What will i say here is not to blame any country nor to provoke, i just want to share our conversation and my opinion about it. Feel free to leave comment.
Tonight i followed my Japanese friend, Katsutoshi Shiota to meet with his friends to drink. I was introduced to other Japanese student, Sho and two South Korean students. The most interesting topic we have that night is about the relationship between this three country, Japan-Korea-Indonesia. Japanese ask Korean about how they think of Japanese, what the mass media said about their country, how the recent relationship status between these two neighbour country, and what they think the problem is. According to their conversation, the main problem between Korea-Japan is historical matter, beside economic issue. Each country holds their own pride and identity. Although Japan has invaded South Korea before, it doesn’t make South Korea feels as a subordinate. South Korea had totally independent as a nation. It is give me a whole new perspective about Japan and give me a very interesting info about South Korea (I only know a bit about South Korea entertainment before..haha). When i read or ask what Indonesian think about Japan, they and ME only give an answer about how amazing Japan is. The same thing may be will happen if i ask them about other first world country. Name it: South Korea, European countries, US. Many of Indonesian may be would be glad if they were live in those country.
Indonesian, in other way, still feels as a subordinate from other country. I think, we, Indonesian people is not totally independent yet, especially in mindset, or as my friend said, anthropological aspect. For 350++ years Indonesia has been the slave nation who exists to service other country, other nation -using our resources- . During that time there are ranks that divided between european, chinese, arabic, and locals. Of course, there are different treatments for each ranks. The locals is in the lowest rank. So, may be that is what made Indonesian people today. We are not confidence of our own selves, our own belongings.
Indonesia is the country that gain so much attention from other country including Japan and Korea. I think all those “first world” country see Indonesia as their gold mines. Why i said so? because:
- Indonesia has a very large potential market
- Abundant resources. What do you need? Indonesia has it all (well, not all, but almost, and we have the substitute. Ha!).
- May be don’t have capital or technology to utilize those resources. So those other country may be can exploit the resources.
- Indonesia middle class people is growing even bigger. Means the life style will be change. Imported goods demand will increase.
- I think we are now too lazy to make our local product. So much policy that don’t give people benefit. It is easier to just bring that well known brand to Indonesia. This will harm local business and drive to consumptive lifestyle who only searching for prestige, not function. This situation is an outcome of community or government that only think for a short time benefit, that will brings a long term collapse.
- Poor bureaucracy, policy, and corrupted government.
- Etc.etc.etc
I am sorry for saying such a bad things about my country. I know, we all fed up with this kind of complaint. I also thinking so hard about what can i do for this country (that’s why i really want to be an entrepreneur). I just want to give a background information about Indonesia to my friends who asking how come Indonesian situation is now like this. Why there is such a corruption, bribery, and political circus show happen in Indonesia. The fact, corruption and bribery exist since colonial era (I’m sure it is not only happen in Indonesia, though). They said it is already flows in blood.
We also talk about how the most building in Indonesia doesn’t have the Indonesian identity. The developer likely to build the “Other Country”-style building. Venetian-style cluster, Parisian-style, Korean-style, Japanese-style building, etc. We are going to lose our own identity day by day. Yes. Why we can not appreciate our own heritage and turn it into our strength, since it is unique and can not be found in any other places except here? We can always modified it in our own style.
Actually, i am impressed, very much impressed, with Korean entertainments today (Japan too ^^ ). They can affect us, make us know, they advertise their culture, their heritage, their unique points through entertainment. Foods, fashion, tradition, etc, i learned it from anime and drama. Make me very curious how the dorayaki and kimchi taste is, how is it like to wear that kimono, how cool it is to use chopstick, how fascinating it is to learn korean or japanese language, etc. It is all about marketing. Korea and Japan can marketing their culture, their values, very good through media that we all loves. Entertainment.
Since childhood, kids are told about famous fairy tales and story from the west country. It is seldom found the children that knows local folklore. We are become so much depend to other country. We can not do (almost) anything on our own. May be that’s why our government is easily driven by other country. We always afraid. We always want to please others, sacrificing ourselves. Causing damage without knowing.
Please, let’s do something.