Do you want to be a better person? Part 1

[WomanOfSubstance]

Have you ever heard of the 4- way test?

Why do people get into misunderstandings constantly? Why do we see so many challenges facing our leaders/leadership today from graft, misappropriation and outright theft to flagrant lack of respect for the rule of law?
Why is it that men and women in relationships get into loggerheads all the time?
Do u think you are always right and that your spouse/partner is the only one who is always on the wrong?

We must admit that we are selfish most of the time . Im sure you, like me, would like to see a better world, better relationships, peace reigning, people respecting each other more etc. To achieve this, we need to start the change process with ourselves. This will have to begin with you and me as individuals - changing our attitudes towards others and slowly before looking to change bigger problems of the country and ultimately the world.

Efforts to change the world will always be foredoomed if people lack respect and understanding for one another. According to Angus Mitchell, President of Rotary International, 1948-49 …if each of us were to use The Four-Way Test, we would begin to make progress toward the solution of world problems.

The test consists of four short questions
1.Is it the truth?
2.Is it fair to all concerned?
3.Will it build good will and better friendships?
4.Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

The Four-Way Test is now being used successfully around the world in business, government and schools as an effective measuring stick for conduct. It is a guide to RIGHT thinking. If memorized and constantly applied to relations with others, it will make a definite contribution toward more effective and friendlier relationships.

TRY IT FROM NOW ON AND SEE IF IT WILL MAKE YOU A BETTER PERSON.

Test 1.
If you are a leader and you think of embezzling funds under your custody, just apply the 4 –way test and see if you will still have the courage to proceed with your mission.

Test 2.
If you are here on JF and you think of insulting another member just apply that test and see if your fingers will have the same speed to play with the keyboard to hurt another member.

Members you can comment on the test and add more examples....

WoS on a mission towards a better JF

 

[Bluray]

What if the answer to question 1 is yes, but to the rest of the questions is a big NO?

 

[WomanOfSubstance]

What if the answer to question 1 is yes, but to the rest of the questions is a big NO?

Then you should abandon your mission immediately!

 

[Bluray]

Then you should abandon your mission immediately!

So truth is not of paramount importance? Are you encouraging lying and deceit?

 

[Superman]

WoS on a mission towards a better JF

WoS;

I tend to agree with your presentation. Attitude plays a major role in the way we look into different things and the way we live.

Kuna swali moja ambalo kama kila binadamu angejiuliza na kutenda yapasayo, dunia ingekuwa mahali pema pa kuishi. Maswali kama:

Je Maisha ni nini hasa na yana faida gani?

As for me Satisfaction ya maisha yangu ni pale ambapo nitaishi vizuri na walimwengu na kuwasaidia wenye shida na kuifanya dunia iwe a better living place. Nikifanya hivyo, hata saa yangu ya kufa ikifika, I feel I will be at peace.

 

[WomanOfSubstance]

So truth is not of paramount importance? Are you encouraging lying and deceit?

No way!
The essence of the test is to promote and encourage right attitude including telling the truth coz in right there is might!

 

[Bluray]

No way!
The essence of the test is to promote and encourage right attitude including telling the truth coz in right there is might!

My question is, what if the truth conflicts with people's feelings for example (Conflict between question 1 and 3).Do you align with the truth or protecting people's feelings?


That baby there ugly as hell, and you know it, yet no baby is ugly to her mama. And the mama asks you, "isn't he cute ?"

How do you truthfully but respectfully reconcile question 1 and 3?

This light example is just used as an illustration, one can very easily substitute some heavy philosophical issues such as religiosity etc.

 

[WomanOfSubstance]

My question is, what if the truth conflicts with people's feelings for example (Conflict between question 1 and 3).Do you align with the truth or protecting people's feelings?


That baby there ugly as hell, and you know it, yet no baby is ugly to her mama. And the mama asks you, "isn't he cute ?"

How do you truthfully but respectfully reconcile question 1 and 3?

This light example is just used as an illustration, one can very easily substitute some heavy philosophical issues such as religiosity etc.

