The renowned philosopher Socrates was approached by an acquaintance: ‘do  you know what I just heard about your friend’

‘Hold on a minute,’ Socrates replied. ‘before telling me anything, I’d like you to pass a little test.’

‘Have you made absolutely sure that what you’re about to tell me about my friend is TRUE?’

‘No,’ said the man,’ actually I just heard about it  and …..’

‘All right’ said Socrates. ‘So you don’t really know if it is true or not. Now, is what you heard about my friend  something GOOD?’

‘No, on the contrary …..’

‘So,’ continued Socrates, ‘you want to tell me something bad about him and you don’t know if it is true or not. Tell me. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be USEFUL to me?’

‘No, not really….?

‘Well,’ concluded Socrates, ‘if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even usefull, why tell me at all?’