My First Paper Competition

Here is my first paper which I proposed to follow some writing competition held by Yayasan Anak Bangsa in 2009. Well my first writing was so bad either in grammar or content, and I just got a certificate as participant only but I really enjoyed it at that time. Haha  this is my first journey to join some writing competition after this.

Minimizing Negative Elements of Modern Life as Realization of Student’s Responsibility Toward Better

 World Change

Oleh Cevi Agis Firmansyah

How is the effect of modern life toward world society?

We often listen the term of modern, but what it’s mean? Although the terms of modern have spread widely in our society for example modern dance, modern dress, modern woman etc. Actually, only few people know exactly the real meaning of modern term. According to Indonesian dictionary, modern is 1.New model, new manner, newest, the very latest 2.Attitude and manner think with manner act that appropriate with period demand. According to Europe history that at first time the term of modern come from Europe enlightenment century with appearance of aufklarun`g (Germany term), after that appear rationalism and empirism. Then appear the term of modern philosophy. At that time, the modern philosophy idealism as if appears to rebel the church doctrine that disturb the life society. Then at that time, appear a new invention, such as Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and Albert Einstein that collapse the paradigm of conservative church.

Modern life has a positive and negative effect. The positive effects such as more develop technology in many aspect, communication, transportation, space, therapy, economic etc. that help people in doing their activities. On other hand, the negative effects of modern life rapidly grow. The rapid development and innovation of technology in social has exerted a great influence upon the pattern of human interaction, and has resulted in the changes of inter-personal and inter group relations. For example society life that intend to individualist, doing everything for world luxury, the humanism value that more collapse etc

The other example of negative effect of modern life is family life, family credibility more collapse because moral, religion and character value have gone step by step. Their parents were busy with their job, parents that should teach their children at the first time lose their function because they more believe to school, exactly favorite and the best school. They don’t know what their children do in their activity.

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What will student do as a struggle front guard in overcoming negative effect of modern life?

The history of movement and change in many countries don’t separated by student of university role. Although thinking of student is not always accepted in their struggle and their struggle is not always win. Student of university ideas are never die. As Mahatma Gandhi a nationalist and spiritual leader from India (1869-1948) says:

“At first, they ignore you, then they laugh you, later they fight you, after that you win.”

The student of university comes up in a struggle front guard. Student of university is not student that always must study but they have a responsibility for their social environment. They are demanded not only for theirs importance, but also for their country, social environment etc. why student of university must do a change? It because student of university have a big chance as a change agent, student of university have an intellectual ability. Besides that student of university as a young generation have positive case, that is energetic and idealist. Energetic is active and full of spirit in doing something and idealist means that student of university free in determining the best thing or the case that is good as their thinking.

The most important thing of change is student have to change their selves first, student have to become their selves (confident). Let’s take an example of Natural River and canal (non Natural River), a natural river is tortuous, rotate and follow an earth surface form. A natural river is not flow up or flow anywhere. The natural river doesn’t seem thinking something and doesn’t implement damage. The natural river becomes itself. The natural river lives in its existence as a river. Now, let’s see Non-natural River. The water flows anywhere, it’s not look charming. The water follows a straight line. Never reach sea and need more technology-flood gate etc to work well. What we want is water become itself, without instruction, pressure from other people. Be your self…! Be your self…! Be your self…! As quote at aa gym mission in 3M (mulai dari hal kecil(begin from small case), mulai dari diri sendiri( begin from yourself), mulai dari sekarang(begin from now)). At second point aa gym emphasize a begin from your self, it’s important because as individual we can’t urge other people do what they don’t like. We must start it by ourselves. That first point what student need.

