A matter of character
A matter of character
Dessy Noer Thaher's letter in the July 8 edition of The
Jakarta Post, which was picked up from Media Indonesia, is a good
one. It was especially interesting because on page 7 of the same
edition there was a picture of a foreign artist doing a body
painting, and the woman model was bare-breasted.
On the controversial Matra magazine cover, model Ineke
Koesherawaty was covering her breasts with her arms. Sophia
Latjuba used the same gesture a while ago. Thus, is it the Post
which is guilty of using hard-core pornography?
Dessy is right in saying that there is confusion about
pornography. If she goes deep into villages in Bali, the women
walk around with bare torsos like 60 years ago. So do the Dayaks
in their region, and one finds the same thing in Irian Jaya. I
mentioned the koteka (penis sheath) some time ago, which exposes
60 percent of the male organ.
The people involved in drawing up the legal definition of
pornography indeed have to do their reformative homework,
including to define what is vulgar, etc., and what should be
forbidden.
Recently in Western Europe, I saw newsstands' shelves filled
with magazines featuring nude photographs, at least half a dozen
at a place, plus several more explicit heterosexual and
homosexual publications. Of course, there also were the sex
shops.
It is like cars, clothing or sailboats, just another commodity
to attract people to buy.
Our moral watchers, including the legislative body, must come
up with something encompassing the people living deep in our
forests, the rural areas and urban population of all incomes,
ages and religions. The distinct voices now are those of prudent
and conservative groups because they are the ones outraged. It is
like in a neighborhood where we have to consider our neighbors
when increasing the volume of our radio or television.
It is thus a matter of consensus and understanding each
other's views and values. And, of course, importing girlie
magazines is like fast food, clothing, expensive cars, alcohol,
karaoke, striptease, cigarettes and makeup. We are copying these
"imported" lifestyles and making money which is highly disputable
and risky, consumptive for the sake of showing off and being
"classy", according to the imported standards of McDonald's, KFC
and the malls.
It is due to character, self-confidence, our own philosophy
and values, and goals and social fabric. We have to be honest
with ourselves: We have not progressed one millimeter since 1966.
We are merely aping the white people from Beverly Hills and Las
Vegas.
Isn't that what Pancasila is all about?
Y. SANTO
Jakarta