TIME

New year, new days, new experience.
Is it really necessary to celebrate something already gone? It's a habit and nature, actually, for us human being to keep on holding something in the past cause no men could live without look back to their past. Aren't we tought and molded by our past? But still the question is, is it really necessary to celebrate the past?

Time is the most absurd essence in this existence where even in the most slight movement we create past and present with a possibilty of future. Why it is only a possibility? Since no body could ever predict time, only planning how to go through time, so it is only possibility that we have in the metter of time. Time could suddenly stop or it could keep on moving. It's absurd since nobody could see or feel time. What we see and what we feel only space in time.
In his famous theory, Einstein describe the anomaly of time. Where in the speed of light space expand. It means that time could create an effect which we could only see in a long period if we could gain a speed that could beat up time and we could jump between border of time. But up till now no man could gain that speed.
For two observers in two different places will feel different kind of time. In one place, the time might move slower or faster than in the other place.
These proves that tme is absurd and relative to a place and an essence.
Back to the celebration. When we celebrate a new year, what we really celebrate just another movement of time which doesn't give any significance to life. What we really celebrate only a time border which created by man, by Pope Gregory XIII in on 24 February 1582 AD by papal bull Inter gravissimas. This year is abolish to reform the Julian year which inaugurate by Julius Caesar in 46 BC.
Although Gregorian year is widely used, by referring to its term of BC and AD which stand for Before Christ and Anno Domini. Both of years are time metrix based ob Christian theology. In human civilization Gregorian or Julian years are not the only time metrixes but in every cultures they have their own time metrix such as Hijriah year in Islam or Vedic year in Hinduism but the basic similarity is the use of solar or lunar movement to create the border or the combination of the two.
Well, that's the man-made border but in its nature time border keep on emerging without any man could make any precise calculation.
So, back to the initial question. Is it really necessary to celebrate it? Is it the time or our creation that we're celebrating? And the final question that we should answer is that isn't it that in each of time movement our existence come nearer to it's end?

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LUDRUK, ART AS MEDIA

Ludruk is a traditional stage play from East Java. The plots of the play circle around common people which differ it from other form of traditional stage play in Java which most of them take Mahabrata and Ramayana story as its basic source. Its earliest form was developed among common people, but in the course of time, it was enjoyed by a lot of number of admirers ranging from the common to the elite. In this respect, Ludruk is greatly contrasted to the Central Javanese Ketoprak, a theater of the same genre in as much as that the latter has been born amidst the ruling class environment of the past. Ludruk could reach more audiences rather than Ketoprak since most of its story deals with everyday issues.

