Fables and the realities

Early this morning I got a great mail forward from my boss. It is a very effective story on gossip and why we may not gossip. However reading this also brings me face to face with the stark realities of today. At least my reality! I am paid to spread gossip! Yes that is true. And when you fail to churn out any, I am only supposed to work harder or quit! Yes I write about Bollywood.

Try out any Bollywood/Hollywood related site – apart from the trade sites - and you will probably find a ‘gossip’ tab in it. There you find what has been happening in your favourite star’s life – more often than not without confirmations. Gossip sells and many sites sustain their business on these apparently ‘useless’ tidbits.

I wanted to be a journalist once upon a time. Today some may refer to me as one, depending on what they mean by the term. But I prefer not calling myself a journalist. Journalism after all was supposed to inform, enlighten and bring in a positive change.

Why did I call it a great mail then? Because the mail preaches the values that I was brought up with... and probably you were too. But alas… life seems to be too full today to fill in any values. Most of them are required to unpack by the time we are deemed ready to walk on our own in this world. The space is created to fill in earthly needs which are fuelled and facilitated by money.

I am too much of a novice to comment on other professions. But I am sure none of them leave room for all the learning from childhood fables and rhymes. Values, ethics and morals probably remain today only in primary school books and fables. Nevertheless I paste the story here… have a read.

Gossip... fun?

The story of GOSSIP

In ancient Greece (469 - 399 BC), Socrates was widely lauded for his wisdom. 
One day the great philosopher came upon an acquaintance who ran up to him excitedly & said, “Socrates, do you know what I just heard about one of your students?”

“Wait a moment,” Socrates replied. “Before you tell me 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 student, let's take a moment to filter what you're going to say. 1^st 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 2^nd filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my student something good?”  

“No, on the contrary...”

“So,” Socrates continued, “you want to tell me something bad about him, even though you're not certain it's true?” 

The man shrugged, a little embarrassed. 

Socrates continued. “You may still pass the test though, because there is a 3^rd filter - the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my student going to be useful to me?” 

“No, not really...” 

“Well,” concluded Socrates, “if what you want to tell me is neither True nor Good and not even Useful, why tell it to me at all?” 

The man was defeated and ashamed. This is the reason Socrates was a great philosopher and held in such high esteem.