            Student of university have to bring a good influence for many people. Nowadays, people kill each other, war, criminals, corruption, and kinds of deviation (law, culture, religion etc). To change the negative case of it, we don’t need to become a leader (president etc.). Just be yourself! And conduct everything that useful for society and environment life. Because how small a kindness that we have done and we plant it step by step. For a long time it can make a big effect for world. Someone that plant seed, then give water and fertilizer, it can change become a big something, big and strong tree that one time can be picked its fruits

“What is in behind us and what is in front us is a small problems than is in ourselves”

                                                                                                Ralph Waldo Emerson (1830-1882)

                                                                                                Writer, poet, philosophy from US

            In this modern world, we as young generation should not influence by the negative case such as drunk, drugs, free sex etc. our founding father will sad of it, their struggle for our independence will be futile. If we just now realize it, it will not too late for change. With apply function of student in our life that is agent of change, agent of social and iron stack.

Agent of change

“We are not yet live in full moon light; we still live in transition period. Stay enthusiastic the hawk eagle!”

                                                                                                Speech of Soekarno , agust 17^th 1949.

As statement above, nowadays world intend to bring the people in negative case. I think it not only attacks government but also lower middle class societies have influence of it. Therefore, the change is needed for our better life.  Because the change is absolute value and it will occur. Although we are quiet, the change will occur. But the change will be different with ideology that we are held and we assume that is good.

The next question is why student have to do a change? And doesn’t other people in many profession? Simply answer, it because we are the chosen ones. In Indonesia the people that study in university only in a little bit. We know that the education in Indonesia is still to expensive. Less than 10% that ever study at university. Although the student of university comparison is few than it people, the student of university have to be a struggle front guard of change. We have to realize that we may not lose our responsibility. We may not let the world conduct the change in the wrong side. Student of university have to conduct the change in a good side. As Rasulullah saw say that we have to use five chances. One of them our young period before old period come.

In sociology science, there is two opinion of change. First, materialistic opinion that believes society is determined by technology or goods. For example Karl Mark states that windmill creates a feudal society; steam engine creates industry capitalist society. Or may be we called us as informative society because of internet stream. Second is idealistic opinion that emphasizes idea function. Ideology or value as factor influences the change. As student of university we have to accommodate that opinion for a change that we want. That is because we are potentials to make it come true. In this mission of change, we have to create a method that is not hustle. As I state before, we start in a small scope, such as our self. Until a big scale that is world.

Agent of social

           

            In this function student is demanded to have a compassion feel, care feel, sensitivity, honesty and real contribution to the society that appropriate with their ability each others. Student give a form, color and world face. Their power is not only come from their education but also their power come from their willing and ability in understanding the social problem. Because we come from different background, organization, faculty, department and ability, student is supposed to contribute to society in positive benefit. Student has to join in one mission in order to make one decision for social environment. Beside that student must embed motivation to social environment. Motivation will bear movement that aim to changing direction. This motivation is more important if we remember a scientist opinion (Thuman and Bennet) state that the main factor of civilization extinction is lose of confident, motivation and spirit to survive. Therefore, motivation change society and I assume that with society changing it will influence the other factor such as our nation changing.

Iron Stock

            Student of university is iron stack means that student is demanded to become brave people that have an ability and noble character in continuing the previous generation. Student of university are given education and experience that will useful for our nation in the future.

            In this case student of university is interpreted as future reserve, future asset and nation hope in future. Life is never eternal. All will be change. Our government will not be eternal. It is signed by power change from old group to young group. Therefore, forming of cadres must conduct continuously. University world and its student of university are forming of cadre’s momentum that is pity to pass. Especially for the student that have a chance. There is a Muslim priest state that young have 3 functions, that is:

1.      As router generation (Atthur:21) continuing kindness value that exist in one society.

2.      As successor generation (Al-maidah:54) replacing the bad society with good side that love each other.

3.      As innovator generation (Maryam:42) improving and innovating the damage from society.

According to the history, the young people function is not hesitation. They become a struggle front guard of change. Then, what we do to fulfill the iron stack? The answer is we must enrich our self with good knowledge either in profession side or society side. And we must study for the previous generation mistake in order to not repeat that mistake. Why is iron stock? Not gold stock? May be it because the characteristic of iron that will be rusty in some period, so it need to change. It is similar with the young generation that should replace the old generation. One question, if we don’t build our self, is it possible to build world in the future? The answer is up to you. We must in front guard and don’t to resign. Because resign from struggle is a looser.