In cities, everyone commutes and arrives at their designated quarters and automatically proceeds to religiously dedicate themselves to the never-ending pile of work. Everyday, in a ceremonious manner, we surrender into the hypnotic tempo of something great, without questioning what it is. In the process, we lose sight of the reality and become so unhappy in carrying the weight of burdens the world imposes itself on our backs. As we knowingly strip ourselves from our own self in constant tiny amounts, we rid ourselves of humanity—however little there is left in us or others—and naïvely wonder where it all went.
The frightening deal is that the unforgiving world just doesn't stop, and we spend our entire lives trying to chase the momentum. This prospect is not only impossible, it is a trap that drives us into the abyss of alienation: the feeling of not belonging, the refusal to compromise, the loss of allies. The triumphant culture of distraction also induces the inability to live with our self, and further isolates us by conjuring an idyllic world...which probably cannot exist and never has existed in the first place. This description is accurate to that of a person suffering dementia, and the bourgeoisie of the Soeharto era.
What progress has our society made when our core values have become all mixed up? We confuse our needs and wants (the city has rampantly blurred its distinctions) and therefore deem them both as neglected—we refuse to be responsible for our course of actions. Our priorities are on things we cannot afford and not just in terms of finance—do we have time to spare (although we have no reservations against wasting it) and can we live with the consequences? Just where do we go on from this metropolitan wasteland?
Contents
1. Rootless Desires
2. Hantu Yang Bernama Rasa (1): Nostalgia
3. Mimpi No. 25
4. Tentang Keseharian (Atau Mengapa Kita Harus
Berhenti Merisaukan Akhir Pekan)
5. Untitled
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