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JAKARTA
POST, 08 Juli 2013
On July, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono briefed 735
military cadets at the Naval Academy in Surabaya, East Java. It was one day
before the inauguration of the cadets who graduated from the Army, Air Force,
Navy and National Police academies.
The President conveyed 10 messages in his briefing to the military officers to be, which were: to maintain their idealism; to do their best (in their career); to improve their skills; to develop competitiveness; to uphold ethics and professionalism; to be strong psychologically; to maintain self-confidence; not to be choosy (in conducting their military service); to resist the three temptations of treasure, thrones and women, and to stay close to God (setkab.go.id).
Generally, these are good messages and I believe these are also the President’s expectations for the future leaders of the Indonesian Military (TNI). Nonetheless, message number nine “to resist the three temptations of treasure, thrones and women” caught my attention.
Overall, the message says, “Be resistant to the three temptations of treasure, thrones and women. With regard to treasure’s temptation, it means you should not collect wealth through illegal means or pursue gains that are forbidden (haram).
With regard to your position as a military or a police officer, a “throne” is somewhat certain for you. You will definitely follow some educational paths and in the future you will attain several positions. But remember, never seize a position. If, in the future, you want to be president, join the presidential election
The third point is about women. A woman can be tempted by a man; as a man may be tempted by a woman. Mind your future and think righteously that there is still a long way for you to go (in your career). Remember your parents, brothers/sisters, children — if you already have them — and so on.”
For many Indonesians, the treasure-thrones-women notion, known as harta-tahta-wanita, is nothing new. This notion was not only raised by the President, in fact it is a “common” topic discussed by ordinary people on many occasions, such as religious sermons, discussions at schools, chats in the media and among friends.
People mostly discuss the treasure-thrones-women topic with a sense that it may lead a good man to become a bad one, as he could become immersed by the treasure he has, the position he holds and, obviously, by women. The discussions usually include warnings for men to be aware of the threats attached to treasure, a throne and/or a woman.
I feel uncomfortable every time I hear this theme and the discussions that follow. From a gender perspective, the treasure-thrones-women notion is sexist. It generalizes to such a degree as to imply that there is nothing good about women; they are dangerous creatures, so men need to be alert at all times.
On a wider scale, this way of thinking leads to women being blamed for men’s wrongdoings. For instance, it is not uncommon to hear that corruption cases would not be as rampant as they are today if a woman (wife) did not ask her husband to provide a living beyond his capabilities. There are also other notions that denigrate and blame women for various social ills.
Language is a powerful medium through which the world is reflected and constructed. Sexist language endorses stereotypes of both men and women. It may on occasion disadvantage men, but more often it disadvantages women. Language, therefore, is not neutral as it is loaded with values; in this case, patriarchal ones.
Furthermore, language works at a subconcious level, meaning that the values that are attached to words gradually become absorbed by the recipients.
This explains why so many people no longer consider that there is anything wrong with the mysoginism that is implied in the treasure-thrones-women notion.
Simone de Beauvoir in her book, The Second Sex, wrote: “One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman”. While language is the primary medium of communication, it is at the same time a powerful tool in the social construction of being a man or a woman.
It is important that language serves as a medium in which both men and women are constructed positively. Developing critical thinking is no less important, to ensure that we do not just swallow whatever we hear. ●
The President conveyed 10 messages in his briefing to the military officers to be, which were: to maintain their idealism; to do their best (in their career); to improve their skills; to develop competitiveness; to uphold ethics and professionalism; to be strong psychologically; to maintain self-confidence; not to be choosy (in conducting their military service); to resist the three temptations of treasure, thrones and women, and to stay close to God (setkab.go.id).
Generally, these are good messages and I believe these are also the President’s expectations for the future leaders of the Indonesian Military (TNI). Nonetheless, message number nine “to resist the three temptations of treasure, thrones and women” caught my attention.
Overall, the message says, “Be resistant to the three temptations of treasure, thrones and women. With regard to treasure’s temptation, it means you should not collect wealth through illegal means or pursue gains that are forbidden (haram).
With regard to your position as a military or a police officer, a “throne” is somewhat certain for you. You will definitely follow some educational paths and in the future you will attain several positions. But remember, never seize a position. If, in the future, you want to be president, join the presidential election
The third point is about women. A woman can be tempted by a man; as a man may be tempted by a woman. Mind your future and think righteously that there is still a long way for you to go (in your career). Remember your parents, brothers/sisters, children — if you already have them — and so on.”
For many Indonesians, the treasure-thrones-women notion, known as harta-tahta-wanita, is nothing new. This notion was not only raised by the President, in fact it is a “common” topic discussed by ordinary people on many occasions, such as religious sermons, discussions at schools, chats in the media and among friends.
People mostly discuss the treasure-thrones-women topic with a sense that it may lead a good man to become a bad one, as he could become immersed by the treasure he has, the position he holds and, obviously, by women. The discussions usually include warnings for men to be aware of the threats attached to treasure, a throne and/or a woman.
I feel uncomfortable every time I hear this theme and the discussions that follow. From a gender perspective, the treasure-thrones-women notion is sexist. It generalizes to such a degree as to imply that there is nothing good about women; they are dangerous creatures, so men need to be alert at all times.
On a wider scale, this way of thinking leads to women being blamed for men’s wrongdoings. For instance, it is not uncommon to hear that corruption cases would not be as rampant as they are today if a woman (wife) did not ask her husband to provide a living beyond his capabilities. There are also other notions that denigrate and blame women for various social ills.
Language is a powerful medium through which the world is reflected and constructed. Sexist language endorses stereotypes of both men and women. It may on occasion disadvantage men, but more often it disadvantages women. Language, therefore, is not neutral as it is loaded with values; in this case, patriarchal ones.
Furthermore, language works at a subconcious level, meaning that the values that are attached to words gradually become absorbed by the recipients.
This explains why so many people no longer consider that there is anything wrong with the mysoginism that is implied in the treasure-thrones-women notion.
Simone de Beauvoir in her book, The Second Sex, wrote: “One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman”. While language is the primary medium of communication, it is at the same time a powerful tool in the social construction of being a man or a woman.
It is important that language serves as a medium in which both men and women are constructed positively. Developing critical thinking is no less important, to ensure that we do not just swallow whatever we hear. ●
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