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When Titles Become the Measure, and Character Is Forgotten

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In Indonesia, many of us grow up with the same narrative: pursue higher education to secure a job. There is nothing inherently wrong with this belief. Higher education often serves as a pathway to better career opportunities. Moreover, becoming an entrepreneur frequently requires substantial capital, networks, and a great deal of courage. For this reason, the common dream is straightforward: attend university, graduate, and then work in a field aligned with one’s major. However, the reality of life does not always unfold in this way. There are many paths to success, and not all of them pass through the halls of a university. I once experienced an incident that was both amusing and eye-opening. Someone claimed to greatly admire me. They praised my writings and even assumed that I was a graduate of Indonesian Literature. However, when I explained that I was actually only a vocational high school (SMK) graduate, their attitude changed dramatically. The admiration vanished instantly, repla...
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Membaca Konflik AS–Israel–Iran: Antara Realitas Geopolitik dan Kesadaran Sejarah

Meskipun gencatan senjata antara Amerika Serikat, Israel, dan Iran belum sepenuhnya mengakhiri konflik yang terjadi, peristiwa ini menegaskan satu kenyataan penting, dunia tidak pernah sepenuhnya dikuasai oleh satu kekuatan besar. Pada awal konflik, optimisme berlebihan sempat muncul dari pihak Amerika Serikat. Presiden Donald Trump, dengan retorika yang tegas dan penuh keyakinan, memperkirakan bahwa perang dapat diselesaikan dalam waktu singkat. Namun, keputusan untuk melakukan gencatan senjata menunjukkan bahwa tujuan strategis yang diharapkan belum sepenuhnya tercapai. Hal ini menegaskan adanya keterbatasan kekuatan, bahkan bagi negara adidaya sekalipun. Antara Narasi Eskatologis dan Realitas Geopolitik Ketika konflik baru dimulai, berbagai narasi eskatologis dengan cepat menyebar di tengah masyarakat. Sebagian pihak mengaitkan perang ini dengan tanda-tanda kiamat, kemunculan Dajjal, hingga keyakinan bahwa peristiwa tersebut merupakan awal dari akhir zaman. Meskipun keyakinan terhad...
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Reading the Direction of Policy: Between Criticism, Preparedness, and Indonesia’s Future

Amid public discourse often filled with criticism, debate, and even skepticism, there is one perspective worth considering more objectively: the long-term direction of a nation’s policies. Not all policies are designed for immediate impact. Some are deliberately constructed as foundations, perhaps not fully felt today, but essential as support systems when unforeseen crises arise. If we take a closer look at several strategic programs currently underway, a broader pattern begins to emerge. There appears to be a concerted effort to build community-based national resilience. Programs such as Free Nutritious Meals (MBG), for instance, are often perceived merely as social initiatives. Yet, on a deeper level, they can also be understood as systematic exercises in managing large-scale food logistics. Widely distributed public kitchens are not only about food provision, but also about preparedness in times of disaster or emergency. Similarly, the concept of Red-and-White Cooperatives extends ...
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While much of the world remains fixated on the Iran–Israel conflict, a significant development has unfolded almost unnoticed.

Just hours ago, NASA launched Artemis II—a crewed mission that will orbit the Moon for approximately ten days. What makes this mission remarkable is not merely its technological sophistication, but the historical weight it carries. It marks humanity’s return toward the Moon for the first time since 1972—more than five decades after the Apollo era came to an end. This inevitably revives a familiar question, If humans reached the Moon decades ago, why did it take so long to return? The answer is, in fact, straightforward. It was never about technological incapacity. Rather, at that time, there was no compelling strategic necessity. From Symbolic Victory to Strategic Necessity During the Cold War, the Moon was not simply a scientific destination—it was a symbol of power. The United States and the Soviet Union competed intensely to demonstrate supremacy. The pinnacle of this rivalry was the Apollo 11 Moon landing, a historic achievement that not only redefined human capability but effectiv...
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Amid Fuel Queues and the Shadow of Energy Transition

Over the past two days, I have witnessed a striking and somewhat unsettling public phenomenon: unusually long queues at fuel stations. Lines of motorcycles and cars stretched far beyond normal, moving slowly, as if time itself was suspended alongside the collective anxiety present in the air. This situation can be understood as a form of panic buying, a collective behavioral response to uncertainty. Whether driven by global geopolitical tensions, concerns over energy supply, or the rapid spread of information in today’s digital landscape, one underlying reality becomes clear: people are seeking a sense of security. Yet behind these queues lies a dimension that is often overlooked—informal sector workers whose livelihoods depend heavily on energy access, particularly ride-hailing drivers. For us, fuel is not merely a commodity; it is an economic lifeline. Without fuel, movement stops. Without movement, there is no income. In this context, long queues are not just about inconvenience, th...
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Amid Fuel Price Pressures and Essential Goods Stability: A Perspective on Gratitude and Leadership

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Amid ongoing public discourse surrounding rising fuel prices and the stability of essential goods, I seek to approach the issue from a perspective that is perhaps less frequently articulated—that of gratitude. I am neither a political analyst nor an economic observer. I write simply as an ordinary citizen navigating daily life, directly experiencing the realities unfolding on the ground. Yet it is precisely from this modest position that I have come to recognize an important insight: not all circumstances must be viewed solely through the lens of scarcity, but also through an appreciation of what remains within our reach. In an increasingly uncertain global environment, many countries are confronting far more severe economic pressures. Rising energy costs and the increasing price of basic necessities have become, to a large extent, unavoidable phenomena. Within this broader context, efforts to maintain equilibrium and prevent disproportionate burdens on society deserve recognition. I p...
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At the End of Ramadan, I Lost Someone… But I Was Also Reminded of the True Meaning of Family

Yesterday, March 20, 2026… I received news that tightened my chest. Daeng Ero, my stepfather, has passed away forever. On the same day, he was also laid to rest. So fast… so quiet…leaving behind a void that words can hardly explain. Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un. May Allah SWT accept him into His mercy. Yet, behind this deep sense of loss, there is one thought that keeps circling in my mind, how fortunate I was to have lived in a family like that. I had already lost two important figures before this, my biological mother, Bunga Dg. Bollo, and my stepmother, Syamsiah… And now, my stepfather, Daeng Ero, has followed them. Three people who, if seen from a “worldly” perspective, might seem complicated, but in reality, they embodied something very simple, love without conditions. I still remember my childhood… when I lived in my stepfather Daeng Ero’s house. My status? A stepchild. But how did he treat me? Like his own biological child. There was no difference. No distance. No “this i...
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