TEMPTATION

Dear Lord,

Thank you for putting me into this temptation. Shape me Lord so as I can turn into your reflection. Mould me Lord as to be able to accept the unbearable things of being. I understand that I bestow myself into the hands of Sin in some occasion. Purification is what you are intending to do. Give me strength Lord! Let me go through this temptation and still remain your child Lord.
Thank you Lord. Amen!

SEMANTIC GAMES

Words have no corresponding references. That's a common game nowdays. A semantic game I might say. Words, such as truth, justice, integrity, honesty are of broad meanings have become objects of semantic games. If you remember the story of 4 blind men describing an elephant, that's what I meant by semantic game. Who can describe an elephant best? All of them and none, for each describe a part that represent an elephant and that doesnt represent an elephant completely. However in the mind of each blind man, that's an elephant and that's the best way to describe an elephant. Are we looking for a social consensus or are we looking for an individual reference? The semantic game is putting an individual view as social consensus. Power plays a crucial role here. Unless power is there it wont be easy to play this game.

The word female has lately been the object of semantic games. In Aceh for example, Suaidi Yahya, a former member of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), announced the local administration's plan. "The government is only preserving morals. Women must not straddle motorbikes because it provokes the male drivers," declared Yahya, who has been in office for eight months. Provoking is a two way actions. It takes two to tango. It is impossible to provoke unless somebody give reactions to the provocations and get provoked. Another issue, straddling motorbikes,  is it meant to provoke? Suaidi Yahya is trying to escalate his individual view to be accepted as social consensus.

Another semantic games on female was launched by Muhammad Daming Sunusi.During a fit and proper test for Supreme Court justice candidates at the House of Representatives on Monday, Daming made a shocking statement that some rape cases might involve consensual sex and require more lenient sentences. Although he later regreted his words, but the game has been launched and it's there. It is risky to give room to Mr. Sunusi for his language or his games reflect his shallow individual view. Becoming A supreme Court justice will provide him with a room to spoon fed his individual view into social consensus (forcefully!).

The scandal of Garut Regent which is gradually fading away is also another example. Aparently he has managed to curb his scandal on legal issues. Ethical issues which are the main course of the scandal are shunted sideways and forgotten. His case of marrying a young ignorant girl that lasted only for 4 days is almost buried into the graveyard. Thanks to the semantic games, the legal issues are now at the forefront and not much evidence can serve legals issues. The young girl has signed an agreement with Mr. Regent. She's not going to sue him and he gave her a sum of money in return. This is another semantic game!

With the assistance of power, the winner can and will manage to implant his individual perception into everyone's mind. Sooner or later it will turn into a gaze that make everybody believe in it. The voice within fades away and slowly died. What's the difference between a human and a robot?

LIFE OF PI

Two thumbs up for Life of Pi! Lately I have hardly seen any movies of similar quality to Life of Pi. The Hours was probably one that was close to it. Aside from the breathtaking cinematographic angles that contribute to the success, the story itself is so amazing. Similar theme had once been brought to the movie screen based on the award winning Novel written by John Steinbeck, "Of Mice and Man."

What is the difference between an animal and a man? Life of Pi offers two choices of leading life to the viewers. In time of depressed an animal tend to attack and kill other being, be it man or animal. As with human being, the ability to reflect and think, provides human being with the ability to control him/herself and spend efforts in finding harmless solutions. The movie ends with an enigmatic open plot, it all depends on the viewer to make a choice between being human or non-human.

Reality is not much difference than the theme. The choices lies open whether we choose to be human or non human. Amazing enough, that many choose the later be it an a direct or indirect manner.  Pi decides to keep his existence as a human being and managed to deal with Richard Parker, the Bengali Tiger. They both survived and collaborated until the end of their journey. The ones who are in favor of the opposite are easy to spot. The case of Angelina to take one example, she was accused and sentenced for corruption. She chose a short cut to reach for her dream. Did she "take" what belong to other people? The court proved yes though indirectly. The rape and brutal beating of the woman, who died of severe internal injuries in India is definitely another blattant example. The 6 "animals" deserve to be treated like any "animals" should. Politics is a  fertile soil to harvest the state of being non-human. One attacking the other is an ordinary news in the media. You hardly spot an article in which they use their intelligent to win a situation. It's not about how to show your existence and stand out among the crowd, it's more on how to pull down the rest so that the animal in you can stand higher. I've seen friends turn into enemies at work, I have experienced sisters that turn into strangers in families, I have witness, children turned hostile for the sake of material wealth.

Life of Pi is just another movie, but it is also a different movie. It stripped you out with a question: which one are you?