Ludruk has spread fast from Surabaya (now capital of the Province of East Java) to its contiguous towns, such as Jombang, Mojokerto and even as far as Ngadas in Tengger since Ngadas is a village located upcountry about 20 kilometers south of the volcanic Bromo. However, with Government transmigration campaign to various areas in Indonesia, Ludruk does not only exist in Java but also in the areas where the settlement established. Later, Ludruk develop to a new form where the early Ludruk use East Java language in its dialog, the recent form takes Indonesia language in its dialog.
In its traditional form, various components have worked together to bring forth Ludruk in its present setting. The first is "Pencak Silat", a traditional form of self-defense, combining physical agility and semi dance like movements performed to the monotonous beats of kendang or kendangs (Kendang is an oval, relatively small drum struck by a seated player). Occasionally, this art is also accompanied by more elaborate orchestra in which bamboo flutes and gongs have a share.
Secondly, there is the "Bandan". This magic imbued play demonstrates the performer's physical invincibility. The man's body, tightly roped, is beaten with a piece of hard metal, a cudgel, or a sharp-edged whip. To thrill the audience more, the man would lick a glowing piece of metal, swallow burning charcoal or crack his head against hard stones. A "Bandan" performance is normally confined to tradisional ceremonies for the purposes of expelling crop-devasting insects, pleading the deities for soil fertility or as an expression of thanksgiving when crops have been bounteous. Ludruk, however, cannot be reckoned as standard unless "parikan" makes its unique contribution.
According to traditions popular among the elderly people of East Java, "parikan" has over the years seen many modification before emerging in its present "lerok" form. "Lerok" is a humorous theatrical art based on verse dialog played by males only. Thus, "lerok" has an added attraction, being "teledek lanang", meaning theater by men only. Its main themes are taken from life's day to day problems: the hardships of job seeking, broken love affairs, ridiculous domestic quarrels between husband and wife, the age old generation gap between parents and children, etc.
"Lerok" entertains audiences on festive occasions such as wedding ("pengantenan"), circumcisions ("khitanan" or "tetakan"), and thanksgiving ("kaulan"). As far as accompaniment goes, "lerok" is primitive. The music consist of only one kendang, one set of "pekings" (small "gongs" set on strings) and a big bamboo called "gong bambu" blown at the upper part. The actor who portrays a woman character dresses in a red blouse and "batik sarong", with a "sampur" on the right shoulder. He must be exquisitely made-up so as to give a strong impression of feminity and beauty. Graceful gait and coquettish "ogling" at the audience are always supposed to be defining characteristic of "lerok". It is from this frequent ogling or "lerak-lerok" in the dialect of East Java that this art got its name. For a male character, a red fez, red coat and red trousers are donned by the actor while his left ankle bears a "gong seng" or a set of small bells.
A more sophisticated branch of "lerok" is without doubt the younger "besut" or "besutan". Originally, "besutan" means 'coating' or 'elaboration'. This is in keeping with the popular belief that anything wrong or scandalous, involving important community leaders and magnates should not be revealed publicly. Fault-finding with higher authorities is discouraged, or, if considered really necessary, criticism should be subtle. This new art of "besutan" is believed to have proven it self to be an effective means of ridiculing the personae non gratae of the community, yet leaving no room for either formal or informal indictment against the actors. In this veiled atmosphere, the performers are untouchable.
Spontaneity is so indispensable as element in "besutan" that should there be a disreputable character among the audience, the "besut" would unfalteringly and skillfully put the man in a laughing stock position. Meanwhile, the audience would fully enjoy the mocking while the mocked can do nothing but frown in displeasure.
During the Dutch colonial period, "besutan" developed fast and posed as the major means of recreation in East Java, especially in the neighborhood of Surabaya. The performance can take place anywhere outdoors as long as the weather permits. The main reason for this open-air preference is very simple because
everybody likes it. People of all classes, old and young, enjoy this theater. A concealed hartred of cruelty and an oppressed longing for vengeance find their outlets through this cathartic play. In the days of the Dutch, it was the local native rulers who were most resented, because of their willingness to collaborate with the foreign, arrogant administrators, for their priggish attitude towards their own kinsfolk, and disgustingly servile behaviors towards the alien superiors.
The overture is presented by the appearance of the "Besut" on the gloomy stage. He sings melodic verses depicting the wretched social and economic conditions of the time. Simple dance movements break the monotony of the overture. Personal misery is also frequently narrated, but this should be viewed as a facet of a general portrait of people's life. The overture is succeeded by a quite unexpected change of atmosphere. The "Besut" runs hastily and excitedly to spots where bamboo torches are set. He sets the torches in flames, symbolizing an ardent desire to create a bright future, after which the life of the people would be free from oppression, both feudal and colonial.
In later years, the "Besut" was given a new status. He became a fixed figure playing the most important role. Two or more actors are added to the play. The two extra actors are "Paman Jamino" (uncle Jamino), and "Asmunah", borrowed from a popular tradition of "Jombang", or "Rusmini", according to the version of Surabaya. "Asmunah" or "Rusmini" is "Besut's" fiancee, personalized by a male actor. She is described as beautiful and intelligent, balanced by "Paman Jamino" who is wise and considerate of his kinsfolk's suffering. "Besut" him self, represents all positive qualities like bravery, heroism, idealism, perseverance and loyalty. His only trifling flaws are his youth and immaturity, especially when faced with grave danger. On the stage, his bold, and often careless words are corrected by "Man Jamino" and "Asmunah". In the general context, these three personages complement each other so well that the performance is one smooth, vivid portrait of reality, always with human suffering as its main focus.
Up till now, "besutan" has managed to maintain its original plot and setting: There are bamboo torches set alight by "Besut" plus songs full of insinuation accompanied by improvised dialogs to enliven the mood. A new element is, however, in the form of a very simple narrative. This development is often said to have been the result of the nationalistic movement in the 30's which exploited besutan as a means of education of morality and nationalistic awareness. During that period, a piece of white unhemmed cloth was worn, fastened around the waist with a red ash. Again, these colours bore a symbolic function, standing for purity of mind and valor, which were at the same time, the color of the nationalist-proposed banner, solemnly avowed in a Congress of Indonesian Youth in 1928. In the course of time, the white cloth was replaced by a shirt, whereas the black trousers were overlapped with a "sarong". "Paman Jamino" wore ordinary villager's clothes. "Asmunah" wore a red blouse with glaring make-up. More musical instruments were introduced in this later stage, the "gambang" (wooden xylophone), "sarons" (metal xylophones), metal "gong" and zither.
In nowadays, it is possible to use Ludruk to inform its audiences about various developments in their community. Since the characterization in Ludruk is relatively loose, it means that it is easy to introduce a new character that could explain such developments. Even by using the existed character, development could be inform in Ludruk as a daily issue.

