The Realist's Approach to an Idealistic Life

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...