Israel versus Palestina

 

Honestly speaking, I am not that into this topic. One beloved of mine seems very interested in this though. Once he asked me whether I had anything to say about this, but at that time both of us were still very busy with our daily activities. We didn't talk about it at that time. And until now, we never talk about this.

 

And yesterday I saw this kinda picture on his WA story.

 

One thing that I know, this case is not about religion, is it? It is about two countries fighting over an area. Who has right? Who doesn't have right? It is a very long long story! And, once again, I am not really into this. The leaders of those countries choose to continue fighting, they don't care about their own people's safety, moreover their future.

 

We, Indonesian, still have so many things to handle and cover. We ourselves still have so much homework to do to reach Pak Jokowi's dream: Indonesia Emas 2045. Let our leaders decide what to do when talking about the fight between Israel and Palestina. Meanwhile, we, Indonesian citizens, keep going on living together peacefully.

 

Let us hand in hand to make our dream come true.

 

PT56 15.05 30/05/2024

Racial Discrimination

 

It is the same old story, I presume, although perhaps we can say that nowadays the situation is getting better -- fairer -- for all races: the Native American, the African American, the Chinese, etc.

 

Just recently I have watched 2 short clips in social medias about the judgmental behavior towards the Native American and the African American. It is clearly seen that the hostile judgment was triggered by different skins. One short clip described how a store manager accused one (prospective) customer to do shoplifting, only because she was Native American.

 

This reminded me of one ex-student of mine. 17 years ago he migrated to the US to get a better living. I once asked him how he did that. He didn't want to explain about it. He just said, "It is very hard to live here, Miss. I don't think you can do this." while in fact I just wanted to know his experience, not to follow his path. Ha ha … Nevertheless, he made it! I mean, until now he still lives there. A year ago he married one girl from Indonesia, then he brought her to live with him in the US, instead of him going back home to Indonesia.

 

However, watching those short clips describing racial discrimination in the US, I came to think about him. His life must be very hard. The income he can get is worth his struggle there, I suppose.

 

PT56 11.24 30/5/2024

 

Religious Snob

 I copied this article from my blog here. I wrote this 18 years ago and now I wonder why I posted it in that blog, not here. ha ha ... 

pic from this site

This is one topic that has been discussed "hotly" for several weeks in one mailing list I join.
Religious snob ...

I must admit that I used to be included in such a "community" because I was indoctrinated like that--that Islam is the only right religion; that embracing Islam will make a group of people better than the rest so that they are the only people who will go to heaven while the rest go go hell, etc.

I didn't use my common sense at that time because of my very young age and also the strong indoctrination given by people I must respect--parents and teachers.

After I used my common sense, and I consider myself to be "awakened" from my long sleep, I found those religious snob very ridiculous.

Naively I thought my "awakening" was closely related to my advancing age.

However, when reading that those joining the mailing list I mentioned above are about the same age as I am, even older, and still they are not "awakened" yet, still consider themselves as the most enlightened, and then underestimate other people who view things from contradictory perspective, I become very sad; even sometimes I feel so broken-hearted. 

Recently a workmate and I have had discussed this kind of thing: what will happen to Indonesia when the people easily judge other people bad only because of the different religion and then they impose their being majority to force other people to agree with their opinion--let's say to apply the Sharia regulations (based on Islamic regulation); while our founding fathers like Soekarno and Hatta (the first president and the first vice president) already formulated Indonesia as a country based on PANCASILA (five principles) that accommodate different religions and encouraged the conducive situation among different religions. Isn't that much lovelier to understand other people? So that they understand us?

Age really doesn't guarantee that someone is wise.

 

July 4, 2006

Why getting married?

 

In episode 15 season 4, Sex and the City, Carrie asked her 3 friends: "Why do we even have to get married? Give me one good reason, aside that no wants to die alone thing."

 

Charlotte answered: "For me, when it is good, marriage gives me a sense of security."

Carrie responded, "I feel secure in this relationship now. Things are great with us."

 

Many years ago, when I asked my students why people get married, in Indonesian culture, the first reason is to celebrate sex (legally, both in the country law and in the religion law). In Indonesia, on the 'surface' culture, people are not supposed to have sex before they get married, although of course, in sub-culture, sex outside wedlock is acceptable. (Am I right? Or not yet?)

 

Related to my post here, from some reasons I mentioned why people get married (in Indonesia), where is 'security' positioned? ('security' as Charlotte mentioned.) But, perhaps, first, we need to find out how Charlotte defined security here. Is it

 

1. Financial security; when the couple get divorced, the wife will get some money from the husband, or on the way around
2. Social security; people know that the couple are married. This is somewhat important in Indonesia now that many hotels ask for a copy of marriage certificate when a couple want to stay a night
3. Another social security: when a married woman gets pregnant, people will not judge her as  a bit*h because she is married, she is legal to have sex, therefore it is accepted when she is pregnant

 

Well, in my opinion, with the shrink of the world (due to internet technology) Indonesian culture -- in this case is getting married -- is still far cry from Western culture. Carrie felt secure in her relationship with Aidan without getting married, from Carrie's point. On the contrary, Aidan felt insecure if he didn't 'tie' Carrie in a marriage bond; in their previous relationship, Carrie cheated on him with Big. Therefore, he really wanted to marry Carrie while (he thought that) Carrie was still head-over-heels in love with him.

 

In fact, marriage does not guarantee that someone will not cheat on his/her partner, anyway. Marriage is as fragile as boyfriend/girlfriend relationship.

 

Don’t you think?

 

PT56 13.48 27/05/2024

 

Friendship

 

Since the first time I watched serials SEX AND THE CITY, I have been amazed by the friendship of the four main characters: Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte. And I was imagining if only I had some good friends with whom I would once in a while 'sacrifice' my me-time to be with them, in the name of 'friendship'.

 

However, then I thought, that was just serials on television.

 

Until I finished reading IS THERE STILL SEX IN THE CITY. And today I read one review about the book, (in this link ) The last paragraph was as follows:

 

In answer to the title question, Bushnell has decamped to the Hamptons, where she relishes planting vegetables, staying in and hula-hooping. These are the bonus years, Bushnell says, an opportunity to reinvigorate and reap the benefits of self-knowledge. Her own Charlotte, Miranda, and Samantha have also moved into the neighborhood, proof of her enduring thesis that friendship is life's greatest love story.

 

In my younger years, when I was still teaching in one university in my hometown, I had some good friends with whom I used to confide in about anything. Until I had to leave that workplace. And I could not make new friends somewhere else.

 

Recently, when seeing Angie, my daughter sometimes go hanging out with some workmates of hers, I remember my time 25 years ago. I seldom went hanging out with my workmates -- at that time I already had Angie while my other (female) workmates were still single. Then after some of them got married, they were busy with their kids. (No 'story' about 'leaving the kids behind' when the time to spend together with the friends came, just like what we can see in serials SEX AND THE CITY.) Nevertheless, perhaps Angie will also undergo what I experienced more than 20 years ago: after some people get married, then everybody will be busy with their family.

 

I do wanna know if there is friendship like the one we see in SEX AND THE CITY in Indonesia.

 

MS48 18.32 16/05/2024