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STUMBLED...
TRAMPLED...
and
BROKEN....

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PARADOX NATION

Maybe the most paradoxical nation in the world is Indonesia. Everything in this country is a contradictory.

Indonesia has been elected as the leader of UN human right body. Of course, lots of things have changed since there was a shift of power in Indonesia but the changings are not significant enough to give Indonesia this kind of responsibility. Less state's power abuse, sure it does but human right is not only in physcal abuse but also in the right to gain self emancipation politically, socially, culturally, and economically.

Politically, this restriction is not obvious but in the substantial phase, discrimination to political access is still exist in Indonesia. Not everybody has the ability to be part of any political power without finacial back up. This practice is a major issue since most of Indonesian does not have this kind of support since they live in poverty. This mean that the access has been neglected by economical capability. The problem does not stop here, lack of financial ability will cause them the opportunity to have a better education and health service. The result? Absolute poverty. And poverty is one of the major issue in the war againts discrimination.

Like it or not, Indonesians are still in learning process in how to live civilizely in a democratic atmosphere which give Indonesia a status of apprentice. There is no way a mere apprentice could lead an enormous movement where even the mentor does not give a high value to the subject.

There is another paradox in Indonesia recently. Indonesia will held UNFCC conference in Bali in December 2007. Just the other day, local high court in Medan has discharged the lower court decesion in illegal logging case. Adelin Lis, the suspect, with his PT. KNDI has been freed from all of his legal conviction. The higher court decide that all of attorney's accusations are not proven and the defendant are free of all charge. The only guilt that Adelin Lis done is administrative failure and it's not a crime.

What they considered as administrative failure has added Indonesia's sin as one of the world leading carbon producer. Thousands of hectares of forest had been swept away by PT. KNDI in Mandailing Natal District. The enourmous lost will reduce Indonesia' rain forest conservation to a dangerous limit. The economic value of this Industry, in the long run, does not enough to justified its practice.

Indonesia should do what Uruguay does. Instead of deforesting their rain forest, Uruguay plants more and more trees to substitute their lost. In this project they are able to gain economic benefits in carbon trading.

These paradoxes are only a small examples of Indonesia's inconsistency in their reformation which done only in surface level. The biggest question is not who should be blame for this but will we keep on doing this?

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WOMAN AND PEAGANT

Only last day, Miss Indonesia Peagant overed and another "lucky" Indonesian women received the privelege to be awarded the most beautiful woman in Indonesia. Apart from the controversies surrounding it, this kind of peagant has become media to promote tourism and culture of the country concerned. And this year, Putri Raesmawati of East Java had won the place in the exclusive group of Indonesian women.


But is it really necessary to have this kind of competition among women? Most feminists may say "NO" and even for them who do not really believe in feminism movement may say the same thing.

From its history, beauty peagant was started in the USA in 1921, with the goal to give scholarship for women. But from its sponsorship history, by Catalina Swimsuit, the peagant just looked like a swimsuit competition up till 1950 when the peagant official made the swimsuit as the less important part of the competition (http://wikipedia.org). so, just like shoap opera which got its name from its sponsor, fortunately this peagant did not assumed in the same way.

