In ancient Greece, Socrates was visited by an acquaintance of his. Eager to share some juicy gossip, the man asked if Socrates would like to know the story he’d just heard about a friend of theirs. Socrates replied that before the man spoke, he needed to pass the “Triple-Filter” test.
The first filter, he explained, is Truth. “Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to say is true?” The man shook his head. “No, I actually just heard about it, and …”
Socrates cut him off. “You don’t know for certain that it is true, then. Is what you want to say something good or kind?” Again, the man shook his head. “No! Actually, just the opposite. You see…”
Socrates lifted his hand to stop the man speaking. “So you are not certain that what you want to say is true, and it isn’t good or kind. One filter still remains, though, so you may yet still tell me. That is Usefulness or Necessity. Is this information useful or necessary to me?” A little defeated, the man replied, “No, not really.”
“Well, then,” Socrates said, turning on his heel. “If what you want to say is neither true nor good or kind, nor useful or necessary, please don’t say anything at all.”
Imagine how different the world would be if we only chose to seek or create information that was true, good, or useful.
But that certainly is not the case, People are in a blind search for more and more and in this path blinded by their lust for all that is not theirs they end up misguiding others, many innocent men fall in this trap and will have to pay for it.
When you are dealing with money, you will have to face more and more of this.
It is hence mandatory that you invest in a business you understand. And not on something someone else understands. Because it will always be you on your own in the long run.
