Indonesia is full of visual trashes

Many streets or corners around the world are very clean and free of anything, like in Singapore. This is because the government enforces a strict rule and big fine for those who break the rule. Therefore, although it is somewhat forced, the effect can always be felt and embraced. The cleanliness is now one of many interesting things proudly held by Singapore.

Clean street

Clean road

Clean and great view

But in Indonesia, you surely cannot expect the cleanliness of Singapore. These pictures below will make you understand right away.

Dirty

Very dirty

Too dirty that it deserves a trophy of dirtiness

The trashes can destroy your nose by its bad smell and your eye by its dirtiness, but that is not the visual trash I am talking about. What I am talking about is the beauty of marketing that has become nothing more than a trash.

SIM card, franchises

Cigarrete, promotion

Political campaign stuffs

Minimarkets, restaurants

Exactly, we have to blame the marketing to have put the city into a drawing paper full of pictures and letters. From the marketing view, it is beautiful because the street user would definitely see the advertisement especially if the advertisement is unique and eye-catching.

But from the word “beautiful” itself, it is not beautiful at all. Instead, it destroys the beauty of a what is supposed to be a clean city but turned into nothing more than a place to do marketing. Furthermore, the purpose is not there anymore. There are too many advertisements that the street users do not have time to see all the advertisements, and that, slowly, makes everyone stop noticing and looking at the advertisement too.

(See this video below to see just a glimpse of the visual trashes)

If you want to put your advertisements somewhere, now you know you don’t need to waste your money putting your advertisement on the trees or electrical pole near the street.
Maybe you can think of something new, like in the toilet for example. People, especially men, will definitely stand in one spot when they are doing their ‘business’. That spot can be given an advertisement, and surely they will look and read at it as they don’t have anything better to do except to finish their ‘business’ in the toilet.

(Credits go respectfully to the rightful owner)

Why Indonesian people call foreigners as ‘bule’?

There are many nicknames to call someone different that you don’t know. Like dude, dudette, pal, mate, and many others.

Uniquely in Indonesia, the people have its own term to call the foreigners like the international tourists, or even a local tourist ( local bule ).
They call them ‘bule’. Bule, from its literal meaning, actually means ‘albino’. Indonesian used it to call the foreigners especially to the white people.

While this can be seen as an offense like a racist matter, Indonesian people actually do not have ill intention when they call the foreigners that way. It’s just that any person would need to have some way to address another instead of calling others by the word “Hey” or “You there”.

Some foreigners might find this offensive and abusive as the nickname ‘bule’ tends to degrade the foreigners as non human-beings or aliens.

Most sellers in Bali do not address the foreigners as ‘bule’. They just call them ‘mister’, like in “Hey mister, come and buy this!”

Nevertheless the contradiction whether the word ‘bule’ is offensive or not, the foreigners who come to Indonesia actually have the right to call Indonesian people as ‘bule’ too, because to the international tourists, Indonesian people can be regarded as foreign people to them.

The tag of this photo is ‘”bareng bule…nice”
( “with bule…nice” )

(Credits go respectfully to the rightful owner)

Queue is not a word for Indonesian people

Queueing is normal. It happens everywhere in the world. Most people from any country would respect to the unwritten norm to queue or wait in line, and never ever take someone’s turn.

Queueing

Another form of queue

In Indonesia, however, there is no such thing like queueing. You are lucky if you can see Indonesian people queueing.
Indonesian people can often be so impatient. They don’t like to wait in line unless they are forced to, like in supermarket cashier or in a bank. Yet, often they do not queue in the bank.

In a bank

Queue for ration

This bad habit of Indonesian people really needs to stop. It is a shame to other country who sees it. In the event like the local government giving out free ration to those who need it, the rations are enough for everybody. Yet, those people still do not want to wait in line or queueing. They do not realize the danger of not queueing.

(See this video to see the danger of not waiting in line)

Yes, the kids got the danger. They are, strangely, queueing in the crowd with their parents knowing their bodies are small compared to the adults. Thus, they get pressed and kicked around in the crowd. Not to mention, there could be a thief in the crowd.
Indonesian people really need to realize the importance of queueing. It might take a longer time than not waiting in line, but it is worth the wait.

For supermarket owners, a queue can actually be very helpful for the business. People waiting in line will get bored, and thus a diversion might be useful so the customers do not get too bored while waiting. The diversion, fortunately, can be those little groceries or chocolates or candies that they don’t usually buy. Putting those things in the display near the cashier can be beneficial as they tend to buy what is on the display.

Display near the cashier

What happens in the line

(Credits go respectfully to the rightful owner)

Indonesians’ mindset might be bad for the future

Complimenting others has always been a customary of socializing everywhere in the world. Abused by women, compliments can be honest or dishonest. It can be used to get the other person happy about us, like our boss or our partner in love.

Complimenting

The after-effect

But that is not the unique thing. The unique thing about being complimented is the reaction or the response. The American people, for example, will say “Thank you, I did my best” when they are complimented. Indonesian people, however, will not answer it like that.

Instead, they will say “Not really”. This shows that they do not feel arrogant. Of course, that does not mean the American people are arrogant.

This mindset of the Indonesian people, however, is actually bad for their future. Why?
One of many reasons that cause Indonesian people lose in international competition is this mindset. By saying “Not really”, it can also mean that they do not feel that good at doing what they are actually good at. It shows that they are not confident in themselves. It is as if they have lost the will to compete in the first place.

This must be why Indonesia moves forward slowly, and maybe a little too slow. The people work not to be successful, but to survive. They do not try their best but only so-so. They accept the routine of waking up in the morning, working from morning to evening, then reaching home just to realize the day is almost over.

(Credits go respectfully to the rightful owner)