Yes, I'm Not Fun at Parties

It's August. A celebratory month for Indonesian, since this year we celebrate our 79th year of independence from the collonial. 

Hooray. Every corner of this country was painted red and white.  Fun games are being held nearly everywhere; from crowded city alley to village field close to the forest; from elementary school to the campuses; from private-owned business to the govermental institution. My office is no exception. Various competition with a variety of prize. Everybody should be having fun, right?

But somehow, despite all the crowd, i felt empty inside. What's the point of celebrating independece, while our country is not really in a good state?

We shouted "merdeka" everywhere, but in reality, we are trapped in poverty and economical inequity; our economy seems huge, globally, but upon further inspection, the gap between class is widening at an alarming rate. 

We're at the verge of ecological collapse; big corporation were given land concensus for extractive business, nearly untouchable and unaccounted for all the damage. 

Our education system failed to educate the citizen; low wages for the teacher, bullying everywhere, and uncompetitive college ranking, not to mention the even lowering PISA score. 

Our citizen became more and more inhuman; rape and sexual abuse are almost everyday news, domestic violence as well, and the shameless show of govermental figure releasing stupid nonsense in regard to various issues under their core function. 

Our health system was no different; drugs abuse looming in the horizon, pollution is everpresent at the ground, water, and air, degenerative disease becaming norm, while the human resource and the systems was largely insufficient. 

Our law system could only be enacted after the case went viral. Whoever hold the power, hold the right to determine who's wrong who's right. Just like the epic speech of Donquixote Doflamingo during Marineford War. 

Suffice to say that our beloved country is facing another multidimensional crisis, again, just like before the reformation era. Pretty ironic since this era initiated the so called Revolusi Mental at the beginning of their reign.

So, what's the point of those symbolic ceremonial and "fun celebration" from the grassroot level up to the highest leadership in the country? 

We are not moving forward to the dreamed "Indonesia Emas". We are running at place, if not moving backward.

If it was just meant to be distraction of our daily struggle, then be it.

Have fun, everybody. I'm not joining.

Turns out my idea of having fun might be different with most people.

And, yes, i might not be fun at parties.

Hope that all the ceremonial and celebration could bring us closer toward Indonesia Emas.

Merdeka!!!