“sehr sub”

In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, "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. It’s called the Triple Filter Test." "Triple filter?" "That’s right," Socrates 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 Socrates. "So you don’t really 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," Socrates 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 Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"

This is why Socrates was a great philosopher & held in such high esteem. If we are able to protect our friends and those we love in this manner, we cannot be influenced by outsiders in having bad notions about them.

Caya la Socrates!!

Gubra was the latest movie I’ve watched. I love it. My boyfriend teased me, saying that I love the movie because of the diverse sexy bodies in it. But I know he knows me more than that. (Such a nuisance la u,bie).

What I learned through the movie was mostly about love. There’s no gold-paved path in love, nor a diamond one. But, if we seek really hard, once in a while we get a peek of the silver lining. The most heart-warming scenes were always of the mom & dad. Such love, we only see that through our parents. It left me praying for my future as well - dear God, please bless me with that kind of loyalty, respect and most of all, with that kind of love.

The story of the neighbours attracts me as well. That is the best way to view Islam. No prejudice. No cruelty. No harsh words. Islam is about loyalty, kindness, love & respect. The pairs convey the excellent messages. I do believe that all religions promote loyalty, kindness, love & respect. Regardless of what we believe in, these values are the most important of all. I believe that if I have not understand the true meaning of these values, I have not lived.

Those who have watched the movie might have different comments, both positive & negative. But I believe in the good things in life. We can’t escape the negativity, but we have the freedom to choose which one we would like to live with, which kind of world we would like to live in. It’s all up to us. To that person who says "I".

Go Yasmin Ahmad. Malaysia needs more brains like you.

Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.

We often remind ourselves to not judge a person by the way they look or the way they dress. We often tell ourselves that we have to learn about the person personally, that it’s the inside that count (the heart, of course). But in reality, we seldom have time to get to the heart.

Yesterday, I attended a talk. The speaker is a well-known professional, Dolly Kee from Image Power. Upon entering the room, I have already felt her credibility & mostly her professional etiquette. From the way she dressed, to the way she talks. She potrays a phlegmatic kind of person, very relaxed but interesting.

It’s what she came up with that attracts me most. She summarized that we often perceived others through the sequence of the 5 senses; vision-vocal-verbal-touch-taste. She also told that no matter what people say about not judging others through the look because looks can deceive, in the end, it’s the look that matters most.

Ideally, I would want everybody to overlook the way people dress or the way people behave and try to listen to what they want to say instead. But after listening to Dolly Kee, I’ve realized that in reality, nothing change. A well-dressed man with designer suit & a black briefcase is perceived as a professional and can be trusted, although the fact says that he is an imposter. A skinny man in faded jeans & look weary must be a drug addict, though he is actually exhausted from a day’s work & having problem with sleeping. Even if we were told about the true facts, it is hard for us to believe them. Because eyes don’t lie, we say. Yes, eyes don’t lie. But how your brain process the message your eyes take, that’s what important. In the end, it’s all back to your mindset.

However, the speaker concluded that it’s important to look well. To have an excellent image, in order to raise the probability of trust & confidence when people look at us. She is right. But always remember, those who are clad in the smart attire are not all good and those who wear cheap clothes may worth more than the value of their clothes. Bad guys nowadays are not potrayed as hideous, strange looking and rough voice anymore. More than once, they are the ones who actually interest us to watch the movie. But of course..a well-dressed person appeals more to us.

It makes me sick just to think of it. But that’s reality.

When the cynical side of you emerges

And you feel the sharp tongue’s urges

To lash out the criticism you have for others

And strike them down like a bolt of thunder

Pause for a second and take deep breath

Let those hurtful words sink to their death

Before you judge others with harsh words

To simply find fault with someone less absurd

Or pin down an innocent one to be the victim

Of office politics and failed negotiations as a mean

It is time for you to take that special walk

So tuck in your shirt and pull up your socks

Turn on the mode of silent stealth

For you need to take that walk around yourself

In the normal average of us all

We rise high but sometimes we fall

These are the many ups and downs in our lives

That keep us going to survive

But when you feel that you are always better than the rest

Ready to crush down anyone in any contest

Be it belittling or squashing their dignity

It’s time you face your own reality

That is the time you ought to take the real test

To take a walk around yourself and undo the mess

Just before you judge another

Give yourself a break to ponder

Life needs and order of balance

That moment has come to your turn

Harmonize the state of your mind

Look deep inside and you shall find

Self-reflection appears on the shelves

When you take that walk around yourself

"Anne Marie Warren"