Why do we still need the Three Wise Monkeys and their message in the 21st century?
Opening question: In the age of artificial intelligence and fake news, do we still need ancient symbols?
In a world where we are bombarded every day with thousands of stimuli – news, films, alerts, notifications – can an old 17th-century carving of three monkeys from Japan’s Toshogu shrine still hold meaning for us? Can the image of one animal covering its eyes, another its ears, and the third its mouth be anything more than an internet meme or a smartphone emoji?
The answer is: yes, more than ever before. The Three Wise Monkeys – Mizaru, Kikazaru and Iwazaru – are a symbol of mental hygiene, moral balance, and the conscious choice of what we feed our minds with. In the age of fake news, information chaos, and the “endless chase” for new content, their message is not only relevant but essential if we want to preserve mental health and peace of mind.
Back to the origins: where did the Three Monkeys come from?
The story begins in Japan in the 17th century. On the wooden gate of the Toshogu Shrine in Nikkō, a scene was carved depicting three monkeys:
Mizaru – covering his eyes (“see no evil”),
Kikazaru – covering his ears (“hear no evil”),
Iwazaru – covering his mouth (“speak no evil”).
This was not a random decoration. In Japanese culture, the word for monkey – saru – was linked linguistically with the negative form zaru, creating a symbolic pun. The whole image was a philosophical guideline: to maintain harmony and avoid evil, one must carefully choose what to see, hear, and say.
Similar thoughts can be found in Confucius’ advice: “Do not look at what is improper, do not listen to what is unworthy, do not speak what is inappropriate, do not do anything contrary to goodness.” In the Western world, this echoes in the famous “three filters of Socrates”: Is what you say true? Is it good? Is it necessary?
For the Japanese and Chinese of the past, the message was clear: mastering one’s senses and words was the path to peace, harmony, and wise living.
From the 17th to the 21st Century – why does it still work?
Let us move to our times. We live in an era that sociologists describe as: “too much information kills knowledge.” Every day we are exposed to hundreds, sometimes thousands of stimuli – most of them unnecessary, some false, and a large part simply toxic. Fake news, hate speech, gossip, clickbait – these are today’s forms of “evil” attacking our eyes, ears, and mouths.
Eyes – every day we see images of violence, sensationalism, and drama. Social media feeds us with what shocks and grabs attention, because that is how its algorithms work.
Ears – we hear an endless stream of words: opinions, comments, criticism. More and more often it is noise instead of genuine dialogue.
Mouth – it is easy to get drawn into the spiral of hate, repeating gossip, throwing comments that destroy instead of building.
Are these not the modern equivalents of the Three Monkeys’ warnings?
Psychologists’ research shows that negative information affects us much more strongly than positive. This is the effect of mirror neurons – brain cells that activate when we observe the emotions of others. Watching a horror movie, we feel fear, even though we know it is fiction. Hearing constant criticism, we ourselves begin to live in fear and distrust.
That is why the philosophy of “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” in the 21st century is not naïve. It is a practical recipe for mental hygiene.
Mental hygiene in the smartphone age
The youngest generations are the most vulnerable – children and teenagers who have had smartphones in their hands since birth. They are growing up in a world of constant access to content. When even adults struggle to distinguish information from disinformation, how are the young supposed to cope as they are still building their identity?
Constant exposure to negative content can increase susceptibility to depression and anxiety.
Continuous criticism and comparison destroy self-esteem.
Lack of informational filters leads to mental chaos, lack of focus, and memory problems.
This is where the symbol of the Three Wise Monkeys proves invaluable. It is a simple but effective code: not everything you see must be watched; not everything you hear must be absorbed; not everything you know must be repeated.
The lesson of Socrates and modern psychology
The filters of Socrates – truth, goodness, necessity – are almost the same as the monkeys from Toshogu. If information is not true, not good, and not necessary, it is best to stop it.
Today, psychology adds another dimension: the mind works like a sponge. It absorbs the content that reaches it and begins to reproduce it. That is why it is so important to feed it with what strengthens rather than destroys.
In practice, this means:
choosing valuable sources of information,
limiting exposure to toxic content,
consciously avoiding the spread of gossip and hate,
focusing on what develops, inspires, and gives hope.
The moral strength of the Three Wise Monkeys
Finally, let us return to the message. The symbol of the Three Wise Monkeys is not a command to be blind or silent in the face of injustice – although critics sometimes interpret it that way. It is a reminder of moral responsibility for one’s own senses, words, and thoughts.
Mizaru – see no evil: because I choose not to focus my eyes on what destroys me.
Kikazaru – hear no evil: because I filter what reaches me and do not poison myself with constant noise.
Iwazaru – speak no evil: because I know that words can wound or build, and silence can be golden.
It is a philosophy of mental and social hygiene. It protects the individual but also whole communities. Less criticism, gossip, and hate means more trust, peace, and harmony.
Technology races ahead, but we don’t have to
21st-century technology is developing faster than ever. Artificial intelligence, social media, real-time notifications – all of this makes us feel as if we must “keep up with the world.” But the truth is different: we do not have to chase every piece of information or engage in every conflict.
The Three Wise Monkeys from centuries ago remind us that calm, balance, and wisdom are not luxuries but necessities. Today, they are our moral compass, and their message – as many sources have written – is both simple and profound:
protect your mind from the flood of toxic content,
filter what you watch, hear, and say,
choose what gives strength rather than robs you of peace.
For in a world where everything screams for our attention, the greatest act of freedom is the ability to say: I do not see, I do not hear, I do not speak what destroys.