In case of Indonesia, there is no swim suit section of the competition because culturally, Indonesia will reject this peagant as soon as it put swim suit comptition as its main event.

In his book "Sarinah", the first Indonesian president, Soekarno, classified this event as women movement in the first catagory where women are more give the important of their physical beauty. Even this competition promotes their jargon,3B (Brain, Behaviour, Beauty) but in reality the most important of the three is beauty.

Women are not yet enlighted in this event. In most cases, they are the objects in the competition. We can see from the configuration of the judges in each competition in every country, almost 75% of the judges are men. And, naturally, their judgement will be affected by the physical beauty of the contestants. And this means that their intellectual and behavioural talent are the side value of the judgement.

In the last few decades, every element of world community tries to promote gender equality and in its process, a lots of resources have been spent. In this equality, women and men should be judge by their capacity and ability, not by their physical superiority or incapabality. But in an event where physical appearance take the most important, it seems that the effort to promote equality becoming useless.

Of course, we can argue that it is women's right to choose to take part in the competition, by economical, principle, or popularity reasons. but by the end we can see that not much of benefits can be achieved in the event apart from the promotional value for sponsors of the event. And by this reason, women become the object of commercialism of their beauty.

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ELIMINATION OF A GENERATION

26 June is commemorated as the International Anti-Drug Day. According to the latest survey, around 1.5% of Indonesia population are inflicted in drug abuse. However, the result number in this survey, does not show the real problem in the society and the number may increase when we consider the actual drug abuse in community. In every major cities in Indonesia, drug problems become the main element in moral and physical decadence especially among youths. Even this problem has penetrated small town which for long time considered as drug-free area. Government along with evry social elements have drained a lot of resources trying to solve this problem but uptill now, the number keep on growing instead of falling.

There are many factors why Indonesia has to face such a hugh problem. for many years, Indonesia was considered as the transit area between The Golen Triangle area of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar to East Asia and Australia. But now, Indonesia has become one of the mai producer in Asia especially for drug in Amphetaminae class and ecstasy. Indonesia's geographical situation which close to Mallacan Peninsula and Australia has give the advantage as the bridge between the two region which in result, to cut the production cost, the production is resettled in Indonesia. The loose border control has make it easy for the international narcotic network to smuggle their product in and out Indonesia.


The factor above is only the external geograpical element of the problem. Internally, the obstacle to eliminate drg abuse are more complicated. Strong effort has been shown by Indnesia government - institutionally. But it is a common knowledge in the society that most of drug lords are backed by persons in the army and the police corp. Even in some cases, drug lord whom jailed for years stil able to control his business from inside prison. Tis fact show us that even punishment system in Indonesia is not strong enough to strangle drug network in Indonesia. and also this is the proof of how corrupt is law enforcement in Indonesia. This reality will lead to unimplemented policies of the government. So many cases where persons inthe enforcement agencies are inflicted in drug abuse either as user or dealer. The persons inflicted were not stricted in low rank level but also up to the high rank level.

So much so, the permissive behaviour in the community only worsen the problem. In urban area where the life complexity is higher than in the rural area either in composition wise or in economical demand, the permissive attitude has become common phenomena. It is so easy to rive an issue from a simple one to a more complex one. And also cultural differences between ethnics which comprise urban population make communal control loose.

In a polpulation where poverty an unemployment rate are so high as Indonesia, te economic burden has become the main factor to psh drug abuse and drug trafficking. Betwen youth in Indonesia, it is easy to earn money in drug business where they could easily get the supply and consumer among themselves.

Hugh amount of money is circulated in drug business in Indonesia itself. Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent ach year in drg consumption in Indonesia which if this money is invested in education will surely give a better standard of educationas well as cheaper education in Indonesia.

If the drug problem in Indonesia ould not be solve or at last reduced, in a decade, one generation of Indonesian will loose their ability to compete in international market. it is not only government's responsibility to solve this problem but everyone shold joint forces to destroy drug network in Indonesia.

