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.
.
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 17th
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.
