Thin line between rumour & truth

Here's something I recently got in mail.....

Keep this philosophy in mind the next time you either hear, or are about to repeat a rumor.

Philosopher Socrates was widely lauded for his wisdom. One day he came upon an acquaintance who ran up to himexcitedly and 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 theTriple Filter Test."
"Triple filter?”, the person asked
"That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my student let's take a moment to filterwhat you're going to say.

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 Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter,
The second filter is that 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 notcertain it's true?" The man shrugged, a little embarrassed.

Socrates continued. "You may still pass the test though, because there is a third filter - The filterof 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 nor even Useful, why tellit to me at all?"
A thought to be kept in mind whenever the next time we’re tempted to repeat rumours to others