Filter the Hate Content, Loose Talk and Rumors

A useful and very effective tip for filtering the hate content, loose talk and rumors from spreading and damaging the society and relationships.

In ancient India, One day a person met the great Chanakya, and said, "Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"

"Hold on a minute," Chanakya 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," Chanakya 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 Chanakya. "So you don't 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," Chankaya 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 Chankaya, "if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"

Use this triple filter each time you hear rumors, hate content, loose talk etc. about any of your near and dear ones. 

Tolerance Tussle Reaches New Heights in India

Most of the people in India seem to be in one camp or the other. Everyone from one camp is blaming the government as if they themselves have done everything they could as a responsible citizen. And on the other hand, the government and its supporters are attacking everyone who even remotely appears critical of the government. The statement coming from the Home Minister Mr. Rajnath Singh, who requested all those who are raising the concern of intolerance to come forward and suggest how to solve the current problem of intolerance, is commendable. I fail to understand why the statement of the Home Minister had not been given the same space in the media as much Mr. Jaitley’s comment of ‘manufactured rebellion by intellectuals…’, had received. Have we stopped finding conciliatory approach attractive than confrontational approach, due to which media are showing only what we actually want to see? Are we right to put the entire blame on the government?   

Just criticizing the current government will not help but the problem solving approach would. Writer's meet on the 1st. Nov. in New Delhi could have been more on constructive lines than just being used as a platform to criticize the government. Statements like, "there is no intellectual difference between ISIS and RSS", would not solve problems, it will widen the valley of division. RSS choosing the current timing to raise concerns of population policy to curb the growth of particular minorities can't be made at a worse time. The statement by the home minister should be responded positively by all those who want the current environment of intolerance, as perceived, to change. 

People like scientist, historians, industrialist, artists, authors and other creative people who are raising the concern of intolerance, should not fall in the trap of any political party who are ready to exploit the situation to their benefit. These intellectuals should get into the dialogue and discussion with the government to improve the situation. Our government needs the collective intelligence of the entire nation.

If India develops, the benefit goes to all, even to those who had not voted for this government. If you do not like the present government then wait till 2019 and vote them out. But it is not wise to stop this government from performing. The current government has the popular mandate till 2019. No one can take it away from them. The objective should not be to embarrass the government or India, but to address and solve the issues through dialog and discussion. I understand, there are many who are not ready to talk, but there are few who are ready to talk. Both sides need to find those who can discuss the issues and solve the problems. We are still a poor and a developing nation. We cannot afford a non functioning government.

Dozens of new schemes and plans for development had been initiated by the new government. And various reform bills are pending before the parliament. And there is no doubt in my mind that the government is sincere in its effort. It will be a disservice to the nation if anyone obstructs and creates impediments on the way of progress.

If we go back to the pages of history, it is painful to note how a few terribly minor incidents of intolerance went on to create an atmosphere of mistrust which had been exploited by the communal forces that led to the partition, resulting in thousands of deaths, large-scale suffering and the starting point of a potentially never-ending state of animosity between two neighboring nations. The entire subcontinent has been left behind in terms of development. Hope we learn from the history and understand the background of our current status and act as appropriate so that the wrongs of the past are corrected to the extent possible. Divisive politics had hurt India then and it will hurt India now. Those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it, fits very well here.