The Realist's Approach to an Idealistic Life

To ordinary people, the decision by the United States delegation to discard all souvenirs received from Chinese officials before boarding Air Force One may appear rude, excessive, or even insulting. “Isn’t it just a gift?” Many see it as another symbol of a superpower consumed by suspicion and arrogance. But in the world of international intelligence, a gift is never just a gift. Sometimes, an expensive pen can be more dangerous than a missile. And a decorative wooden carving can become the gateway to one of the greatest intelligence breaches in modern history. Washington’s paranoia did not emerge without reason. It was shaped by humiliation. On August 4, 1945, when relations between the United States and the Soviet Union were still wrapped in the narrative of wartime alliance, U.S. Ambassador to Moscow W. Averell Harriman received a visit from a group of Soviet schoolchildren. The children presented him with a beautifully crafted wooden carving of t...

The recent two-day visit of U.S. President Donald Trump to China concluded without the announcement of any major agreement capable of significantly reshaping the global geopolitical landscape. Several international media outlets even described the visit as “underwhelming,” citing the absence of substantial economic or strategic breakthroughs made public. Yet evaluating diplomacy solely through investment figures, trade contracts, or military strength often causes us to overlook a far more important dimension: symbols, history, and the psychology of civilization. This marked Trump’s second visit to China as president. The first took place in 2017, when Washington–Beijing relations were still relatively stable and the trade war had not yet fully escalated. Since then, relations between the two powers have transformed dramatically. Technological rivalry, tariff disputes, struggles for influence in the Middle East, and competition for global dominance have made U.S....

Kasus yang menyeret nama seperti Nadiem Makarim dan Ibrahim Arief membuat banyak orang mulai bertanya dalam hati, “Masih pantaskah orang jujur masuk ke dalam sistem?” Pertanyaan itu terdengar emosional. Tapi jujur saja, banyak anak muda berprestasi mulai memikirkan hal yang sama. Di negeri ini, kita sering diajarkan untuk sekolah tinggi, punya integritas, lalu kembali mengabdi untuk bangsa. Tapi realitanya, tidak sedikit orang yang masuk dengan niat baik justru pulang membawa luka, tekanan, bahkan tuduhan. Akhirnya banyak orang hebat memilih diam. Bukan karena tidak cinta negara. Tapi karena takut menjadi korban dari permainan yang tidak mereka pahami. Kalimat yang dulu terdengar seperti candaan, hari ini terasa makin nyata, “Indonesia tidak kekurangan orang pintar. Indonesia kekurangan sistem yang menghargai kejujuran.” Yang menyedihkan bukan ketika orang korup masuk ke sistem. Yang lebih menyedihkan adalah ketika orang baik mulai merasa tidak ada tempat untuk mereka. Lalu muncullah b...

Today feels quiet in a different way. Not because there is nothing to do, but because a hope is once again postponed. At this stage of life, I begin to understand something that is difficult to accept, not everything we carefully prepare happens exactly when we want it to. I am someone who tends to be stubborn. I force situations, push beyond my own limits, believing that results will follow effort. But reality does not always work that way. There are things that, no matter how hard I push, simply do not move. And when that happens, what remains is not just exhaustion, but also a sense of emptiness, as if all efforts amount to nothing. Today is supposes to be important. A step I have prepare for. I do everything I can, arrange everything within my control. Yet still, there are small obstacles. Things beyond my power, things I cannot stop or fight. In the past, I become angry. Or I force myself to move forward despite the circumstances. But now, I choose to pause… and accept. That does ...

The issuance of Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 27 of 2026 on the protection of online transportation workers has immediately captured public attention. The cap on platform commissions at a maximum of 8 percent—meaning drivers receive at least 92 percent of their earnings—appears to be a significant correction to past practices often seen as burdensome. The fact that this policy was announced on International Workers’ Day further reinforces its symbolic weight as a statement of state support for labor. Yet, in the platform economy, numbers never stand alone. They are always intertwined with other variables: base fares, incentives, order-distribution algorithms, and the broader business strategies of platform companies. Reducing the issue to a simple equation—“lower commission equals higher income”—risks being misleading. For many drivers, the core concern has never been solely the size of the commission cut, but the uncertainty of income. Fluctuating fares, shifting bonus schemes...