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Indonesian Press

Democratic life in Indonesia is not as develop as we expected in the recent decade.Since 1998, Indonesia has undergoing the period known as 'The reformation Era'. This era was started by the down-falling of Suharto after his 32-years reign. However, after almost a decade of reformation in every aspects of livelihood in Indonesia, not much of significant change can be observed. Of course, there is much of differences in what we had a decade ago but for common or 'grassroot citizens', life is as harsh as beforew. Number of poverty still increasinf either in stastic value and in real life fact.
Living cost is increasing fast due to de-subsidiziation policy of Indonesian government. This policies are taken to fulfill the necesity to reduce government burden in their fiscal responsibility but most of the time government release their policies in the wrong moment. It is important to reduce subsidies either to reduce government cost or to make people become accustom to a real global price which by the could increase their income itself.

But from time to time, the real problem in Indonesia is corruption rate which consider as one of the highest in the world. Many effort has been done either by government or by any element of community to find the solution to get rid of this problem but none of it could give a significant impact. this is due to that corruption has become part of our culture so, it is rather hard to broken the chain of corruption in Indonesia.
The one that make reformation moving in slow phase is the role of press. Although there are some media which has tried to take the role of public informer and educator to democracy but this role is still not the dominant part of their responsibility to the public. By law, government hand has been a little bit tied up by the elemination of force liquidation of media and licensing. But capital control still became the major cause of self-restriction in Indonesia media. because of their necesity in capital some media have sold their ideality as the public informer and educator to democracy.
There are so many cases where media had put down an issue because of their capital bargain position. the issues might relate directly or indirectly to the capitalist behind the media or someone who are close to the capitalist. When the issues are put down, public will loose their awareness of the issues which will lead to the condition where public pressure become weak and the legal action or solution of the issue will be considered as unnecessary by the policy maker due to public ignorance. In contrast with major media in developed countries, most of media in Indonesia is part of a company which their main business is not in media but in different field. This fact has cause that the flagship company will not able to risk their main business only to maintain the ideality of a fragment of their organization.
Ideally, press should become the bridge between government interest and public interest. However, when press lose their space to move freely, their role as the bridge for both side will lose its meaning. Press position as the third power in democracy should give their true benefit to the public. But in Indonesia, this role will put media in a dilematic circumstance.
Apart from their dilematic position to become trult free, Indonesian media also has to face the fact that most of news content is not substancial. Indonesian public give more interest in issue related to entertainment and the illogical field of supernaturality.
There are some reason for this fact. The first reason is that Indonesian public has have enough of political of any nationalistic drama which do not give them any direct benefits. Most of the political drama in Indonesia has been going on and on without any real solution which make public has to use all of their emation and concentration on the issue just to find out that by the end the result will be far from their expectation. By this reason, Indonesian public would prefer entertainment issues which would not require much attention to it.
The second reason is that culturally, Indonesian public is an agricultural public which is logically will give more attention to their surrounding. And also the low education has made Indonesia public prefer illogical issue which give them diversion of their real life problem. And because of this reason, Indonesia public give their biggest interest in news or program related to supernaturality.
By the end, without a free press and a logical public, reformation in Indonesia will face the fact that it is useless to keep on their movement into democracy.

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POLITICAL INDONESIA

It’s been nine years since Suharto’s falling in May 1998 and Indonesia started the new era of civil life. Preceding Suharto’s falling from his 32-years reign, Indonesia had become one of the worst countries hit by monetary crisis turbulence in 1997 and this economic phenomenon had changed Indonesia in every aspects of its life, in positive way and in negative way.

Nine years and four presidents later, Indonesia still struggles to overcome the damage done by this crisis. Politically, Indonesia now is miles away from a decade ago. Ok, we might not as democratic as what so-called the champion of Democracy, USA, because we are not a liberal state. But we are in the right track to start for a much more democratic life. A free election, freedom of speech, freedom to gather, and many other freedoms, now, have become a practical discourse in Indonesian daily life, not just a theoretical discourse as before.


Of course, life has changed a lot in the last decade. The last time Indonesia had more than three political parties was in 1973, but now more than forty political parties participate in two general elections after 1998, in 1999 and 2004. The increasing number of political parties in Indonesia shown that seed of democracy has grown rapidly but this circumstance also creates more problems where the winning party will have a little chance to win the election as the sole winner. To form a strong government the winning party should form a coalition power to have a proper parliamentary support in each and every policy it will make.

