The Identity - A Nation of Paradox?
"Bangsa yang besar adalah bangsa yang menghormati jasa pahlawannya" - Soekarno's speech on November 10, 1961.
(The great nation is the nation that appreciates the heroes' dedication)
How true is that statement! And how we tend to forget the history. Somehow, history has been the most boring subject for students. No wonder, that youngsters now start to lose their identity as Indonesians.
Couple years ago, I taught history and ethic classes for grade 7. When I asked my students to recite 'Pancasila' - Indonesia's National Ideology- they failed to do it! Only 2 students could recite it perfectly. When I asked them why couldn't they recite 'Pancasila', their first respond was.. Is it necessary to know 'Pancasila'? Sadly, they could recite the latest songs of Lady Gaga or Korean Girl/ Boy bands, but they failed to recite the national ideology because they thought that it's not important.
It is true that prefect recitation will not guarantee someone's nationalism. But at least, when you can recite them perfectly, you know about the national ideology and why our founding fathers chose that concept as the ideology of the nation.
Hence, the perfect recitation without action is also the same. Many people say that they love this country, but everyday they destroy this country too. They demand the government to solve the flood problem, but they dump garbage into the river daily! They demand the government to pay attention on the ocean ecosystem, but they destroy the coral life with their fish bombs. They demand better environment, but somehow when the government gives some regulations, they start to balk and say that the government is not fair. Even the college students who are known as the agent of change, when they do demonstration for the injustice, if they don't get what they demand; they start to wreck things around them ( which I think it's not fair for other people). They do injustice to protest the injustice?? .... spinning head...
Today is the National Education Day. There are still many children and youngster out there who are craving of better life, better understanding and better knowledge. Instead of asking the government what they must do, I think we should start to reflect this question "How far do I want to go?" It is not about the facilities or chances, but how far do we are willing to stretch our capacity. I think to appreciate our heroes' dedication, we can follow their footstep and create our own history. It starts with one step: .... desire to learn... long life learning as a person, as a part of community, as a part of nation.
Hence, the perfect recitation without action is also the same. Many people say that they love this country, but everyday they destroy this country too. They demand the government to solve the flood problem, but they dump garbage into the river daily! They demand the government to pay attention on the ocean ecosystem, but they destroy the coral life with their fish bombs. They demand better environment, but somehow when the government gives some regulations, they start to balk and say that the government is not fair. Even the college students who are known as the agent of change, when they do demonstration for the injustice, if they don't get what they demand; they start to wreck things around them ( which I think it's not fair for other people). They do injustice to protest the injustice?? .... spinning head...
Today is the National Education Day. There are still many children and youngster out there who are craving of better life, better understanding and better knowledge. Instead of asking the government what they must do, I think we should start to reflect this question "How far do I want to go?" It is not about the facilities or chances, but how far do we are willing to stretch our capacity. I think to appreciate our heroes' dedication, we can follow their footstep and create our own history. It starts with one step: .... desire to learn... long life learning as a person, as a part of community, as a part of nation.
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