In a time when employment opportunities are increasingly competitive, initiatives that prioritize local talent development deserve thoughtful attention. The recent recruitment program under Koperasi Merah Putih represents more than just job openings—it reflects a broader commitment to strengthening Indonesia’s human capital at the grassroots level. The government has officially opened a large-scale selection process, inviting young talents from across the nation to participate. A total of 30,000 candidates will be recruited for the position of Manager KDMP, alongside 5,476 candidates for key roles in production, operations, quality assurance, and administration. Notably, the minimum requirement is a Diploma III (D-III) from any field of study, making this opportunity accessible to a wide segment of graduates. What makes this program particularly strategic is its connection to the state-owned enterprise ecosystem. Successful candidates are expected to become part of the network under PT...

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...

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...

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 ...

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...

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...

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...

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...

في الأيام التي تسبق عيد الفطر، حين ينشغل الكثيرون بالاستعداد للعودة إلى ديارهم، والاجتماع مع عائلاتهم، والبحث عن السعادة… كنتُ أنا أجلس في ورشة الإصلاح، أنظر إلى دراجتي وهي “مفتوحة” على هذا الحال. ليس لأنني أردتُ ذلك، بل لأنني اضطررتُ إليه. العطل لم يكن بسيطًا. كان لا بد من استبدال الحزام والبكرات. قد يبدو هذا أمرًا عاديًا للبعض، لكنه بالنسبة لنا، نحن الذين نعتمد على هذه الدراجة في طلب الرزق… ليس مجرد عطل في آلة، بل توقّف للأمل، ولو مؤقتًا. ومع ذلك، وسط هذا الشعور، كانت هناك جملة أرددها في قلبي مرارًا: الحمد لله… لقد تعطلت قبل العيد. لا أستطيع أن أتخيل لو حدث هذا في يوم العيد نفسه، حين تُغلق كل ورش الإصلاح، وتبقى الطرق مزدحمة، بينما أبقى أنا في البيت بلا حراك. الدرس الذي خرجتُ به أن الرزق ليس فقط فيما نحصل عليه، بل أيضًا فيما نُنجيَه قبل أن نفقده. كعامل توصيل، أدركتُ حقيقة مهمة: نحن لا نحافظ فقط على صحتنا، بل نحافظ أيضًا على “شريكنا الوفي”… هذه الدراجة. لأنه إذا مرض الجسد، لا نستطيع العمل. وإذا تعطلت الدراجة، لا نستطيع السعي. وإذا لم نعتنِ بكليهما، فإن الرزق سيتوقف كذلك. قد تبدو هذه ال...

Hari ini saya membaca satu pemikiran yang sederhana, tetapi cukup membuat saya berhenti sejenak dan merenung. Tentang bagaimana sistem modern sebenarnya bekerja. Banyak orang berpikir bahwa manusia dikendalikan dengan paksaan. Namun dalam realitas dunia hari ini, pengendalian sering kali tidak datang dalam bentuk tekanan, tetapi dalam bentuk kenyamanan. Gaji tetap setiap bulan. Cicilan mobil. Rumah dengan pinjaman 30 tahun. Gaya hidup yang perlahan menyesuaikan dengan pendapatan. Semua terlihat normal. Bahkan terlihat stabil. Namun di balik itu, tanpa kita sadari, terbentuk satu kondisi yang disebut oleh sebagian orang sebagai “golden cage” — sangkar emas. Bukan kerana kita lemah. Tetapi kerana komitmen hidup sudah terlalu banyak yang mengikat. Akibatnya, banyak orang menjadi lebih berhati-hati mengambil risiko. Sulit berhenti dari pekerjaan. Dan kadang tidak sepenuhnya bebas dalam mengambil keputusan besar. Saya juga menyadari satu hal penting: ketergantungan membuat seseorang lebih m...

At last, the long-anticipated moment has arrived. Once again, the world appears to nod quietly in confirmation of what has often been described as the “Trump weekend war theory”—the tendency for major conflicts to erupt suddenly, at moments when much of the global public remains unprepared. The question now is not whether the escalation has begun, but rather what trajectory it is likely to follow. There is little value in succumbing to excessive panic or alarmist proclamations of an imminent “World War Three.” Instead, the situation warrants calm reflection and logical scenario analysis, grounded in geopolitical realities rather than emotional reactions. Several plausible outcomes emerge when the conflict is examined through this lens. The first scenario, and arguably the most desired by Washington and Tel Aviv, is regime change. In this outcome, the Iranian government collapses—either through the creation of a power vacuum or through the rapid installation of a Western-aligned adminis...

