How surreal it is to let these days pass carelessly, until it slips by and reaches the cliff of the year. 2013 has been a wonderful year, and I spent her equally in the States and in China. Too many things happened and too many thoughts accrued to be reduced only to one post, but I am harboring a great sum for 2014. I have no idea when, but it is the time for the sun to rise. It is the time for the examination to be passed, it is the time for the system to be developed. Probably, me too.
Happy new year. To those (if anyone) who reads this blog, I hope you will enjoy the best days of your life in 2014.
Let me tell you a story to end this short post. I visited Lombok, a sunny paradise in the middle of Indonesia a few days back. We decided to stay in a small islet off the main Lombok island, which goes by Gili Trawangan. Motored vehicles are prohibited on the grounds of the islet, hence three means of transportation left to our choosing: 1) walking 2) cidomo, a cart pulled by a horse, fits in 3-5 people excluding the jockey 3) cycling on a rented bike.
So on one of the scorching days, my family decided to cycle through the perimeter of the island, and the terrain wasn't too ideal - it was sandy and somewhat laden of horse manure, due to means of transportation number 2. I was gleefully grinding through the horse manure when my aunt told me not to, and I simply ignored her warning as I rebutted that it was only the bicycle wheel that was getting dirty.
Hence we rode along when all the sudden the road up ahead was in terrible disrepair. I had to come to a sudden halt as my other family members ahead of me had to stop and walk the bike. *thud* I felt a bump on my left calf. It was my sister, losing control of her bike as she tried to stop, and the front wheel of her bike ended up on my left calf. And guess what? It was laden with horse manure.
So I learned karma through horse shit.
Truly Indonesia's Finest,
Tuesday, 31 December 2013
Monday, 9 December 2013
Discrimination & Equality - A Take on the American War against Prejudice
One opinion that I kept by myself (or rather, I shared only with other international kids) about the Americans is how I find they are disturbingly sensitive about certain issues. Since I first came to Amherst, I have been bombarded with campaigns about fighting against prejudice, fighting against racism, fighting against gender inequality, fighting against homophobes, fighting against (insert something negative here).
Now let me make it very clear in the beginning: I don't think it's right to judge people. I am judging the Americans for being very sensitive, but I have to acknowledge that there are merits to being sensitive. It is good that diversity is celebrated. It is excellent that gender equality is celebrated. It is fantastic that gays and lesbians are welcomed with open arms here.
In short, it's perfectly alright to change these unjust status quo for the better. What I'm against is the method, how the change is being carried out. How the words "fight" and "war" characterize the efforts of effecting the desired change.
Fighting against something and waging war against something is wrong on multiple levels: They are ineffective at best and cause massive casualties at worse. Doesn't the very word "fight" itself embody violence? We claim to be a "civilized person" but we still resort to violence, albeit at a metaphysical level, to enact change. What does it say about us? Are we truly different from barbarians?
No, and this not only about self-image. It is the mere fact that fire cannot be extinguished with fire. Hatred can never be dissolved with hatred. The universal law of attraction dictates that you attract what you emit - giving out fights will merely invite more fighting into your life. Instead, focus on advocating the change you want to bring, the end result that you desire. Transcend your adversary. Have faith that you can make that changes happen, do something productive to bring the desired change. Exploding against a racist/sexist/homophobe might feel good, but is it really productive? Will it really bring about the desired change? Will he or she stop being a racist/sexist/homophobe after seeing your anger?
People are definitely entitled to their own views. You can definitely argue that revolutions which brought about many changes for the better involve violence, that they are quick and effective. But are the changes brought about really comprehensive? Is it ever worth spilling blood to prevent blood to be spilled? Does a just war exist? Well, you can say that the use of force is necessary sometimes, from the Jewish people's liberation from Nazi to the Kuwaitian's liberation from the hands of Saddam. I can't, and won't argue against that. But does it mean we necessarily characterize our efforts to bring about change using the same vocabularies, and carry them out based on similar principles? I beg to differ.
Truly Indonesia's Finest,
In short, it's perfectly alright to change these unjust status quo for the better. What I'm against is the method, how the change is being carried out. How the words "fight" and "war" characterize the efforts of effecting the desired change.
Fighting against something and waging war against something is wrong on multiple levels: They are ineffective at best and cause massive casualties at worse. Doesn't the very word "fight" itself embody violence? We claim to be a "civilized person" but we still resort to violence, albeit at a metaphysical level, to enact change. What does it say about us? Are we truly different from barbarians?
No, and this not only about self-image. It is the mere fact that fire cannot be extinguished with fire. Hatred can never be dissolved with hatred. The universal law of attraction dictates that you attract what you emit - giving out fights will merely invite more fighting into your life. Instead, focus on advocating the change you want to bring, the end result that you desire. Transcend your adversary. Have faith that you can make that changes happen, do something productive to bring the desired change. Exploding against a racist/sexist/homophobe might feel good, but is it really productive? Will it really bring about the desired change? Will he or she stop being a racist/sexist/homophobe after seeing your anger?
People are definitely entitled to their own views. You can definitely argue that revolutions which brought about many changes for the better involve violence, that they are quick and effective. But are the changes brought about really comprehensive? Is it ever worth spilling blood to prevent blood to be spilled? Does a just war exist? Well, you can say that the use of force is necessary sometimes, from the Jewish people's liberation from Nazi to the Kuwaitian's liberation from the hands of Saddam. I can't, and won't argue against that. But does it mean we necessarily characterize our efforts to bring about change using the same vocabularies, and carry them out based on similar principles? I beg to differ.
Truly Indonesia's Finest,
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