Tag: philosophy

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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.

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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.

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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.

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How to Be Me (When Everyone Is Watching)

The exploration of selfhood has been a longstanding human concern, dating back to archaic Greek poets who recognized the self as relational, formed through public interaction. Today, in a digitally fluid world, individuals confront similar uncertainties about identity, belonging, and autonomy, highlighting the need for community and shared experience amidst personal challenges.

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Premanism in Indonesia: Roots, Impacts, and Solutions

Premanism in Indonesia represents more than mere criminality; it reflects deep-rooted institutional failures, such as corruption and inefficiency within state systems. Street thugs exploit weak governance by extorting local vendors and businesses, with state actors often complicit. Addressing premanism requires systemic reforms, ethical governance, and empowered civic engagement to restore justice.