'Young people need creativity outlets'

'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