Stop! Take The Three Sieves Test Before Sharing On Social Media.

Think before you speak. Read before you think - Fran Lebowitz

What if everyone performed the simple Three Sieves Test before speaking or writing to anyone, or sharing on social media? There are many possibilities of the results, but surely, the world would be more peaceful and silent.

The Three Sieve Test is from a story that I read on the internet a few years ago. I am not sure of the origin or the source of the story, but I loved it and found it very inspiring. Here is the gist of the story:

One day a furious man came to Socrates, saying,

"Have you heard, Socrates, what did your friend do? I have to tell you right away."

"Just a moment,"?interrupted him the sage.?"What is it? What do you want to tell me through three sieves?"

"Through three sieves?"

"Yes, yes, through three sieves. The first sieve is Truth. Have you thought if all you want to say is true?"

"No, I just heard it, and I thought ..."

"Well, then you can get through the second sieve, which is Good. Is that what you want to say to me when you can not prove that it's true, is it at least good?"

The man hesitantly replied, "Not at all, on the contrary ..."

"I see!"?Interrupted Socrates.?"So we can use the third sieve. Is what you want to say Necessary? Let's see if what you want to say to me and what has made you so upset is necessary!"

"Neither is it necessary ..."

"Well," smiled the sage, "when it is not true, neither good nor necessary, let it be forgotten and do not bother neither yourself nor me!"

?The story's message is that unless we learn to sieve our words and thoughts before tweeting, speaking, or casting them out into the world, we will end up with a slew of regrets, guilt, and anxiety. It is easy to fill in conversation gaps, attract attention, or be the first with information; however, silence is better unless what we communicate is factual, beneficial, required, non-intrusive, and kind.

Now, let us apply the story to the prevalent social media behavior.

When the conversational web first emerged in the mid-2000s, it had a simple goal: to connect friends and family. The first generation of social media platforms followed the vision because it was all about posting on each other's feeds with little messages, funny photos, and videos, all of which made the other person feel connected to you.?

In today's world, we frequently hear that social media has devolved into a vile, toxic environment where people are insensitive and judgmental, yell at each other, spread fake news, and gossip. And, while the publishers "try" to build policies to control the "negative" content, it is easy to find loopholes and avoid being penalized or suspended. Also, platforms keep the guidelines vague because they don't want people to stop creating and sharing content. The more the content, the more is the ad revenue for them. Platforms use controlled algorithms for deliberate impressions and reward engagement with likes, reactions, shares, and the distant promise of virality.

As a result, an environment of attention-seeking-by-any-means-necessary has emerged. People create fake content with click baits to increase views. Recently, political entities have begun aggressively leveraging social media for political publicity and narrative building. It has given a divisive and polarizing flavor to social media.

In this scenario, we must realize that what we say or write on social media will be easily scrutinized by the public. We must recognize that now, more than ever, we must be sensitive in how we deliver our message. There is a need for us to evaluate what we are about to say first.

And how can we do this effectively? Let's try using the three Sieves.

The Sieve of the Truth

"Is what you are about to say true?"

We forget the principle that whatever we say should be fact-checked and evaluated to see if it is true. We should not make our statements based on hearsay. If you are unsure, don't share. Furthermore, telling lies serves no purpose. The truth always stands the test of time. The truth, as the adage goes, shall triumph!

The Sieve of Goodness

"Does what you're about to say sound good?"

Speaking negatively about someone will never serve you well. We must remember to be cautious when discussing other people and their affairs. We have no right to judge other people or assume what they are doing is wrong. The sieve of goodness does not necessarily mean that we only talk about the good things. It means that when we speak of something, we must always put the good of others first.

The Sieve of Necessity

"Is what you are about to say necessary?"

If what you say isn't beneficial to anyone, it is a waste of time. We must consider the usefulness of our statements. Let us remember to speak less and do more.

Now that you know about the Three Sieve Test, you can apply it to your behavior on social media. Have you been trying to be more restrained in our statements? Have you taken responsibility for what you say? Have you considered the consequences of the words you have spoken? Remember that you are solely responsible for the words you speak. Be mindful and always run your thoughts through Socrates' Three Sieves before speaking them aloud.