The Rotary Four Way Test

Ma. Andrea V. Naguit

Manila Science High School

The Rotary Four Way Test is very much a precursor to all maxims of how ev­ery individual is expected to behave. Its emphasis on TRUTH, FAIRNESS, CONCERN, GOOD­WILL AND FRIENDSHIP are the fundamental ingredients of living a decent and meaningful life and ob­serving personal ethics. That is why despite its age-old cliché, the Four Way Test has notlost its prominence and relevance in present times. The question uppermost in the mind of the youth today is how we as youth, should espouse the principles behind the four way test and apply the same on how we think, say or do things.

Since we were little, it has been a mantra among us children to tell the truth and it is foremost in our code of ethics at home that we do not tell a lie because children are indoctrinated to always tell the truth and nothing but the truth. This propensity to tell the truth which we learn as a child is already ingrained in us, that is why when we hear something that seems unusual, it becomes instinctive to ask, “Is it the truth?” and our automatic answer should always be the truth.

It is essential that those who will benefit from the truth be able to thor­oughly transform and change. We sometimes convincingly use the axi­om “the truth will set you free” but this may not hold true in all circum­stances because it is not simply the truth in order to recognize its useful­ness to the people concerned.

Let me cite an analogy on this para­digm. In today’s generation there are some students whose honesty and in­tegrity are often compromised with cheating. While there are students who do not dupe their test and quiz­zes, the cheaters, on one hand, are often the ones who get the academic recognition and the school’s accolade. However, these students who have con the art of cheating will have dif­ficulty proving their worth when they proceed to higher studies and even­tually pursue their own careers. As the saying goes, the truth and admis­sion of weakness will vindicate these cheaters, thus making better persons out of them. Hence, the dishonest will thrive on hypocrisy and deceit­fulness if they choose to embrace and keep their treacherous behaviour.

FAIRNESS and CONCERN are important components of TRUTH. They both come to surface when we speak of the word “truth.” When the youth is said to advocate truth, we likewise advocate fairness to all people concerned. We stand up for truth and fairness in all our actions and pronouncements whether we are in the school, in the community and particularly in our own families. Being truthful and fair will merit GOODWILL and FRIENDSHIP only if exercised with good intentions and with great concern to the plight of other persons.

GOODWILL and FRIENDSHIP are both acts of good faith that we confer to others, particularly those within the realm of our reach. Both are built be being truthful and circumspect when dealing with people, hence, the key to show our genuine concern for others is to take on initiatives that will fos­ter camaraderie and altruism through selfless sharing and role model play­ing in leading by example.

The adoption of the four way test is not something merely peripheral to our daily lives. At the fore of ethical con­siderations is our commitment to truth, fairness, concern goodwill and friend­ship. The issue of whether this ethical framework will work with us solely depends on our willpower and asser­tiveness to embrace this paradigm.

Rotary’s Four Way Test of twenty-four words will be an excellent tool that may be used as universal behav­ioural benchmark. Putting it into practice will be a source of unending inspiration each day, we just have to emulate it, focus all our actions into it and believe in it.