Indonesian psychology

Indonesian psychology

Donna K. Woodward, as expected, rather than arguing against my
valid points, made a blanket statement that my (and, implicitly,
the Indonesian people's) character is emotional and less than
logical. As someone who has the audacity to hold such an
unpopular view regarding Indonesian politics, Woodward is
apparently not equipped with adequate and valid data. Hence she
is not prepared to solidly argue both my and Nova Poerwadi's
rebuttals.

She should bear in mind one factor; being passionate about
something as distinct from being emotional about something. If
she thinks that she is a sober and unemotional person, her
writings in the past year, on the surface at least, haven't
generally shown these qualities. However, without advancing any
argument, did I ever jump to my feet and tell her how emotional
and illogical she has been? So, her defensive statement that in
my writing there seems to be a failure of logic and a
substitution of emotion for reason doesn't in the least hold
water. It thus begs the question: Who is she actually referring
to? Herself or me/us, the Indonesians?

In the past one and a half years, as a result of the
unexpectedly overwhelming support for my thoughts which I have
received from readers and the editorial team, I have found this
new career as a Jakarta Post's freelance writer marvelously
fulfilling. Many readers, among them prominent figures of whom
some I have had the honor to meet, have called me and commented
on my writings, and none of them have described me the way
Woodward did, namely emotional as opposed to logical. My rebuttal
on her article can be found on Wimar Witoelar's website
(http://www.perspektif.net).

I invite her to visit that site and learn the complex truth
about Indonesian politics, so next time she won't repeat her
blunder.

I have one request for Donna Woodward: Please understand the
psychology of our people (many of whom are PDI Perjuangan
supporters). We are a battered people, and many times we have
been deceived by the likes of Habibie and those political
opportunists currently dominating the House of Representatives.
Hence any trust that our system and political elite can bail us
out of the immense problems we are facing has worn extremely
thin. I don't believe in jingoism and bigotry (God knows how I
hate the noises and rhetoric against the Australians), but to
hear a foreigner preach how illogical we, the Indonesians, are
without advancing a sound and circumspect argument, is a bit out
of order, so to speak.

One last tip for Woodward: The art of arguing is the art of
living. We argue because we must, because life demands it;
because, in the end, life itself is but an argument.

RAHAYU RATNANINGSIH

Jakarta