Why not be consistent? Part 2

After I published my post on Indonesian consumers' consistency by taking the example of difference between what people say and what people do regarding pirated stuffs. My best friend responded immediately, mentioning an idea that I want to share here. It turns out that there is a facility that offer free music to download. But this one is not pirated. It is free because the songs distribution are sponsored. The sponsors place their ads in the beginning of the track. I might have been missing some news here. But I really think that it's a good idea. Reserve the pricey records for true fan and audiophile. For the rest of us who just want to hear the latest music once or twice at our own convenience, let us use this facility.
So there is a solution. If only there is a political will.

Picture from http://www.flickr.com/photos/ousby/48700851/

40s, 50s, 60s, what about 20s?

I watched Oprah this morning. She was talking about why people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s ought to be happier than ever, instead of having a mid-life crisis. It is because, despite the fact that their bodies are weakening, it is the time of their life when they have gain full knowledge of what they are and what they want. And the best thing is, people listen when they speak. I agree to some extent. Sometimes I look at my Mom and I think that being 40s or 50s today is easier than being 20s now. Mentally, people in their 40s and 50s should be happier than they were when they were 20s and 30s, because now they can say, "Yes" or "No" while actually meaning it. They can be unavailable for other people. They need not comply to other people's needs and messing their mind with other people's problems. This is the time for them to get the most of their lives, do what they have always wanted to do and achieve their hidden obsessions.
But then I think, why should this sense of life ownership and awareness come in the 40s, 50s, or 60s? Can't we, in our 20s, also gain the same realization and power to enjoy our lives to the fullest?

The answer comes down to a matter of struggle for survival. Like other living beings, human struggle for survival, probably even less subtle than other animals. We take jobs that are not our dream jobs but we stayed because we are uncertain of the odds of success in other place. Even if we think we have the right job, in workplace we do things for the sake of complying to other people's wants or to please other people. Why? Because in our society, conformance is the safe way and by conforming, we struggle less and save our energy. We try to fit to the environment to survive. The aim is to make it easier for us to pass our genetic materials to the next generation. To lay the foundation for our descendant's future. How many people get marry with the thought of having a partner in old days? The first aim is usually to develop a family, to have kids. It's shortsighted plan that most people have.

And then after the deed is done and we reach our old age, we see that we have not give a decent thought for our own happiness and now that we have nothing to lose, we feel free to do whatever we please. As if we have done our obligations and now it's time to take our rights.

I might have this all wrong. Probably this is not how most people behave. But the next question remains: How do we achieve our self-liberation in the 20s? Is it possible? Or are we destined to conform, for the sake of our future, our golden age, when we then free to liberate ourselves? Or is there any other way?

Pictures from The Sartorialist.

Why not be consistent?

Today I joined this course on Integrated New Product Development and Innovation. One of the lecturers, an experienced ethnographic researcher mentioned the fact that Indonesian consumers are not consistent people. What they say will most of the time different than what they do. Hence, survey methods through questionnaires will not be sufficient to uncover the true behavior of the consumers. What is also important, is an ethnographic observation.

Inconsistent. Cannot agree more.

I am talking about how people utter their sympathy on the loss of recording industry due to pirated stuffs. But the fact is, most people consume pirated stuffs without thinking twice.
Now that the campaign of "Change for The Better" is on TV, why don't we start from ourselves, by asking the same question and answering them the way we would have answered if the question is asked in front of public. "Will I use pirated stuffs? Will I deliberately endanger the local industry by stealing stuffs?" Try to answer the right answer, not the truth and then align ourselves with the right answer, so that we can change to the better.

I'll start with myself from now on.

Inspired!

I am inspired tonight!

Honestly speaking, I've been despondent for the past 20 hours or so, since I discovered that what I thought was hard work and motivation didn't make me better off. All the hard work was not good enough and I was beginning to think that what I'm facing now is too much for me. I haven't given up...but I did think of other things to blame. I was a geek, then a biologist, now a banker-wannabe. Am I not suitable for the job? Am I not up to the challenge? Am I not fit?

But then I read this article about the power of an outsider.

Hey, I was and am still an outsider in this new corporate world. I have not absorbed the culture, I still hold my own values, I don't know the people and I am still trying to get through with my own unusual way. But the article gave me hope that being an outsider is actually an advantage in some times. Of course, I still need to discern the times when being an outsider is beneficial, and when to (in my case) learn to be an insider.

