Politics, Why I Care.

Note: You'd probably notice lots of grammar errors and structural flaws, for that I apologize in advance, but other than Ms. Jess, DO Ignore it.

Twas a sad day for me, the holidays were to end in several day and I just popped in the last DVD of the last season of my favorite TV show. The saga to which I have repeatedly counted on in order to find some amusement and inspiration, was about to end.

It was a long journey. I watched its first episode with skepticism, only to find myself soon engrossed and thoroughly became a fanatic of the series.

Hundreds of episodes and months later, I finally watched every single episode of The West Wing.

I remembered the tears that rolled down my cheek, the heart beat levels raised due to a particularly great speech, the grins and laughter ensued after a particularly witty line.

The West Wing.

Wasn't that type of show that leaves people unchanged, it was a show you either loved, or was thoroughly bored by.

(All West Wing fans would note however that only Seasons 1-4 were the ones good enough to be watched over and over again, the rest is as frustratingly annoying as Sorkin's cocaine addiction)

The West Wing, was the show that propelled me to political awareness, a show that taught me things, things I will not bother to list.
But most of all, The West Wing showed me one fundamental thing that I taught I never had within me.

Optimism.

The sheer glowing hope that not all governments and politicians will succumb to bribes and self interest.

A profound realization hit me when President Josiah Bartlett from The West Wing declared, “Decisions are made by those who show up.”
Decisions and improvements in our government can only be done and implemented if we implement it ourselves. We (by this I mean me and 90% of Indo Chinese Youngsters) hide behind this mask of ‘We’re of Chinese decent, politics is not something we can be involved in.’

Perhaps there is an undeniable truth to that, the time will never be ripe for a Chinese Indonesian President. But as less prominent yet powerful posts as Ministers and influential advisers has been achieved.

Yes we may be skeptical about the present, but why be so morose about the future, a future that you can change. A future where those corrupt imbeciles are already dead and haven’t produced equally corrupt underlings.

Indonesia’s New Generation often forgets they have something going on for them, time & youth. The same youth that is often enjoyed but not utilized. I could cry out defiantly for my peers and countrymen to cling to hope and stick to idealism but as I have a less than enchanting oratory skills and still a high schooler, that would probably just result in me being thrown to a mental institution.
Nevertheless I’m still optimistic that not all of Indonesia’s Youngsters are duds.

Perhaps this haphazard and pathetic rally for hope can less insane if you note the fact that I and most of my peers are growing up in a country and a community where we cheer and are thoroughly pleased at suddenly being on the Top 50 Most Corrupt Country List rather than the Top 10, I have been unconsciously presuppose the worst in government, and to think that the best it could do is get less-worse.

Us, always picking a political candidate of a Known-Evil and a Lesser-Evil.
(*cough Fauzi Bowo vs. Adang Dani*)

Perhaps this topic is over exemplified and dramatized, but I’m exhausted by this apathetic, ignorantt and this oh-so-cynical who-cares-about-politics-it's-never-going-to-change point of view, that is often said in a pseudo-intellectual manner. Don’t we realize that through this we audaciously declare our defeat.

That our abject pessimism and this, I don't care about my government, I'll just make myself RICH way of thinking that is hindering this country's future.

Any interests in renewing and rejuvenating the country is irrevocably seen as naively disillusioned. (by that i meant me and Rach’s interest).

Anyone genuinely interested and aware of politics is seen as abnormal, weird, and an odd overachiever.

Has this attributed to this hell hole of infectious skepticism, apathy and political and social stupor?

In this day and age where being lazy but achieving good grades is seen as admirable and 'cool', I often wonder, who's at fault? Is our ignorance a fanciful way to protect our self from the gnawing reality that is our future, a way of adapting to this indefinite and often unchangeable ineptitude that is Indonesia's government?

Is our ignorance simply our immunity shot?


It may be. But I refuse to succumb to such deplorable simplicity.