Los Banos Rotary Club History
Rotarians Urged To Start Thinking

Addressing members of the local Rotary Club Tuesday noon, Bob McKinnon, Fresno businessman, said that one of the greatest evils of American living today is hat we don't take time to think. We get so grossly involved in the business of earning a living, and of madly crowding into our lives every possible movement or recreation that we have no time to observe and ponder on what goes on around us.

Mostly, he said, it is a matter of too much "I' and too little "U" –we are so busy telling people about ourselves hat we neglect to tell people how much we appreciate them. As an example, he cited a recent survey taken in a mid-western city, in which 500 telephone conversations were analyzed to determine how many times the word "I" was used. The answer was 3.990 times.

Probing in another thought-provoking field, McKinnon praised President Kennedy for his ability to assume leadership and to express his thoughts coherently—a capability, he said, that is becoming more and more rare in our country.

As a suggestive guide to all Americans, McKinnon offered three rules, which if followed will mean a better and more successful life. They are:
1. Develop the ability to express your thoughts and to assume liability for what you say;
2. Develop confidence in yourself, and be capable of accepting responsibility and leadership.
3. Learn how to live more graciously with your fellow man; be less prone to criticize those whom complain; become more interested in the other fellow and his problems and less concerned about your own lot in life.

The speaker was introduced by Max L. Rouff as Rotary program chairman.

July 28, 1961

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