The Rotary Club of Pismo Beach / Five Cites
Rosie Salitore, Third Place
Grade 8, Judkins Middle School
Teacher: Ms. Richards
Peer pressure, bullying, gossip are all subjects that we can all contrive the questions of the Four-Way test. The Four-Way test enables us to analyze our moral behavior. Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it help build good will and better friendship? Is it beneficial to all concerned? These four questions provide a path to a better, brighter future. The Four-Way test reflects on the four most important moral questions that will guide you to the truth in every situation. The Amanda Todd incident was a situation where the Four-Way test should have been applied; it also shows why us as people need to judge ourselves more based on using the Four-way test.
Amanda Todd was your average teenage girl who had dreams, feelings who cared and all she needed was someone to tell her they cared back but what made Amanda Todd stand out was her story. Young Amanda Todd was only 15 teen when her innocence was taken from her. The pressure of bullying, gossip and the struggle to be perceived as perfect in the eyes of her peers pushed her to a point of no return and on October 10, 2012 she committed suicide. The stress of the rumors and constant fear of not being excepted became too much for her to handle. Everyone makes mistakes why did she have to pay with hers with her life?
Was It The Truth?
Honestly, rumors and gossip only cause pain in the end someone always gets hurt and in this situation that was Amanda and all of the others who grieve her loss. In the end it didn’t really matter if her mistake was the truth or not. Yes, she did make mistakes but then again who doesn’t? Now, if the rumors of showing graphic images to these boys by accident were true it still wouldn’t change the fact that she is now gone.
Will It Build Good Will and Better Friendship?
This incident only caused heartbreak for not only Amanda but for everyone who loss this innocent life. One would hope that the people who bullied her to her breaking point would feel guilt for not stopping and for all the pain they caused her. For all of the lonely nights and lost tears and most of alL.for killing her. This predicament grabs my attention and slaps me in the face. It brings me to reality. I only wished I could have saved her, I only wished I could have showed her someone cared…l wish I could have showed her I cared. It makes me think how many people are out there exactly like her? They could be anywhere. It also makes me think I need to make sure I use the Four-way test to for everything that relates to rumors, gossip because I would never want to hurt someone the way they tortured her. I would never want to be responsible for causing someone to think the only way to save themselves is to kill themselves.
Is It Fair To All Concerned and Is It Beneficial To all Concerned?
Is it fair for a 15 year old girl to be bullied her breaking point? Was it beneficial for so many of our peers just like Amanda, to have to feel the pain hatred brought against them? In some cases most people don’t realize what they are really doing and how it’s affecting the other person. They never stop to think: how will what I am doing affect the other person? Is what I am saying the exact truth and nothing but the truth? Will this be beneficial to everyone and will it improve my friendships or will it have a negative outcome on the situation? These few questions seem very meaningless and are often overlooked and underappreciated, but people just don’t realize the true impact that these moral checks can have on any situation. I plan on making it my mission to encourage more peers to consider using the Four-Way test to improve friendships and prevent bullying and reduce gossip and rumors. If the bullies in Amanda’s situation used the Four-Way test Amanda would still be here today shining her bright smile to make this world a better place.
As a result to learning about Amanda Todd’s story and feeling the heartbreak and compassion for this girl rea//y gfVes me a reality check. It makes me use the Four-Way test for every scenario that I am unsure about. The reason for this is the compassion that I feel for Amanda and her story and Amanda is only one soul, one angel out of the thousands of teenagers who commit suicide every year. The reason why I have so much compassion for Amanda Todd and this subject is because she reminds me of my best friend who tried to also take her life and right before she did she called me. we were fighting so I didn’t answer and because of that I almost lost my best friend luckily she was fortunate enough to be saved no thanks to me but I regret not answering the call. All this makes me want to show the world the Four-Way test can save so many lives and I just wished I could have saved Amanda’s too. If someone were to apply the Four-Way test to Amanda Todd’s situation maybe we would still have one more angel on earth today. Amanda was my angel who showed me that the Four-Way test does matter. I just wish I could have been hers.