Posts

Posted on

Oligarchy, Populism, and the Future of Indonesian Democracy

If Indonesia’s democracy is still alive, why do so many citizens feel that power is slipping into the hands of a small elite? From food estates in Papua to Danantara and the Makan Bergizi Gratis program, policies marketed as solutions to poverty, food security, and national progress are increasingly raising a deeper question: are they empowering ordinary Indonesians—or quietly strengthening oligarchic networks behind the scenes? As economic dependence, political branding, corporate influence, and environmental controversies converge, many fear that democracy is not disappearing through dictatorship, but through a slower process in which citizens become beneficiaries, elites become gatekeepers, and power becomes harder to challenge. The real battle may no longer be about elections alone, but about who truly controls Indonesia’s future.

Posted on

Why Nobody Feels Okay Anymore

Here in Indonesia, many people feel frustrated and emotionally drained. Living costs keep rising, jobs feel less secure, public trust in institutions feels weaker, and political discussions often leave people feeling cynical instead of hopeful. Many are exhausted from watching political leaders make statements that feel disconnected from the struggles ordinary people face every day. There is a growing sense that citizens are carrying the weight of problems they did not create, while those in power appear increasingly distant from the realities of daily life.

Posted on

From Commander to Empowerer: Addressing Turnover and Engagement in Indonesia’s Palm Oil Sector

Indonesia's palm oil sector faces severe human capital challenges with 64% annual turnover and only 25% millennial engagement. The traditional Command-and-Control leadership style is misaligned with workforce expectations, impacting productivity and quality. Transitioning to an empowering leadership model, emphasizing autonomy and accountability, is essential to improve retention and performance.

Posted on

Tak Dirayakan

Aku mengubur tulang-belulangku ke dalam tanah, menamainya fondasi.Setiap bata adalah tidur yang kupinjam,hari-hari habis menjelma dinding. Aku mempelajari bahasa lapar,cara tersenyum sementara tanganku gemetar,cara mengubah “tidak cukup”agar hampir menyerupai ada. Aku memanjat dengan mengecilkan diri.Mengucap “ya” ketika maksudkutolong, jangan.Membiarkan mereka memujisementara itu mengosongkanku. Di atas, hanya ada akhir.Sesuatu yang selesaidan lupa siapa yang membawanya ke …

Continue reading "Tak Dirayakan"

Posted on

Language, Agency, and the End of Human Centrality

In his 2026 address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Yuval Noah Harari advances a provocative thesis: artificial intelligence (AI) represents not merely a technological tool but a novel form of agency capable of reshaping law, finance, religion, and human identity itself. This reaction paper critically examines Harari’s central claims, particularly his argument that AI’s mastery of language enables it to appropriate domains historically constitutive of human authority. While Harari offers a powerful conceptual framework for understanding AI as an autonomous agent and legal subject, this paper argues that his position risks linguistic reductionism and underestimates the resilience of embodied, affective, and institutional dimensions of human meaning-making. The paper concludes that Harari’s intervention is best understood not as a deterministic prediction but as a warning that demands urgent political and ethical response.