Any problems facing the nation have actually been caused by its own attitude and stand. In turn it has easily been controlled and manipulated by other parties. This scene has not only happened in the grass root whose independence and way of thinking based on their own rationality, but also in educated circles whose no such considerations and rationality that tend to base their thinking on short-term material interests.
As a result they would all of the time think about their selves, groups, and families. They have never thought society as a whole. All this is a rationality enhanced by modern life systems in which competition is the main principle in life. This rationality has widely developed for being taught in education and disseminated through any media such as radio, television and others.<>
All of the movements have changed people’s way of thinking and lifestyle. This culture has been driven by global capitalism followed by bussiness interests. The movements having touched people’s tastes and appetites have absolutely given negative impacts on such a scale. As a consequence, the values of religion, culture and tradition has gradually and even completely vanished.
This situation has not only disrupted educational circles and religious leaders, but it has also disrupted artists and culturalists as well. The figures of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) like KH Ma’ruf Amin and KH Hasyim Muzadi has repeatedly criticized this situation including pornography circulation. Even cultural practitioners like Hesti Prabowo from the Institute of Indonesian Muslim Artists and Culturalists (Lesbumi) of Nahdlatul Ulama and senior film director Slamet Rahardjo Djarot have expressed their deeply concern over the Indonesian decadent art and cultural legacies enable to deprave moral standards.
Looking at the fact they are of view that what has broken from the nation is its way of thinking and morality. For all this has broken through what so-called as cultural imperialism to paralyze the nation’s spirit, the way to deal with it is through cultural movements like educational institutions.
Even our nation’s figure, Ki Hajar Dewantara has regarded culture as the principle of Taman Siswa, established with the slogan “Kelawan Sastra Ngesti Mulya” (Through culture to reach dignity). This cultural movement has been conducted through education basing primarily itself on legacies and treasures of history and national life that respects morality and feeling. For that reason the cultural movement has taught way of thinking and beauties like sung Java poetry, dance, and gamelan.
The movement, according to Slamet Rahardjo, was still very relevant. As evident in facing military and economic war, the big country like China has developed such soft power by developing its cultural legacies. All this, Rahardjo added, had publicly been introduced through live show, film, or education managed by the Confucianism Institute. Whereas China was a communist country. Nevertheless, Slamet Rahardjo said, the country had really appreciated to the moral teachings of Confucius for his glorious ethos enable to take stand firm against any cultural imperialist powers.
Unfortunately, the government has so far yet to realize the condition for being still involved in a single global system in which it has had ambition to compete with other countries. As a result, the government has never met cultural movements having so far been searching for. Nevertheless, any circles like ulemas (religious leaders), cultural and educational practitioners has started to develop other possible strategies. They are aware that the competition should not be conducted by completely imitating other countries’ cultures. If the government has imitated their cultures, it would always become what called as coolie-country. Due to the fact they tend to develop their own creativities.
If Ki Hajar Dewantara at that time was aware that those running formal educational institutions were colonials that people had been taught in accordance with educators’ interest to be their officials, he would had educated the people to be the nation’s perfect cadres. So art and culture may be used to be such educational medium to face their tastes and tendencies.
The idea to develop cultural movements through high-quality education, art, and culture is a strategic way. It would expectedly be able to reach all people and have soft positive impacts. Actually the people do not want to be taught. Instead they want to be touched to enable them to move and have religious and national consciousness. This is the relevance of cultural movements for being touched is consciousness that is the source of attitude rather than the attitude itself. (Abdul Mun’im DZ)
As a result they would all of the time think about their selves, groups, and families. They have never thought society as a whole. All this is a rationality enhanced by modern life systems in which competition is the main principle in life. This rationality has widely developed for being taught in education and disseminated through any media such as radio, television and others.<>
All of the movements have changed people’s way of thinking and lifestyle. This culture has been driven by global capitalism followed by bussiness interests. The movements having touched people’s tastes and appetites have absolutely given negative impacts on such a scale. As a consequence, the values of religion, culture and tradition has gradually and even completely vanished.
This situation has not only disrupted educational circles and religious leaders, but it has also disrupted artists and culturalists as well. The figures of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) like KH Ma’ruf Amin and KH Hasyim Muzadi has repeatedly criticized this situation including pornography circulation. Even cultural practitioners like Hesti Prabowo from the Institute of Indonesian Muslim Artists and Culturalists (Lesbumi) of Nahdlatul Ulama and senior film director Slamet Rahardjo Djarot have expressed their deeply concern over the Indonesian decadent art and cultural legacies enable to deprave moral standards.
Looking at the fact they are of view that what has broken from the nation is its way of thinking and morality. For all this has broken through what so-called as cultural imperialism to paralyze the nation’s spirit, the way to deal with it is through cultural movements like educational institutions.
Even our nation’s figure, Ki Hajar Dewantara has regarded culture as the principle of Taman Siswa, established with the slogan “Kelawan Sastra Ngesti Mulya” (Through culture to reach dignity). This cultural movement has been conducted through education basing primarily itself on legacies and treasures of history and national life that respects morality and feeling. For that reason the cultural movement has taught way of thinking and beauties like sung Java poetry, dance, and gamelan.
The movement, according to Slamet Rahardjo, was still very relevant. As evident in facing military and economic war, the big country like China has developed such soft power by developing its cultural legacies. All this, Rahardjo added, had publicly been introduced through live show, film, or education managed by the Confucianism Institute. Whereas China was a communist country. Nevertheless, Slamet Rahardjo said, the country had really appreciated to the moral teachings of Confucius for his glorious ethos enable to take stand firm against any cultural imperialist powers.
Unfortunately, the government has so far yet to realize the condition for being still involved in a single global system in which it has had ambition to compete with other countries. As a result, the government has never met cultural movements having so far been searching for. Nevertheless, any circles like ulemas (religious leaders), cultural and educational practitioners has started to develop other possible strategies. They are aware that the competition should not be conducted by completely imitating other countries’ cultures. If the government has imitated their cultures, it would always become what called as coolie-country. Due to the fact they tend to develop their own creativities.
If Ki Hajar Dewantara at that time was aware that those running formal educational institutions were colonials that people had been taught in accordance with educators’ interest to be their officials, he would had educated the people to be the nation’s perfect cadres. So art and culture may be used to be such educational medium to face their tastes and tendencies.
The idea to develop cultural movements through high-quality education, art, and culture is a strategic way. It would expectedly be able to reach all people and have soft positive impacts. Actually the people do not want to be taught. Instead they want to be touched to enable them to move and have religious and national consciousness. This is the relevance of cultural movements for being touched is consciousness that is the source of attitude rather than the attitude itself. (Abdul Mun’im DZ)