Setiap kali melangkah ke masjid untuk melaksanakan shalat Tarwih, saya selalu menyadari satu hal: terkadang yang paling “me-recharge” iman kita tidak hanya dengan rakaat demi rakaat yang ditunaikan, tetapi ilmu yang disampaikan sebelum shalat dimulai. Ceramah Tarwih itu singkat. Kadang hanya 10–15 menit. Tapi dampaknya bisa jauh lebih lama dari itu. Judul-judul yang diangkat begitu dekat dengan keseharian kita—tentang sabar dalam bekerja, tentang amanah dalam jabatan, tentang menjaga lisan di media sosial, tentang mendidik anak di tengah zaman yang serba cepat. Tidak melangit, tidak berjarak. Sederhana, tapi mengena. Dan ketika yang menyampaikan adalah ustadz yang berpengalaman dan kaya ilmu, terasa sekali kedalaman maknanya. Ada perspektif baru yang mungkin selama ini luput dari perhatian kita. Ada ayat yang sering kita baca, tetapi baru benar-benar kita pahami malam itu. Ada hadis yang sudah familiar, namun terasa “menyentuh” karena dikaitkan dengan realitas hidup hari ini. Masya All...

As a citizen and a member of the academic community, I feel compelled to express my concern regarding the recent controversy involving a recipient of a scholarship from the Lembaga Pengelola Dana Pendidikan (LPDP). LPDP is not merely a scholarship. It is a mandate of the state. It is funded by public money. It was designed to develop outstanding human capital who will return, contribute, and strengthen Indonesia. When a scholarship recipient openly expresses pride in changing their child’s citizenship to that of another country, it is understandable that the public reacts. This is not merely a matter of personal choice—because personal decisions remain the right of every individual. However, when someone receives state-funded education, there is an ethical dimension, a moral responsibility, and a level of public sensitivity that cannot be ignored. We must distinguish between personal rights and national commitment. We must distinguish between individual freedom and a moral contract wit...

Alhamdulillah, this year I am once again reunited with Ramadan. There is an emotion that is difficult to put into words. Not merely because age continues to advance, but because we never truly know whether last year’s Ramadan was our final one. So when the Maghrib call to prayer echoed on the first evening, my heart could only whisper: Thank You Allah, for granting me another chance. Around 5:00 PM, just before breaking the fast, there is always a moving atmosphere in the air. The streets are filled with people. Takjil vendors line the sidewalks. People queue for simple foods: dates, sweet porridge, fried snacks, sugary drinks in clear plastic bags. Lively. Vibrant. Warm. Yet behind the bustle, I see something deeper than mere buying and selling. I see hope. I see small efforts struggling to endure. I see hands seeking lawful sustenance before the Maghrib call to prayer. In another corner, I witness moments of quiet generosity. Some set aside their time and wealth to give. No cameras. ...

Alhamdulillah, kembali dipertemukan dengan bulan suci Ramadhan 1447 H. Setiap Ramadhan selalu membawa suasana yang berbeda. Tahun ini terasa lebih santai, namun tetap hangat dan ramai—bukan hanya di masjid dan ruang-ruang ibadah, tetapi juga di hati yang kembali belajar tentang sabar, disiplin, dan empati. Ramadhan bukan sekadar menahan lapar dan dahaga. Ia adalah momentum memperbaiki diri, memperhalus akhlak, dan menata ulang niat dalam setiap langkah—baik dalam kehidupan pribadi, sosial, maupun profesional. Sebagai insan yang terus belajar dan bertumbuh, saya memaknai Ramadhan sebagai ruang evaluasi: Apakah kita sudah cukup jujur dalam bekerja? Sudah cukup amanah dalam tanggung jawab? Sudah cukup peduli terhadap sesama? Ya Allah, terima kasih telah mempertemukan kami dengan Ramadhan kali ini. Semoga Ramadhan 1447 H menjadi Ramadhan yang lebih baik dari sebelumnya—lebih khusyuk ibadahnya, lebih luas manfaatnya, dan lebih bersih hatinya. Selamat menunaikan ibadah puasa. Semoga setiap l...

