Indonesian Values Regression Caused by the Massive

Development of Information Technology

Indonesia has various culture. As the latest data from official website of Wonderful
Indonesia, this archipelago country has 350 ethnics and 483 cultures. It consist of big
culture and small culture. The ethnics that categorized having a big culture are
Javanese, Sundanese, Melayu, Batak, and Dayak. Every culture has their own social
relationship pattern, values, and norms. For instance, Javanese has 3 levels of politeness
whereas Padang does not have. Although each culture has a different way in
socialization and social administration, in general they have the same characteristic that
is the value of friendliness and togetherness. With those characteristics, Indonesian is
known as friendly and welcomed people for tourist from other countries. That is why,
Indonesia becomes of the favorite destination for cultural vacation. Those except giving
the advantages to attract foreigner visits Indonesia are also triggering foreigner to
exploit Indonesian natural resources. Colonialism for 350 years by Netherlands are the
effect of being too friendliness. Indonesian does not put suspicion when the first time
they came until they did colonization.
In this modern era, there is a change in colonization method. Direct lands subjection
is not exist anymore. It has been replaced by indirect cultural infiltration from strong
culture (western) to weak culture (eastern). The strength of a culture is influenced by
the politic stabilization, society prosperity, good economic foundation, and society
behavior to keep using their own culture. Those factors must boost the cultural
expanding. Europe which mostly are developed countries succeed expanding their
culture through some aspects such as life style, economy, and technology. This cultural
expanding will give an advantages for the country because people around the world
knows about them without any promotion. As indirectly it will increase citizen
prosperity through tourism, handicraft, and national product.
Indonesia becomes a potential market for producer country. A big country with a
huge population, located in strategic area (between two continentals and two oceans) or
on the other words Indonesia is in international trade traffic are some interesting
aspects. Moreover, Indonesian characteristics are supported to be the target market. It
can be proven since globalization era begun, the producer country such as Japan, South
Korea, USA, and European countries are making a race to send their as much as they
can to Indonesia. The result is they have succeeded taking over the most natural
resources, daily need tools, even food. With the high technology system that they have,
it is possible for them to monitor Indonesia natural resources.
In this globalization era, every aspect in human life are connected one to another
country. Moreover, along with the massive development of information and
communication technology, everything just becomes closer and limitless. Message
exchange, online trading, and virtual socialization become a new life style. Slowly but
sure it replaces pattern, values, and social norms in the society. This is what happening
in Indonesia. Social media as the product of communication technology has change
social interaction pattern from face to face become more virtual through social media
and wireless communication. By the time and rapid use of social media, there will be a
regression on social values. For example in java island there is a culture of togetherness
called gotong-royong, everyone cooperate help someone who has an event. On the
other words, gotong-royong reflecting the spirit of togetherness. Formerly, this culture
adhered in everyday activities. But in row with a rapid usage of media social this
culture has been left by people because of individualism. The others impact is politeness
regression on teenagers behavior. The way they speak to the older person is not paying
attention on politeness word usage. They growth to be more individual, high self-
esteem, and inclined implementing western life style. This victimizes local values that
has a contrary with western.
Technology information especially social media era makes people spend a big
portion in a day to stay keep in touch on social media. Moreover, it provides some
facilities that allow people to communicate through online chatting and video
streaming, trading activities through online shopping, navigation, and many more.
Social media seems like a complete system to replace real social interaction. Even
though it offers the higher level of interaction, it also gives the bad impacts to society
development. Because of people prefer to use social media, they have no enough time to
do socialization with other people surround them. It makes people careless and doing
their own business without giving a portion for real socialization.
Fortunately, most of social value regression just happened in a metropolis cities such
as Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung, Semarang, Yogyakarta, Makassar, Medan, and others
big city in Indonesia. But it just a matter of time before it covers all area in Ithindonesia.
When it happened, the westernization just covered and replaced local values. This must
be treated as a serious problem because it related to national cultural tenacity which has
a direct correlation to national self-esteem. When a country has no longer having their
own culture, it can be said that they have been losing their identity. The country which
does not have an identity cannot be said as an independent country. There is no
enthusiasm reflected from local wisdom. Besides that, local culture can attract people
around the world to come to Indonesia. It makes tourist interested on learn a new social
system and unusual habits.
Modernization should be balanced with cultural conservation. This is expected can
keep cultural stability without keeping away from technologys development. There are
some countries that can be a reference for Indonesia to keep conserve the national
cultures such as, Japan, China, South Korea, and India. They have a good strategy
supported appropriate policies from government to keep cultural conservation and
technologys development in line. If it is seen from the amount of local culture
Indonesia still leads than those country. But why Indonesia cannot make the citizen
proud of their own culture. The problem is located in strategy of cultural conservation.
Indonesia still does not have a good one. The current conservation only on local area
and still sporadic without long plan. If this be managed well, it is not impossible
Indonesian culture can be known and expanded to other countries. So, the key is on
Indonesian awareness to proud of their own culture and government policy that
support cultural conservation.