soemthing that is dangerous I go and find out for myself…
its funny how bad news travels fast…. but the truth takes a lot longer… This family was going to get linched…. if it hadnt been stopped… the funny thing is no one here thought there was anything wrong with that… hillbillies..
aussiecynic’s last blog post..Australia has a Spine at LAST! Kevin Rudd in China.
better hide that banjo m’dear.
Jonathan’s last blog post..Photo Gifts make Publisher sit up and notice for Dubai Novelists
Is dat dat new fangled thing billy joe was playing last nite …
Nah mar that was his gittar!
Yep it gets a bit like that…
aussiecynic’s last blog post..Australia has a Spine at LAST! Kevin Rudd in China.
Whoa! You do have a problem with gossip in your town aussie. Here I was thinking you were exaggerating a wee bit.
funkygirl012003’s last blog post..Informercials and Advertising yourself
Nope sorry no exaggeration…
its more because winter is long and there is nothing to do… once the rains start…
but it is true….
aussiecynic’s last blog post..This is just Weird!
Hi Mike,
A question for the life coaching hippy mechanics exam I think should be developed to at least make it look like a proper qualification, lets see if Em and Arvind can answer it.
Assuming your client has a personal dilemma, i.e. they are the person they have a problem with, then the answer is themself squared and the third party.
e.g A=B so B^2+C= The Answer
This means if you can get to the root of their own problem then you know the value of the other person as we all know The Answer=42.
If they are schizophrenic then the answer is themself cubed.
eg. a=B and B=C so A^3=The Answer, as The Answer is 42 they are therefore 3.476.
Please show for each of the above cases how this effect varies with time and what the gradient of your clients problem is after 7 days, also calculate what the motivational inertia constant (Im) acting on their body is at this time that stops you sorting out your clients problem sooner.
For extra credits please show how this is affected if you are traveling 0.98 the velocity of light (C), assume C-3×10^9m/s and how much you can charge the mug who has contracted your services.
GarethinChina’s last blog post..The Triple Filter Test
LOL Gareth Fun with maths!
Em & Arvind have you got your super computers running this? It took Deep Thought 7.5 Million years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GUV7zz-8Oc
mike’s last blog post..The View From Here: DNA Changes
Blimey…
I need a sit down.
Thats why they have to do that one day of silence thing. Real problems stump them every time.
Blimey lad, you ignored the effects of friction, this isn’t an ideal world you know.
GarethinChina’s last blog post..The Pee Wee Herman Syndrome
Thanks for your kind words. But I must say that is a complicated equation & I was not a good mathematics student, in fact I hated it the most
Dubai Guy’s last blog post..The Triple Filter Test
If I had to pass this test every time I said something, I’d be mute.
This would make my wife happy.
mooooog35’s last blog post..Popping a Bone
My hubby is just glad when his selective deafness kicks in… hehehhehehe…
aussiecynic’s last blog post..Australia has a Spine at LAST! Kevin Rudd in China.
HEY us blokes don’t take it ALL in ya know AC!
lol
aussiecynic’s last blog post..This is just Weird!
I don’t think wife will be happy when you are silent. Then she will complain why you are avoiding talking to her
Btw, ladies I don;t mean any offence. It is just what I have observed
Dubai Guy’s last blog post..The Triple Filter Test
Truth, Goodness and Usefulness…wonderful idea, if everyone have such notion or values in life, this world will be a bit more progressive and less negative.
But there won’t be smoke without fire… there must be a hint of truth beneath those gossips.
The Truth sometimes will hurt, but for the Good of the person involved he/she has to know, the Use of it is either to improve oneself or be worst.
earthlingorgeous’s last blog post..Wonders of Nature
“Truth, Goodness and Usefulness…wonderful idea, if everyone have such notion or values in life, this world will be a bit more progressive and less negative”
You have very well summarized the post in a single sentence, thanks for your comment
Dubai Guy’s last blog post..The Triple Filter Test
A first class acid test Dubai Guy and thanks for sharing…
We’d throw in that following instinct and that first feeling in the decision making process should always be honoured.
How many Mum’s would say..
‘ Don’t bring him home from school again, son - he’s trouble’
They were right, everytime.
Parents are almost always right, we only realize this when it is very late
Dubai Guy’s last blog post..The Triple Filter Test
I would like to say that I don’t partake in idle gossip and I think it is how I have become a trusted friend.
I am never the one to say, have you heard but if someone comes to me with the info, I do get involved with the banter, I just take it no further.
hanks for sharing the recipe about how to become a trusted friend. Fully agree with you
Dubai Guy’s last blog post..The Triple Filter Test
idle gossips should be stoned to death and their 9 year old daughters married off dubai guy
except the gay ones- they should have a wall pushed over on them
correct DG?
Hey Pagan… I hope you arent taking about me… my daughters 9…..
I just cant abid idle gossip…..
aussiecynic’s last blog post..This just Weird!
Welcome back Urban - stone throwing here is your forte
I’ll get him……. I will…
Urban or not…
aussiecynic’s last blog post..This is just Weird!
Urban, you are really funny, you always make me laugh with your comments
Dubai Guy’s last blog post..The Triple Filter Test