The Backwards Four-Way Test
Fairfield Rotary July 15, 2024
Do we care enough?
Over this past historic weekend, I was thinking what it was that my Rotary Club - a business group - could do to help calm our country. During the last few months, many of us have become consumed with hate, anger and fear. Most, if not all of it, has been generated by our opinions clashing with others. Our differing - sometimes outraged - viewpoints enter our brain, infect our heart and damage our soul in a bad way.
In the time of elections, we might ask ourselves how much of this hate is appropriate given that there will be at least 150,000,000 votes cast across our nation and each of us can cast… wait for it… only one vote. Right now, today, How might we deal with this hate and fear
One of the key foundational doctrines the Rotarians have is called the Four Way Test. Perhaps we might use that to benefit our communities and country. Let’s look at the 4 question test, but let’s look at it backwards. Here is the test:
First, will what we do be of a benefit to all concerned?
Second, will we build good will and better friendships among family, friends. and neighbors?
Third, will our plan be fair to all concerned?
Looking at the big picture, we must have a ‘yes’ to these 3 goals.
Last of all, what we are going to do based on truth? Being difficult to gauge, let’s ask for a 60% effort. Maybe not perfect, but it is two thirds of t-r-u-t-h. That is the last 3 letters.
Now we have U-T-H which can stand for “U tell Her” or “U tell Him.”
So, what do you tell people? This suggested script is a starting point based on humility and a desire to change. It’s addressed to one we care about and with whom we differ.
SCRIPT:
" I have a problem.
I’ve lost control of my emotions over all of this political stuff. I have lost friends, damaged family relationships and I am becoming depressed.
Depression doesn’t even make any sense. A few years ago I was fine. Some friends were in one political party, some were in another, and some didn’t care about politics at all. I didn’t care who was what and neither did they.
It is not like that anymore. I measure everybody by politics. If I don’t stop doing this, I won’t be able to attend the family get together on Thanksgiving. I’ll have to refrain from speaking to neighbors on my neighborhood daily walk.
Is there a way to get my act together? How are you handling the political news and views going on in our country?
That’s the script. Is it totally the truth about our lives? Maybe more for some than for others. Won’t talking from the heart, looking at the situation from the position of the Four Way Test be an opportunity to care about others? Can’t sharing our communication help us all? Let’s consider the Rotary 4 Way Test in a new light.