The Rotary Club of Pismo Beach / Five Cites
Tyler Malley, Third Place
Grade 9, Coastal Christian School
Teacher: Mrs. Limon Principal: Mr. Hoekman
The Four-Way Test can be used to encourage others in everyday life. If people used the test before making certain decisions, life would be different and friendlier. There are countless decisions every single day, and to think about how one’s own choice affects others it can drastically sway the outcome of the action.
One component of the Four-Way Test is whether or not the words one speaks are the truth. For example, if a person hears a piece of information and they are not sure if it is true, they should not spread possibly hurtful rumors. However, people do not weigh the negative aspects of a rumor and spread them, not knowing how much those words can damage a person’s life. In many schools, rumors can ruin reputations and the fun experience of high school. Spreading untrue bits of information and damaging statuses among colleagues is completely unjust and careless. Some national news networks such as CNN spread false information and damage people’s reputations- especially Donald Trump’s-which is completely irrational unacceptable. Overall, if people were to kill rumors before they become unstoppable by testing the truth in the statement, reputations can stay unaffected by false information.
Another aspect of the Four-Way Test is if it is fair to everyone it concerns. For instance, if someone makes an action that is clearly not fair and leaves out certain individuals, it can hurt feelings and lower a person’s self esteem. If a leader makes a decision, they should make sure that no one is left out, forgotten, or taken advantage of or else they should not be fit to lead. In the American government, Obamacare was issued during Barrack Obama’s presidency, and it was absolutely unfair to the hard-working people as a portion of their well-deserved money was taken and handed out to individuals who did not work hard and were not going to seeing as to how the government would give away other citizens money. This is unfair to working individuals and discourages work for those who are on the receiving end of the handouts and free healthcare. All in all, one should see how a decision can impact everyone, not just a specific few.
Also, a portion of the test is if it will build friendships and spread goodwill. An example can be if a basketball player misses a shot, to encourage them for the next shot and not break them down by criticizing the miss. Many times if a person messes up or does something wrong, peers will scrutinize them and make them feel bad about a simple mistake. Some may think it’s funny, others might think that it helps them to not make the same mistake, but to really use the four-way test, one should encourage and build them up and make them forget the mistake ever happened. People should do this not only for friends, but for strangers as well. Sometimes people criticize professional athletes for messing up and do not realize that if it were a friend of theirs that it could really hurt. Basically, encouraging others and helping after a mistake happens is better and more useful than some seemingly harmless and meaningless criticism.
Similarly, the fourth part to the Four-Way Test is whether it is beneficial and good for others. So, if one is going to say something, they should think about if it is actually beneficial to the recipient or if it is just hurtful. Most if the time people speak without a purpose and very often say rude words and make horrible decisions that lead to the pain of others. Mainly, people say mean and rude things and do not think twice about the impact the statements may have. This often occurs in professional sports games when the players get angry and begin slinging insults at each other, potentially getting them ejected from the game. If people were to put a positive purpose behind their words, others would speak the same and society would build each other up and become friendlier among schools and neighborhoods.
At the end, the Four-Way Test is important in everyday life in that it puts truth and purpose behind words, and that it forces one to see the other side of their actions. This is important in today’s modern world where people make rash and harsh decisions without weighing the facts. Most decisions leave people left out or outraged, however if people were to use the four-way test for these decisions, people could live better, happier lives.