The shadow of the symbol: when the “Three Monkeys” become an excuse for passivity (critical balance)
To maintain intellectual honesty, it must be clearly stated: the symbol of the Three Wise Monkeys has been and still is interpreted not only as wisdom, but also as passivity – a blind turning away from evil. In many languages, colloquial idioms express this: in Turkish, “3 Maymunu oynamak” (“to play three monkeys”) means “to pretend not to see, not to hear, not to speak” – often in the context of avoiding responsibility. In journalism and historiography, there is also strong criticism of the “culture of silence”: when societies turn their eyes away, close their ears, and remain silent in the face of harm, permission for injustice arises.
In modern colonial contexts – as some scholars point out – the gesture of “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” has sometimes been a metaphor for denial and repression: pretending ignorance when violence, discrimination, or exploitation were at stake. We must take this “dark reverse” of the symbol into account, especially today, when the reach of the media allows us to see more and know faster.
Where is the line between mental hygiene and moral indifference?
“See no evil” does not mean: “I ignore harm.” It means: I do not feed myself with content that destroys me, but I do not turn my eyes away from facts that require action.
“Hear no evil” does not mean: “I don’t listen to witnesses of violence.” It means: I do not absorb gossip and hate, but I listen to voices that need help.
“Speak no evil” does not mean: “I stay silent when protest is needed.” It means: I speak the truth responsibly, without inciting hatred; I call harm what it is – harm.
It is the difference between desertion and discipline: between convenient withdrawal and conscious selection of content, through which we gain the strength to act effectively. If the symbol is to retain moral value, it must be combined with civil courage: when we see evil, we act – but we do not allow the flood of toxic stimuli to paralyze our judgment and take away the energy for wise action.
In practice: mental hygiene + social responsibility. We cleanse the stream of data in order to better perceive what requires intervention. This is not an escape, but preparation for genuine, effective response (from education, through supporting victims, to participating in civic initiatives).
A bridge to modern times: mindfulness and cognitive psychology – how to turn the “Three Monkeys” into daily practices
The symbol becomes truly useful when we translate it into concrete habits. Here two modern fields come into play: mindfulness and cognitive psychology.
9.1. Mindfulness: the Three Wise Monkeys as attention training
Mindfulness is the ability to direct and sustain attention on what matters, with kindness and without automatic judgment. It is the practice of “being here and now,” which strengthens us against the flood of stimuli.
Mizaru (eyes) → practice of “conscious looking”: before opening a news app, ask yourself: “Why?” If the answer is “habit, boredom” – put the phone down for 5 minutes, take 10 calm breaths, return to your task.
Kikazaru (ears) → practice of “kind filtering”: when listening to a discussion, identify the fact and separate it from opinion/emotion. Notice when the tone shifts into hate – stop participating.
Iwazaru (mouth) → practice of “pause before speaking”: before hitting “publish,” check the “3F”: Facts (is it true?), Function (why am I saying this?), Form (is the way not unnecessarily hurtful?).
Mindfulness does not mean “closing your eyes to the world.” It means consciously managing your attention so that you have energy left for what truly matters (learning, work, relationships, helping others).
9.2. Cognitive psychology: how our brain misleads us (and how to deal with it)
Our brain uses shortcuts (heuristics) that in a world of content overload often mislead us:
Availability heuristic: the newest or most vivid information seems “truer.” Remedy: delay judgment (wait 10 minutes, check sources).
Negativity bias: negative content has more impact than positive. Remedy: intentional balance (for every 1 negative source – 2 neutral/positive educational ones).
Emotional contagion (mirror neurons): we absorb the mood of the group/content. Remedy: “information diet” (screen-free windows: 30–60 min morning/evening; do-not-disturb mode while studying).
Confirmation bias: we seek data that reinforces our beliefs. Remedy: “steelman principle”: before criticizing, present the strongest version of the other side’s view.
Cognitive overload: too many stimuli = worse decisions. Remedy: portioning (max 2–3 news sessions per day, 10–15 min each; rest of the time – deep work/rest).
9.3. Micro-tools for everyday life (for young and adults)
STOP rule (Stop–Take a breath–Observe–Proceed): Stop → Take a breath → Observe thought/feeling/stimulus → Act consciously, not automatically.
Socrates’ 3 filters = publication algorithm: Truth? Goodness? Necessity? If 2דno” – don’t publish.
“Windows of silence”: 2 screen-free blocks daily (e.g. 7:00–8:00 and 21:00–22:00).
“Red signal”: if you feel rising anger/anxiety after consuming content → 20 min break (movement/breath/water).
“List of A/B sources”: A = verified, educational; B = entertaining, potentially toxic. Start with A, only then B – and in limited time.
“Words without harm”: before criticizing, ask a clarifying question; if you must correct falsehood – do it fact by fact, without labels.
These micro-practices are simple – and precisely because of that, they work. They turn the symbol into a habit muscle.
Who is this for? For everyone – a call to children, youth, adults, and seniors
Children: the world of the internet is an ocean – put on safety armbands: ask yourself “Why am I watching this?”, tell your parents/guardians what worries you.
Youth: your identity is not an algorithm – disconnect when content “turns up” fear or anger. Socrates’ filters are not censorship, they are self-tuning.
Adults: you are role models for learning. The way you consume and comment on content teaches the young more than any lecture.
Seniors: your experience is the antidote to heuristics. Help verify information, provide calm contexts.
Last word: balance instead of escape
The Three Wise Monkeys do not teach us escape. They teach balance: fewer stimuli – more clarity; less noise – more understanding; fewer harmful words – more goodness.
It is both a moral compass and a toolkit. In a world that keeps accelerating, our freedom begins with the choice of what we allow to enter our minds and leave our mouths.
“See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” – today means: I see what matters, I hear what is needed, I speak in ways that heal rather than hurt. Thanks to this, we – and the younger generations – will not lose our sanity. That is the point.
✍️ Authorship & Source
This article was written by Kim (Japan).
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