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If you remove Le Guin from the search, you'll find attributions for this quote going back to Socrates. She may very well have had such a sign, but it's strange
by kej 3y ago
If you remove Le Guin from the search, you'll find attributions for this quote going back to Socrates. She may very well have had such a sign, but it's strange to attach it to her when she had so much wonderful writing that she did do.
Example: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/823818-is-it-true-is-it-kind-or-is-it-necessary https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/823818-is-it-true-is-it-kin...
- swayvil 3y agoI've heard these guidelines pushed in Buddhist forums too. Assumed it was a Buddhist thing. Probably invented several times by several people. Seems pretty simple and straightforward. But ya, all the fine writing LeGuin did seems substantial enough.
- asimovfan 3y agoIt is definitely Buddhist. Buddha says it in a sutta. "Monks, a statement endowed with five factors is well-spoken, not ill-spoken. It is blameless & unfaulted by knowledgeable people. Which five? "It is spoken at the right time. It is spoken in truth. It is spoken affectionately. It is spoken beneficially. It is spoken with a mind of good-will." — AN 5.198 btw he later on defines "beneficial" as something that is immediately applicable for the listener, which is just extra good in my opinion.
- Tao3300 3y agoThat doesn't sound like Socrates at all. https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/39843/are-socrates-3-tests-from-a-historical-source https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/39843/are-socra... Sounds like it could be from just about anywhere. The answer is probably something really unsexy like Protestant missionaries, which is why you see it attributed to Buddha, Socrates, and cool authors.