| DBC (Death By Chocolate Resto, 2018) |
Indonesia has been mentioned as the “next Tiger of Asia” since 1980’s. With this label, a country is expected to play prominent role in the world immediately, or in short, it will become a new developed country.
It may gain a lot of benefit and also should give the country a prestige.
Now, the year of 2020, when Covid-19 is the main topic all over the world, nearly 40 years after, Indonesia is still a developing country. It never fulfill the expectation to grow and reach the “developed” level.
Many experts have explained the reasons behind the failure of the country to sit in line with USA, China, Britain, or other members of G7 or G20.
But, I have my own. Having lived since the day optimism of being the next Tiger of Asia until the Corona Pandemic era, I think I know why Indonesia failed to become developed country after 40 years, the length of time that has made Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, Korea being important players in the world.
I think it is because many Indonesians predict the future too far.
Yeah, I do know and understand the theory about future prediction. Economics say it is needed as an anticipation and it will allow people to make preparation or take action before the prediction become reality. It will help make sure the future come to realization or not.
It’s important.
But, Indonesians have their own way to make prediction about future. They feel the life in the world is not the life they have to care about. They prefer to predict how life would be after they die.
That’s why , rather than focusing to develop skill, improving technology, or being more civilized, many Indonesians prefer to find a way that will enable them praying more than 5 times a day. They save money as a preparation to go Hajj to Mecca more than once, because they think they can get more reward by going there more often.
Holy book is their base of thinking and life, not science. It’s no wonder, that even though the fact is laid in front of them, but their belief says on contrary, they won’t deny .
For example, our government has asked them to pray at home to curb Corona spread, but still many people insist to come to mosque to do “jamaah”. They denied the fact that millions of people around the world have been infected and hundred thousands have died that logically show how dangerous the virus is.
This situation is because many people don’t care about their current life. They live for the after death life and they expect to go to heaven. They make future predictions and act based on this, but it’s for the life after they stop breathing.
And, that’s why, my friends, the reason of Indonesian failure to become developed country. The people think too much about too far away future, the after death life.
Bogor, May the 1st, 2020, the silent May Day