Influences of Western Civilization towards Indonesian Cultures, Civic Education October 2nd 2009

Philosophical Background

Nowadays in the era of globalization, the world has become one small village. Western influences affect other states in the world. Furthermore, the technology makes us easier to do things and help us to communicate with people from long distances. This would ease the spreading western ideology, culture, and influences in many different ways. The case is a very complicated issue and many people debate on it whether they agree or not.
Asia and especially Indonesia is deeply influenced by western civilization. Some people would say that it’s a progress but some others would say that this is the disaster to Indonesian cultures and identity. Long debates and discussions have been done in formal or informal forums. People of Indonesia from High School kids until the oldest generation of Indonesia today debate in the same thing over and over again.
Some people argue that westernization is the same thing as the “decline of Indonesian national identity”, in the fact, it’s correct in some cases. People of Indonesia are forgetting their own cultures and norms. They started to act as American or European manners in many ways in their life, such as; clothing, eye contact, the way to respect elders, and in many other cases. This kind a things is ruining the norms and cultures in Indonesia.
Thus some other people argue that it is the progress in Indonesian development. This could true to, due to the fact that Indonesia took many sources of technological inventions in developing Indonesia’s progression as developing country.
And the end, discussions and debates are supposed to be held to make Indonesian fellows more aware of such conditions. So the Indonesia would be able to decide which way to be taken and which way to be denied. This case needs to be cared by every element of Indonesia, from the Government, social institutions, and each citizens of Indonesia. So finally we hope for a better Indonesia in the future.

State of Problems

Western civilization can be seen from several points of view. Some people in the East would agree with it and some others would ban it totally. But we can imagine that many people between those two have no idea about western civilization and influences towards them selves. They are just following what they see in the TV news and shows, magazines, news papers, internet and so forth. They have no idea whether the stuff from the west are good or not. What they care is “do I feel good or not”.
For the people who have ideas to ban or to support the spreading of western civilization and its influences would not be a matter. They would easily adjust to it and react right away to the influences. Indeed, our main problem is with those people who just follow the new stuff blindly. Here we are going to mentions several matters which occur in our daily life:
A. Loosing National Identity as People of Indonesia
People have been discussion this matter throughout decades, they never made a single agreement. But they have concluded that western influences are driving native cultures away from its people. As we mentioned before that many Javanese people are no longer Javanese, they do not care anymore about their culture and tradition. They feel better to act like Americans than being a Javanese. This case doesn’t happen only in Javanese culture, it also happen in all cultures in Indonesia, except for those who do not have access to out side of their world.
B. Being not Proud as Indonesia
This is also a serious matter. People are trying to drive away Bahasa Indonesia and replace it with English in their life. They are not so proud of their national language and feel it as a shame to use Bahasa Indonesia. Although Bahasa Indonesia is still being used by majority of Indonesia unlike Malaysia, we have to be aware of it. If people are no longer using Bahasa Indonesia, there would not be any unity in Indonesia. The very basic of Indonesian unity is language. There are over 500 tribal languages in Indonesia, so Bahasa Indonesia is extremely needed to unite those people in many different languages.
C. Decreasing Moral Value of Indonesia
If we look deeper about our moral values, they all lay on language. Let us take some example about it. In Javanese language, there are at least three level of using. When people talk to their friends or people in the same age they would talk in Ngoko or very casual language. They use this style because they do not have to respect their friends much.
When they are speaking to people little bit older or in higher level, they would use Ngoko Alus, it is a bit more respectful style than ngoko. They would use it to respect people who are older or honored people.
The third level is Kromo Inggil or a very respectful style which is used while talking with parents or honored people. People would not use this style when they are angry and it is also the most uncommon to be used in Javanese community. And there are several more style while talking with kings or people of authority.
Let us think if those languages are replaced by English or any other foreign languages. People would lose their moral values as Indonesia. So it’s very important to keep native languages to be spoken and understood well.
What is the question to be raised herein? It should be “how to solve this matter?”
People have to be more aware of westernization and its western civilization which endanger Indonesian native cultures. Every element of Indonesia should be active to bring each culture back to life at least in their region. The older generation should always remind the young generation not to forget their cultures and identity as Indonesia. This would help Indonesia to be better, Indonesia would easily some good stuff from the West and leave what it is bad from them.


Conclusion

Westernization is a big deal for Indonesia; in one hand it is benefiting us in many ways, mostly in technology. But it is also a big threat for Indonesian cultures. People are neglecting their cultures consciously or unconsciously and follow what they see through media. People are more proud to speak English or any other foreign languages than speaking their tribal languages or even Bahasa Indonesia.
This status quo would endanger our unity as Indonesia, when people of Indonesia are no longer clinging to its national language and neglecting their cultural norms and values. Some stuff which used to be taboo is no longer taboo. People are slowly adopting western civilization through westernization and leaving their identity as Indonesia.
Each Indonesian citizen has to be active in filtering westernization and its civilization as well so Indonesia would not be hesitate to take the good from them for its progress. And Indonesia would not have to worry of losing its cultures and values because all of people of Indonesia are aware of it. Taking the good and leaving the bad.