I read a simple story, yet its meaning runs deep. A new employee began work without guidance from a senior colleague. Everyone was busy. No one truly had the time to teach. In such circumstances, many people would feel isolated, anxious, even tempted to give up. But inside the drawer of the desk, there was a file. The file had been left behind by a senior employee who had resigned. It was not merely a collection of work documents. Inside were handwritten notes—step by step instructions on “how to do this and that”—carefully typed, printed, and even annotated by hand. Sixty percent of the employee’s competence today, she said, came from that file. She never knew the senior. She never even knew what they looked like. Yet after every prayer, she offers a prayer for them in return. *** In today’s fast-paced professional world, we often speak about targets, KPIs, performance, and efficiency. But we rarely speak about legacy. We forget that true professionalism is not only about ...

Sejak semalam, ruang publik—khususnya media sosial—diramaikan oleh narasi bahwa kedaulatan negara “tergadai”. Isunya terdengar serius: disebutkan bahwa Malaysia telah “menyerahkan” sekitar 5.207 hektare tanah di kawasan perbatasan Sabah–Kalimantan (Nunukan) kepada Indonesia. Bagi masyarakat awam, angka ribuan hektare tentu terdengar besar. Narasi kehilangan wilayah pun mudah memicu emosi, kecurigaan, bahkan kemarahan. Namun, sebelum kesimpulan ditarik terlalu jauh, penting untuk berhenti sejenak, menarik napas, dan melihat persoalan ini secara utuh dan jernih. Apa sebenarnya yang terjadi? Isu ini bukan soal jual beli tanah, bukan pula hadiah wilayah antarnegara. Persoalan yang dimaksud adalah Outstanding Boundary Problems (OBP), yakni persoalan batas wilayah yang sejak masa kolonial belum memiliki penegasan garis perbatasan yang jelas di lapangan. Perjanjian-perjanjian lama antara Inggris dan Belanda—khususnya perjanjian tahun 1915 dan 1928—memang telah menetapkan prinsip batas wilayah...

Over the past two to three days, a single sentiment has appeared to dominate the global public sphere. Since the United States Department of Justice (DOJ)—the rough equivalent of an Attorney General’s Office in many countries—released the Epstein Files to the public, social media timelines seem to have found a momentum of their own. Phrases such as “I told you so,” “this was always dismissed as conspiracy theory,” and “now everything has been proven” have circulated widely. For some, this is not merely news, but a moment of validation: long-held beliefs once ridiculed now appear to have received official confirmation. For those who have not followed the case closely, the Epstein Files refer to a collection of documents, email correspondence, photographs, victim testimonies, and internal records related to Jeffrey Epstein—an American billionaire with extensive connections to political elites, major business figures, royalty, celebrities, and global power brokers. In 2019, Epstein was ar...

Frankly, I have never seen Joko Widodo deliver a speech like the one he gave at the PSI National Working Meeting (Rakernas) in Makassar. For years, the public has known him as a calm, composed, and controlled figure. Even when angry, his voice rarely rises. His gaze is flat. His emotions are almost unreadable. Many observers associate this style with Jokowi’s cultural background as a Javanese—more specifically, a Javanese from Solo, the heartland of the Islamic Mataram cultural tradition. Indonesia has had two presidents from this region: Soeharto and Jokowi. Soeharto was famously known as “the smiling general.” He smiled in almost every situation. It was difficult to read his mood, let alone predict his political direction. Legend has it that the smile remained even when he made the most brutal decisions. Jokowi is different. He does not rely on smiles, but on a flat, almost expressionless demeanor. His slender body and distinctive gestures have often made him the target of mockery, l...

On the morning of January 28, 2026, global currency charts turned red. But this time, red did not signal danger. It signaled a quiet victory. 1 USD = RM3.92. After years of the Ringgit being “bullied” beyond the 4.70 level, this figure surprised many. Social media buzzed with speculation. Some began to wonder, “Are we returning to the golden era of RM2.50 or RM2.90?” Emotionally, a stronger Ringgit is something to be proud of. But in economics, emotion is not a compass. What truly matters is structure and reality. This appreciation did not happen by accident. It is the result of a convergence between global economic forces and domestic policies whose investments are now beginning to mature. Let us examine this rationally. 1. When the “King Currency” Begins to Waver – The U.S. Factor To understand why the Ringgit is strengthening, we must first understand why the U.S. dollar is weakening. Between 2023 and 2025, the United States offered exceptionally high interest rates. Global capital—...