KNT 3
What sort of rules do
families often have in the home?
Well, from the top of my mind, the first rule is when you go
on a date, you need to be back before midnight. I remember this rule because
when I was young I often broke this rule. Second rule is no phone during
dinner. I think this is quite logical, because it is a polite thing to do. And
the third rule, you will have to answer to refill the water in the water
container in the bathroom after you use it. Indonesian use water in their
bathroom. Unlike western culture which relies on tissue or toilet paper to wipe
their ass, we use water. It is very problematic when you go to the toilet and
the container is empty.
How important is it
for family members to respect these rules?
Well, house rules are designed to help us, the inhabitant of
that house I think. Let's say for example, nightlife isn't all that interesting
in Indonesia due to the high number of crimes happened during the night. So it
is safe to conclude your date after 10 p.m, and return home at 11 p.m. Going
later than midnight may put you and your girlfriend in dangerous situation.
Second of all, dinner time is usually a good time for parents to communicate
with their children. Talking about their life and school, and other things. If
the children are busy with their phone during dinner, then it would be
difficult for parents to communicate with them. The last one about the water
and toilet paper, that is a practical rule, if you don't follow it ... it will
be very bad for a person who need to use the toilet at that exact moment.
Have the typical
family rules changed since your parents were children?
Well, yes of course. During my parents time, there were no
things to do. So people would gather in the living room and talk to each other
or read a book. If we compare to the modern rules .. Let's say a modern house
share the wireless internet connection to about four computers ... and then the
connection had gone slower than normal .. Your parents may ask you "Don't
hog the bandwidth! or Don't watch youtube now!" ... So with all the
technology invading us now, while in the past such technology was non-existent,
I believe we need more rules to clear things up, what is allowed and what is
not.
Why do schools need
to have rules?
Well, it is very easy to answer. It is just the same with
any other rules, it is there to give a structure. You don't want teenagers to smoke,
so there is a rule of no-smoking in the school. You want all the teenagers to
dress appropriately, then there is a dress-code rule for that matter. Rules
exist to help us behave. Without the rules, we might as well be animals. Maybe
worse.
What is the best way
to ensure that school rules are obeyed?
Discipline and Motivation. It is not that similar to the old
carrot and stick approach. If you want to discipline your students you need to
show an example, and discipline yourself. To ensure this, I think all the
principals and teachers need to be trained in a leadership training, a program
that will make them more professional in leading the students to progress.
Do you think the
focus of the school should be discipline or fairness?
There is a reason why people need to be flexible in their
life. Flexibility matters. Then again, there is also lots of reason why people
need to be able to instill discipline in their behavior. Now, the function of
the school is not to choose one over the other. I believe, the school needs to
adopt an approach where all the students feel they have the same opportunity to
progress. In order to do this, the first thing the school need is to stop being
judgmental. If you want to be a judgmental, don't do it at school. Discipline
is necessary and so is flexibility and fairness. We can have both if we run the
school professionally. We don't have to choose.
Why do you think
societies need to have laws?
Unless you want to go to a scene from Spaghetti Western
movie or Samurai period, then of course societies need to have laws. The very
definition of law is to protect and to put things in balance. Let's say, the
rules about tax .. nobody in their right mind would like to give money
frequently and regularly in a large percentage. However, the rules say so ...
and this is for the better and for improving the society. So you have no choice
other than paying your tax, or some guy from IRS will come to your house and
make your life hell than it already is.
So, we need rules and laws to encourage other people to act
selfless. Think about motorcycle rider in Indonesia, ... they are mindless
numbnuts .. I would like to see them riding their motorcycle in Singapore .. so
they can go to jail every time they violate the rules in the road.
Is prison always the
best form of punishment?
I don't agree with that statement. I think prison is a waste
of taxpayers money. A prison is made based on the believe that everyone needs
to be given a second chance. It is much better if you are under 14 year old ..
you will be punished by going to prison .. but when you are older then, you
need to face a capital punishment. I don't think criminals should be given a
second chance. Life is difficult. So many people in this world. We can do
without criminals asking for forgiveness.
Should state legal
aid be available to everyone?
I'm not a professional to comment on things about court and
justice or things like that. If they need legal aid then give it to them. I
choose to stay out of trouble. In your family, you need to have judge, lawyer,
army soldier, police, doctor and so on. You cannot rely to the government in
Indonesia. The only thing you can rely is your family. So unless the state
legal aid is your family, in Indonesia, they will do nothing useful to really help
you. You don't give them money, you can't expect them to help you. That's the
real truth about law in Indonesia.
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