'Young people need creativity outlets'

A recent survey by the Cinta Anak Bangsa Foundation, a non- governmental organization concerned with drug use among teenagers, found that young people were becoming more permissive toward pornography, drugs and violence. The Jakarta Post asked residents for their thoughts on the issue.

Panca Saktiyani, 36, works for a non-governmental organization dealing with the protection of women's rights. She lives in Kalibata, South Jakarta.

The facts are right in front of our eyes, but looking for someone to blame is not the solution. So many factors influence the behavior of students. Parents can say that sex, violence and drugs are forbidden, but in the real world they see all this stuff going on right in front of them.

Looking for scapegoats is not the solution. Parents and teachers have to sit down together and redefine what is right and wrong because norms and values have changed.

What older generations perceived as improper might no longer be applicable. For example, wearing tank tops used to be seen as improper, but young people today see tank tops as simple and trendy.

Ali Lamhari, 28, is an entrepreneur. He lives with his family in Bekasi, West Java.

My opinion is that students' permissiveness is influenced by society's permissiveness. Indonesians are permissive toward rules and regulations. For example, they do not obey traffic lights. Permissiveness toward sex, violence and drugs starts from small examples such as violating traffic lights.

There are two factors influencing the growing permissiveness among young people. The first is that our society is becoming more individualistic. People do not care what others do as long as it does not concern them. Second, people seem to have lost their principles. They no longer have the guidance to differentiate between what is wrong and what is right.

My suggestion is that people and the government work together to recognize changing moral values among young people and channel youths toward more positive activities such as sports and music. The government should provide more public facilities where young people can express their creativity.

-- The Jakarta Post