Company Blog

Guest Vacation Blog

by Adam Zack — September 8, 2021

Why, then, did you want to tell me this?

Guest Vacation Blog

Adam’s on vacation this week, so his life-long friend Scott offered up a guest blog.

Hello from Adam’s friend Scott, guest blog filler-inner.

I was thinking the other day about how different life is today compared to, say, 30 years ago (yes, I just dated myself and Adam, apparently). Times were different, music was amazing, culture and technology made a sharp turn for the better in many ways and we as a society kept moving forward. Looking at today, I see many opinions, diversified schools of thought and division. We as a group should step back and look at our collective selves and give grace where grace is due (not saying that we were any more giving 30 years ago, this could be said for any generation) but seeking to be a more discerning person I was reminded of a parable I once heard. Unsure of who penned it as I’ve heard it was Socrates, Plato or even a children’s story. Not sure that the author matters but it gives me something to ponder, so here goes.

One day, someone came to a great philosopher and said to him:

“Do you know what I just heard about your friend?”

“A moment”, replied the teacher. “Before you tell me, I would like to test you on the three sieves.”

“The three sieves?”

“Yes. Before telling anything about the others, it’s good to take the time to filter what you mean. I call it the test of the three sieves. The first sieve is the TRUTH. Have you checked if what you’re going to tell me is true?”

“No, I just heard it.”

“Very good! So, you don’t know if it’s true. We continue with the second sieve, that of KINDNESS. What you want to tell me about my friend, is it good?”

“Oh, no! On the contrary.”

“So”, questioned the philosopher, “you want to tell me bad things about him and you’re not even sure they’re true? Maybe you can still pass the test of the third sieve, that of UTILITY. Is it useful that I know what you’re going to tell me about this friend?”

“Not really.”

“So, in conclusion, what you were going to tell me is neither true, nor good, nor useful. Why, then, did you want to tell me this?”

Just some food for thought when seeking to be a kinder, more graceful and acceptable society.

Till next time,

Scott