When Democracy Loses Its Decorum: A Note for a Nation in Transition

There is a great irony growing in many democracies in the 21st century. The wider the freedom of speech humans possess, the harder it becomes to find conversations that genuinely seek the truth. The more open the democratic space, the easier it is for anger to disguise itself as courage. The more people claim to fight for the people, the fewer are truly willing to listen to one another. This phenomenon does not only occur in Indonesia. It happens in the United States, torn apart by political polarisation. It happens in Europe, facing a wave of populism and a crisis of trust in institutions. It happens in various countries that find that freedom does not automatically give birth to wisdom. Democracy indeed gives people the right to speak. But democracy never guarantees that people will use that right well. This is where the greatest test of a nation truly begins. Not when the people lack freedom. But when the people possess such vast freedom, yet slowly lose their decorum in using it. In recent years, Indonesia’s public sphere has shown symptoms worthy of collective reflection. Criticism of the government continues to flow. Demonstrations take place. The media performs its oversight function. Academics, activists, students, and civil society express diverse views. All of this is an important part of democratic life.