You have a point and I see it vividly but the use of this test is to guide us when we are about to take some action.
Using your baby example, - if I may ask, what further action will u be intending to take after assessing the beauty/ugliness of the baby?

 

[Bluray]

You have a point and I see it vividly but the use of this test is to guide us when we are about to take some action.
Using your baby example, - if I may ask, what further action will u be intending to take after assessing the beauty/ugliness of the baby?

I see where you are coming from.

I will be intending to be a better person who values truth and integrity on the one hand, and friendship with the mother on the other.The friendship may develop into some romantic one, even marriage, but I do not want to be a cheap flatterer to attain anything with no guiding morals.

This is a hypothetical by the way.

 

[TANMO]

Hapa kazi ipo...

 

[Junius]

Its truely working.

 

[SMU]

The test consists of four short questions
1.Is it the truth?
2.Is it fair to all concerned?
3.Will it build good will and better friendships?
4.Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Ni test nzuri lakini majibu ya maswali hayo kwa kiasi kikubwa yanatawaliwa na tofauti zetu. Nitasema machache.

Is truth absolute? (Ukweli kwako si lazima iwe ukweli kwangu. Kumbuka hata macho mara nyingi yanaona kile ambacho mtizamaji anataka kuona! Inategemea pia na experience. Kilicho kweli kwa mtoto mdogo kinaweza kisiwe kweli kwa mtu mzima nk nk)

Is truth really static ? Ukweli leo bado utabaki ukweli kesho? Kuna kipindi dunia 'ilikuwa flat' (it was almost an absolute truth! - watu walinyongwa kwa kujaribu kusema dunia ni mviringo(yai)!).

Fairness is also very subjective not only among individuals but also among nations. There are alot of dilemas around the concept of fairness like abortion, polygamy, gay marriage just to name a few. Bush aliivamia Iraq kwa madai ya kulinda maslahi ya wamerekani - to him this was Fair! Al Qaeda is killing innocent people in their fight for Islam and agaisnt the US - to them this is also Fair!

Ninachojaribu kusema ni kwamba, majibu ya maswali ya hiyo test can never be absolute na hivyo tofauti/vita/ufisadi zitaendelea kuwepo hata kama watu wataaplly hiyo test.

 

[WomanOfSubstance]

Ni test nzuri lakini majibu ya maswali hayo kwa kiasi kikubwa yanatawaliwa na tofauti zetu. Nitasema machache.

Is truth absolute? (Ukweli kwako si lazima iwe ukweli kwangu. Kumbuka hata macho mara nyingi yanaona kile ambacho mtizamaji anataka kuona! Inategemea pia na experience. Kilicho kweli kwa mtoto mdogo kinaweza kisiwe kweli kwa mtu mzima nk nk)

Is truth really static ? Ukweli leo bado utabaki ukweli kesho? Kuna kipindi dunia 'ilikuwa flat' (it was almost an absolute truth! - watu walinyongwa kwa kujaribu kusema dunia ni mviringo(yai)!).

Fairness is also very subjective not only among individuals but also among nations. There are alot of dilemas around the concept of fairness like abortion, polygamy, gay marriage just to name a few. Bush aliivamia Iraq kwa madai ya kulinda maslahi ya wamerekani - to him this was Fair! Al Qaeda is killing innocent people in their fight for Islam and agaisnt the US - to them this is also Fair!

Ninachojaribu kusema ni kwamba, majibu ya maswali ya hiyo test can never be absolute na hivyo tofauti/vita/ufisadi zitaendelea kuwepo hata kama watu wataaplly hiyo test.

You may have a point ila nadhani ili test hii ifanye kazi inavyotakiwa hebu tuchukue mfano mdogo tuujaribishe:
Fairness:
Aborting may be fair to the one intending to do it..lakini test inataka uangalie fairness to all concerned... It may be fair to you alright but is it fair to the unborn child/foetus?
Kwenye UFISADI - mtu kabla hajaamua kukwapua mabilioni anaweza kuapply the test kipengere cha fairness - wewe mtu mmoja kuficha vijisenti huko Jersey ilhali mamia ya Wazt wanakufa kwa kukosa pesa kidogo tu - labda 200,000/- kufanyiwa operation ya kuokoa maisha.
In short the test inataka kujipima kwa misingi ya " kama ungefanyiwa wewe ungefurahi"?Ukianza kuingiza philosophical questions basi hapo utakuwa hauko genuine katika kujibadilisha uwe mtu bora zaidi.The more philosophical you try to be, it means you are really struggling to justify your bad actions na hivyo kutokutaka kubadilika - thats how I see it.