Some people even fake being an outsider. This strategy is said to rescue them when they make mistakes. Okay, that kind of move might be too political and the purpose is not virtuous, but doing exactly the opposite (i.e. pretending and overselling yourself as an insider while you haven't grasp the juice) will not be a wise move either.

In addition to the above article, I was also inspired by one of the comments. It described that as a young person, the writer used to tried too hard to convince people that he is competent, offering helps and giving unsolicited advices, etc. But then he realized that people did not respond very well to his actions. On the contrary, people were intimidated and felt that he is the he-thinks-he-knows-it-all kind of person that will take all the credit he can get. Poor thing, huh? But then he realized the trick, that people will see his true quality when he isn't busy "showing" it off (even though he never meant to do it).

So, why sweat? I am considered an outsider now..meaning plenty of room to grow and to move. Of course, there are times when being an outsider means acting silly, being underestimated, unheard and lonely. Yet, it's not all about adversities, but also advantages... so again.."sip the cup slowly, dear", I'm telling myself, "and count your blessing every step of the way."

Picture from http://www.flickr.com/photos/-sel-/188411430/

From DVD Rental to Kapolri

I am actually very tired at the moment, but determined to write these stuffs that have been bothering my mind for a couple of days. Three stories..and can get to four, if I'm not too tired.

First of all is my sympathy to a DVD rental shop near my house. It is a DVD rental brand franchised from Australia. I have been its customer since I was in undergraduate school. What was a two-storey shop selling all kinds of audio and video recording on the lower floor and video recording for rent on the upper floor is now a dimly lit shop. During the day, the lights may be off at all. I am angry and sad. I believe the business have gone bad for this type of shop and it is now taking cost-cutting measures. The culprit is the high level of piracy in Indonesia. People prefer to spend Rp 7000 for a pirated DVD than Rp 5000 to rent a DVD. Why should they? The pirated quality is not that bad, although far from Blu-Ray and they can own recently released movies (sometimes even before it is played in theatres) and watch them over and over again. Bah! Lame excuses of shameless people. If nobody wants to change for the better then we are all going to sink to the bottom of the sea.

Second story...
Yesterday my family and I were driving back home through one side of the two-way packed street in Pondok Indah (Jl. Kartika Utama, for you who knows the area). Suddenly, on the other side of the road (which goes to the opposite direction), a police motorcycle, followed by a police car were honking with their sirens blinking. The next in line were a fancy sedan and another police car with siren. Turns out our national police chief was returning to his home. Yes, the national police chief of Indonesia lives in Pondok Indah, one of the most prestigious residency area in Jakarta . And even worse, this parade went to the same direction as us except that they were on the other side of the road (which supposed to go to the opposite direction). After the procession passed, civilian motorcycles and cars closely trailing behind, challenging the traffic from opposite direction. Seriously, do you think it is appropriate for the national chief of police dept to give such a disgraceful example of power abuse and law offense? I think it is repulsive and someone should have take the picture and put it as a headline of a major newsletter. Shame shame shame on you, Mr.National Police Chief!

Third story...
So sick and tired of this messy country. The busway is under renovation. It is now rainy season. The renovation got halted and one side of several bus stops are out of function. The buses cannot stop at the side of the terminal where the construction is under way, so there are lots of change of routes. Not any different from some primary school riddle on how a turtle should take a sheep and a tiger across a river where crocodiles live..or something like that (hope you know what I mean). What I want to focus here is in the midst of contingent events, people become more and more absurdly uncoordinated, making the bus stop a total chaos. Nobody seems to care of other people's needs, not to mention the complete absence of queue. It's just like a bunch of people competing for BLT (cash subsidy given to the poor). It's lucky that I haven't seen anyone got stamped. The people have no self-awareness of a civilized queue and the authority is not taking any action.

Fourth story. Now that I reach the 4th story, I think might have a 5th one..but will keep it for tomorrow. Anyway, the 4th one is about the pathetic absence of law enforcement and law consistency in Indonesia. We have heard of high profile individuals, political leaders, high level military officers abuse their power and popularity for their own advantage. One of the example is my second story above. A recent article in the major newsletter analyzed that the constant change of rules and absence of law enforcement have fueled people's distrust to law, forcing them to aggresively take part in the-so-called law enforcement. The law standard and definition of right and wrong certainly will varies. The result: chaotic sick society decorated by mutilation, vandalistic mass organizations, etc.

Oooh...I'm scared and disgusted in the same time. How can I escape this situation?