Year of Hope

Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo

Politicians use the momentum for Christmas 2020 and the turn of 2020-2021 to greet their constituents as seen on Jalan Sultan Agung, Setiabudi, South Jakarta, Sunday (27/12/2020).

After the numerous challenges caused by the pandemic that has threatened the livelihoods of many, the year 2020 is suddenly drawing to a close. How fast time has flown, to leave us among a pile of troubles from the past.

While a new year only marks a new set of numbers on the calendar in the literal sense and offers no promises that a new course of life will begin, the new year still ought to be celebrated as a moment of rebirth. The sound of trumpets and bells on New Year’s Eve signals a rite of passage: leaving the bad behind while keeping hold of the good for the future.

This rite of passage also offers an occasion for contemplation. The storm cloud that has enveloped the country is also a reflection of the nation’s soul. The social crises and conflicts that have plagued the public sphere throughout the year have provoked fear and anxiety that have subsequently torn apart feelings of mutual love and trust.

To emerge from the fog of anxiety and towards hope, both the nation’s leaders and people must open their eyes to the light. However, our vision has been often blocked by the uncertainties and confusion that have spread among the public. Across nations, numerous statements that are dangerously vague have been issued. While the true meaning of such statements remains unknown, they were still capable of causing a viral uproar in cyberspace. Criticisms became pointless as they brimmed with obscenities and no substance. Actions became shallow as mere public image campaigns.

Our elections have turned into a democratic party buzz spouted by nonsensical voices and overflowing with politicians, traders, scholars and religious figures scrambling for a megaphone, all competing with each other to sell their own “product”. Almost no one is willing to listen to another, even to their own conscience. In the market for votes where every individual claims their own truth, no statement can be trusted except those delivered in silence.

When words fail to evoke mutual understanding, silence is the better option. Silence often precipitates the true meaning of words, untangling the knot into individual threads. In silence, there is clarity and wisdom.

If worry and pessimism colors our view of the future, it is because we stopped planting the seeds of hope for the future sometime ago.

Thus, let us retreat into silence for a while, and hopefully a constellation of truths will appear in the dark of night. Those things that are often overlooked in our daily live will come out as a wake-up call, that all the fear and anxiety have come from those who could only point their fingers without the will to look from another’s perspective and correct themselves. We want only to make wishes, but we do not want to break a sweat. If worry and pessimism colors our view of the future, it is because we stopped planting the seeds of hope for the future sometime ago.

It is time for people, especially leaders, to stop talking and start doing. Changing the mindset of leaders and prioritizing action over empty talk require changing their state of mind, changing their perception that they are princes that the people must serve, but rather that they are servants who devote themselves to the public interest. To do this requires a leader who prioritizes substance and transformation over their public image.

To mobilize the public towards a better future, leaders must restore public trust. In this regard, the morality of each leader is a building block. Past experiences show that only those political leaders who possess strong moral capital can safely lead the people out of times of crises.

KOMPAS/RADITYA HELABUMI

The painter completes a customer order in the form of a greeting image for the new year at Street Gallery Jalan Pintu Besar Selatan, West Jakarta, Tuesday (29/12/2020).

Moral capital in this sense refers to the strength and commitment of politicians and political organizations in championing those values, goals and interests that are in alignment with the Pancasila state ideology and the Constitution. Moral capital does not refer solely to the potential virtues of an individual, but rather the potential to keep the political wheels turning. Thus, what is needed is not merely the quality of an individual’s morality, but also an individual’s political capacity to invest their potential virtues into the political mechanisms that can affect public behavior.

Developing, safeguarding, and mobilizing this moral capital requires the fulfillment of four criteria. The first requirement is moral ground, namely the political values, objectives and orientation that underlie the commitment and promises of a leader to their constituents. The second requirement is political action, namely the work that a leader does in translating their moral capital into political actions, policies and decisions.

The fourth requirement is effective political communication, namely a leader’s ability to communicate their ideas and moral values in political language that is effective and capable of influencing and strengthen public morality.

The third requirement is exemplary character, namely being an example of moral actions that are concrete and effective, and which engender trust and confidence in the community. The fourth requirement is effective political communication, namely a leader’s ability to communicate their ideas and moral values in political language that is effective and capable of influencing and strengthen public morality.Realizing the above requires sincerity and humility. The Covid-19 pandemic has reminded us all that historical possibilities are always stronger than logical calculations. There are always unpredictable factors in history. Hence, blind optimism and hopeless pessimism must both be avoided. Our task is to fight as best as we can and leave the rest to the “blessings” of history.

It is like the prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi: "Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.”

Kompas

Yudi Latif

Yudi Latif, expert at Aliansi Kebangsaan (National Alliance network)

(This article was translated by Astria Z. Nabila)