 

[Bluray]

Ni test nzuri lakini majibu ya maswali hayo kwa kiasi kikubwa yanatawaliwa na tofauti zetu. Nitasema machache.

Is truth absolute? (Ukweli kwako si lazima iwe ukweli kwangu. Kumbuka hata macho mara nyingi yanaona kile ambacho mtizamaji anataka kuona! Inategemea pia na experience. Kilicho kweli kwa mtoto mdogo kinaweza kisiwe kweli kwa mtu mzima nk nk)

Hapa tutofautishe opinion na fact.Opinion kila mtu anayo, fact kwa mujibu wa definition inatakiwa kuwa absolute.

Is truth really static ? Ukweli leo bado utabaki ukweli kesho? Kuna kipindi dunia 'ilikuwa flat' (it was almost an absolute truth! - watu walinyongwa kwa kujaribu kusema dunia ni mviringo(yai)!).

Dunia haijawahi kuwa flat, ilifikiriwa kuwa flat. The truth is not democratic, hata kama dunia nzima tukipiga kura kusema the world is flat, if it is not, it is not.Again, tutofautishe the perception of the truth from the actual truth./

Fairness is also very subjective not only among individuals but also among nations. There are alot of dilemas around the concept of fairness like abortion, polygamy, gay marriage just to name a few. Bush aliivamia Iraq kwa madai ya kulinda maslahi ya wamerekani - to him this was Fair! Al Qaeda is killing innocent people in their fight for Islam and agaisnt the US - to them this is also Fair!

This is a true bone of contention.

Ninachojaribu kusema ni kwamba, majibu ya maswali ya hiyo test can never be absolute na hivyo tofauti/vita/ufisadi zitaendelea kuwepo hata kama watu wataaplly hiyo test.

While the philosophical nature of the questions almost guarantees that no absolutes will be reached, some of the examples given are inadequate and fall short of convincingly conveying this.

 

[SMU]

Bluray,

I hear what you are saying.

Hapa tutofautishe opinion na fact.Opinion kila mtu anayo, fact kwa mujibu wa definition inatakiwa kuwa absolute.

I agree facts are absolue. But we are talking about 'truth' and not 'fact'. Mind yoiu truth is not necessarily related to fact. Truth is a state of mind while fact exists outside our minds (fact is a state of affairs!). To ask if something is true or not is not a meaningful question unless it relates to our internal world and to our capacity as observers.

Dunia haijawahi kuwa flat, ilifikiriwa kuwa flat. The truth is not democratic, hata kama dunia nzima tukipiga kura kusema the world is flat, if it is not, it is not.Again, tutofautishe the perception of the truth from the actual truth.

Yes, according to the current knowledge dunia haijawahi kuwa flat (that is why I said 'ilikuwa flat' - do you note the invented commas?). Again truth is a state of mind (facts are outside our minds - they are real) and everybody has his own mind! Truth only exists in our minds and hence arguably can be democratic (if most people's minds say something is true it become the truth!).

While the philosophical nature of the questions almost guarantees that no absolutes will be reached, some of the examples given are inadequate and fall short of convincingly conveying this.

Well, that is what I would call an opinion!

Haikuwa nia yangu kuupeleka mjadala huu this much philosophical. My argument is that the current situation haitokani na watu kutojiuliza maswali hayo bali ni kutokuwapo na majibu ya moja kwa moja ya maswali hayo au majibu kutofautiana kutoka mtu mmoja kwenda mtu mwingine (au jamii moja kwenda nyingine).

Kuna mjadala kwenye jukwaa la lugha kuhusu kuwa na lugha mmoja dunia nzima ambao kimsingi naona unafanana sana na mada hii (phylosophically!).