Gossip is a strange thing. Everyone loves to gossip, but they don’t want to be a subject for it. Because... gossips are often the negative and has little truth in them. Gossips might look harmless, but they often snowball into an embarrassing controversy. The main aim of a gossip might be to defame someone’s character, but they in fact reveal the immaturity of the person spreading it. So the best way to prevent a gossip is to stop listening to it. Here is an interesting anecdote from the life of Socrates regarding gossip. This anecdote reveals the best way to deal with a gossip...

One day, someone hurried towards Socrates while he was walking in the street- ‘Do you know what I have just heard about your friend?’ said the person to Socrates

‘I wish I could know. But before sharing your news with me, let it pass through three tests’ said Socrates in a calm tone.

‘Ok! What are the three tests?’ enquired the stranger.

‘The first one is... Are you sure that what you are going to reveal me is truth!’

‘Na. I’ve just heard it. I’m not sure of its validity’ came the reply.

‘That’s OK. Are you sure that what you are going to say is something good about my friend!’ asked Socrates.

‘Oh! In contrast, it’s something bad about him’ said the stranger.

‘That’s alright. We can still proceed to the third test. Will your news is going to be useful for me or the society’ probed Socrates.

‘No! Not really’ said the person with a low chin.

‘Well then! If you are going to tell me something that is not true, not good and not useful... then why should you tell me at all’ was the conclusion of Socrates.

So! It’s better to remember these three questions of Socrates, whenever we are ready to hear a gossip.