This reality force the new president to think more of his or her political support from a fragile coalition than to think of the actual necessity when it is time to choose person in his or her cabinet. The political bargain in forming the new cabinet may cause instability in the cabinet itself because we cannot put aside the possibility of double loyalty of the person chosen to fill the position in the cabinet. In one hand, the person has to pledge of loyalty to the president and the state but in the other hand he or she also has to show their loyalty to his or her party. And this double loyalty in one point will face the person in conflict of interest.

We can observe this kind of political bargain in the recent cabinet reshuffle. Most of the people chosen are politicians from party which is part of the ruling coalition. Their political support is more important than their capability to run the government.

The other thing is that more than fifty percent of people taking part in active politic in Indonesia have relation with the old regime. This relation influenced their way of thinking and acting in political stage. We might see a lot of new faces in national level but in regional and local level, the faces are the same. They might in different vehicle but they are the same person.

In real life situation, regional and local level politicians have more effect and interest to common citizens because these people are the one who interact directly with grass root community. So, whatever political decisions made in the national level, the implementation still rely on much to these people. And most of the violations are happening in this level and most of the time out of reach of our spectacles.

Again, the political reality in Indonesia is not a pleasant scene especially for them who have no claws in it. But still, we can expect that in the near future some more of positive changes will happen in Indonesia. At this time, Indonesia is still in transition period especially in political concern. Many among the people are still dreaming of the golden era in the past when everything was certain as long as people did not try to disturb the power and it’s hegemony or if the person was part of the power. In the past, stability and certainty only on the surface but below the surface, the float of unjust swept away freedom and justice.

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WHAT IS MAN?

An existentialist is someone who focuses his or her mind merely in the pursue of his or her sole purpose in the world. Many renowned philosophers define the term existence. Most prominence of these philosophers is Jean Paul Satre. Satre proposed his superb terminology of existence precedes essence. His opinion, human comes to the world without any pre-conception of his purpose in the world. His essence is solely built by his existence. Human define his/her own reality.



Existentialistic view of human reality come in opposition of the traditional believe which has come way back since the Greek era where human existence comes after his or her essence already there. In this believe, human already has a purpose even before he or she exists.

Hard core existentialists such as Satre, Hegel, etc denied the existence of God where as other existentialists such as Paul Tillich, Gabriel Marcel, and Martin Bauber who their existentialism based on Christian theology except the existence of God. However, both atheistic and theological existentialists share the same themes and tenets in their existentialism. The choice of believe or not believe of God is a personal choice.

Apart from atheistic and theological existentialism, the third group is the agnostic where in this side; they do not claim to know or not knowing the ‘great picture’. The existence of God for agnostic is something beyond human comprehension. And because of this reason the pursue of explanation of relation between human and God has little interest for them.

In his Essay In Existentialism, Satre said that if man, as the existentialist conceives him, is indefinable, it is because at first he is nothing. Only afterward he is something, and he himself will have made what he will be. In this sense, it is not God or any other thing will responsible for human action but it is man himself responsible for what he does and become. Later Satre argued that human consciousness is the one which responsible for human action from the choice he made regardless any consequences will follow. Human is condemned of his free choice and he himself will receive the consequence of his choices. Following Satre’s guideline, man could only be what he be when his consciousness leads him to a state where man decision becoming reality.
Consciousness in Satre’s term is a being for-itself where as being for-itself, consciousness may change into what it is not. However, further, Satre divide consciousness into two as positional and non-positional. Positional consciousness will create man awareness of his surrounding because it will put consciousness in relation of its surrounding. In the other hand, non-positional consciousness is only being conscious of man surrounding.

Satre stressed his existentialism in the subjectivity of man since man is the one who form and build his purpose. But he did not deny the objectivity of man where man tend to think of something based on other thought rather than purely rely on his own thought. And this reality creates clash of freedom where one’s being become object of another subjectivity. In this case, although a man is responsible of his own choice, the choice he made is under influence of other’s gaze. And man’s existences become ‘in-itself’ or object rather than the subject of authority.

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