it's not about the economy, stupid!

The biggest problem the country faces isn't economic. It appears so but it's not; it's pseudoeconomic. With all the e-j-a-c-u-l-a-t-e-d fuss and resources wasted on Indonesia's economic achievement, our sons and daughters will be "lucky" enough to endure moments of mediocrity before they kill each other in the race to the bottom. A Harvard-full of brightest economists could not save, for the heart of the matter lies deep down in the psyches of the people. It's, yes, within us; not without. It is, yes, mental, the domain where we are all rotting away. And it is, yes, you+me. Dare we expect something from the government, amateurish but most dominant in the predatory tripartite government-business community-civil society relation that consitutes Republik Indonesia? The government comprises the civil servants. Saying civil servants must be reformed has left us nowhere. Asking it to reform itself would be asking for its own political demise. It's a looong winding way. It's not about economy, and what we citizens must do, we must figure it out ourselves. Alone or together.

in order to be try not to seem

Was left with two unrelated thoughts after reading this delightful article, Seven steps to looking and acting intellectual. One is that it may tell something about some things that matter nowadays, a phenomenon not unique just to my country. Two: my blog definitely needs updating. So, to whom to be seems too hard, try to seem?! To those who still fail at seeming, aim at failing...

untitled

If Robert Frost said that a diplomat is a man who always remembers a woman's birthday but never remembers her age, what would he call one who does not know her exact birthdate, does not know her age, but does sincerely want to wish her many happy returns of the day?