Some time ago, I was rereading writings about Buya HAMKA. Among his\nvarious stories and thoughts, one expression continues to echo in my\nhead. It goes something like this: if a person is accustomed to seeking\nprostitutes, even in Mecca he will find them. Conversely, if a person\nseeks goodness, even in a country known for its various dark sides, he\nwill find it.<\/p>\n
Regardless of the exact phrasing, Buya HAMKA\u2019s message is very\ncompelling. Humans often do not see the world as it is, but rather as\nthe worldview they have constructed. In psychology, this tendency is\nknown as confirmation bias, the inclination to seek and interpret\ninformation that reinforces pre-existing beliefs (Nickerson, 1998).\nTherefore, two people can witness the same event but draw different\nconclusions: one finds a threat, while the other finds a lesson; one\nsees an enemy, the other sees a fellow human being.<\/p>\n
The more I think about it, the more I feel that this message is\nrelevant for understanding the nation\u2019s worldview, which has been\nencapsulated in a single concept commemorated annually: the Sanctity of\nPancasila. Since 1965, the Indonesian nation has continuously\ncommemorated it, but precisely because it is constantly repeated, we\nsometimes forget to question its meaning.<\/p>\n
What is truly sacred about Pancasila? It is not merely because it has\nsurvived various historical challenges, but because it shapes a\nworldview that allows this highly diverse nation to continue living\ntogether. Pancasila is fundamentally not just a collection of five\nprinciples memorised in school. Pancasila is a way of viewing humanity\nand communal life.<\/p>\n
When a person internalises the principle of humanity, they will more\neasily see human dignity rather than merely group identity. When a\nperson understands the principle of unity, they will be driven to seek\ncommon ground rather than magnify differences. When a person\ninternalises the principle of democracy, they will see criticism and\ndissent as a natural part of democratic life, not a threat to be\neliminated. The ability to see in this way does not emerge on its own.\nIt must be shaped through education.<\/p>\n
This thought aligns with Ki Hajar Dewantara\u2019s idea that education is\nnot merely about filling heads with knowledge, but also guiding the\ngrowth of character and shaping how a person views life. This thinking\nbecomes important because one of the primary means of shaping the\nnational worldview in Indonesia has been Pancasila education.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, the journey of Pancasila education in Indonesia has\nnot always moved in that direction. In Indonesian history, almost every\nregime has had its own way of teaching Pancasila through schools. During\nthe Guided Democracy era, Pancasila was linked to the state\u2019s\nrevolutionary project. During the New Order era, it was taught\nsystematically through the P4 Upgrading Course. In the Reformasi era,\ncivic education has not been fully able to keep pace with the\nincreasingly broad development of political freedoms. As a result,\nalthough generation after generation learns about Pancasila, education\nhas often been more successful in making students recognise the contents\nof Pancasila than in using its values to understand complex problems and\nmanage differences in real life.<\/p>\n
Research by Carole L Hahn (1998) shows that effective civic education\ndoes not rely solely on memorising concepts, but on the experience of\ndiscussing and confronting differing views openly. In other words,\ndemocracy is learned through practice, not just explanation.<\/p>\n
In a public sphere increasingly filled with polarisation and sharp\ndifferences of opinion, I am again reminded of Buya HAMKA\u2019s reflection.\nIf a person only seeks faults in groups with different views, they will\nfind them. If a person only seeks threats in every criticism, they will\nfind them. However, if a person seeks humanity, justice, and wisdom,\nthey will find them even amidst sharp differences.<\/p>\n
This reflection also reminds me of the educational practices we\nstrive for at Sukma Bangsa School. Because we are in Aceh\u2014a region that\nhas special autonomy in implementing Islamic law while also holding\nimportant traces in the Republic\u2019s history, including when Bireuen\nserved as the seat of the Indonesian government during the Dutch\nmilitary aggression\u2014we learn that Acehnese, Islamic, and Indonesian\nidentities do not have to be opposed. A worldview that sees the three as\nmutually reinforcing is precisely an important part of national\neducation.<\/p>\n
In this context, we view Pancasila education. Pancasila is not\ntreated as mere subject matter to be memorised, but as a value to be\nlived. Students learn that differences do not always have to end in\nconflict. They are invited to dialogue, cooperate, and solve problems\ntogether. In this way, Pancasila values are endeavoured to be present\nnot as rote learning, but as a life experience. Religious values are\nalso not positioned as an opponent of nationhood, but as a moral\nfoundation for carrying out life as a responsible citizen.<\/p>\n
Of course, this practice is not yet perfect. However, the experience\nteaches that Pancasila education does not require grand slogans, but a\nlearning space that allows students to directly experience the values of\nhumanity, unity, democracy, and justice.<\/p>\n
Therefore, the most important sanctity of Pancasila in the 21st\ncentury lies not in its ability to defeat other ideologies, but in its\nability to shape the nation\u2019s worldview. In a highly diverse Indonesia,\nthe ability to see common ground amidst differences is not a luxury, but\na prerequisite for survival.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/the-sanctity-of-pancasila-and-the-nations-worldview-1781479215", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }