* From Zero to Hero *
(struck by lightning)
A question hit me yesterday, after I finished watching The Kite Runner. Actually, it was triggered before that, during my dinner with my housemates. The actual stimuli was a question by one of my housemates. She asked me, "What is the actual economic state in our country?" Well, to answer that question, you just have to look at the news and gather all the information that is there. I remember earlier this month, there was a statement by one of the ministers saying, "Global food crisis is not affecting Malaysia." It made me thank God, because ever since I have been reading about the food crisis, I have been worried about the state of it in Malaysia. But, after about a week or so, there was another report in the same newspaper website saying, "Harga beras naik melebihi paras siling." (The price of rice goes over the roof? Boley ke camnih?) Then, a few days after, another article was published, talking about opening new lands for agriculture. So, where are we now? I do not even dare to speculate.
I remember a time when we had to write articles and journals and compositions every other day. Most of the time, they will tell us to discuss certain issues that are hot at the time. Often, we find ourselves writing this sentence: we are the golden generation; the future leaders. This is what they have always taught us and what they have always told us. We are the future leaders; therefore, we have to educate ourselves. We have to gather information and sufficient experiences in order to lead the nation in the future. They tell us that we are the nation's hope for success and respect. We have to hold on to our principles and be strong to defend our country and its people.
Ever since we can read the news, these urges and beliefs are firmly placed in our minds. But, after we had learned to analyze the news (reading and analyzing are two very different things, ye kawan-kawan), we come across a different reality. We come across a few harsh realities, like, people are greedy. When they get power, they gloat over it and forget themselves. They poison the people's minds with their power and they plan for things to go their way. I am not saying that each and every leader has this criteria, I am just saying that the average people who have power, have these traits. Average people with unusual powers; this is where problems arise.
As you can see now, with all the hot topics and the hot issues around; do you think the media are actually reporting the news that matters? Or are they reporting the things that they are told to report by those average people? Media is a wonderful tool for the greedy; it is the ultimate power that controls people's minds. But, I am not here to talk about the media (we can go on forever talking about this). I am here to talk about us; the golden generation.
The question that hit me after I watched The Kite Runner last night was this; "Will we ever have the chance to be leaders?" I pondered over this and I related this with all the on-goings. If you ever give it some thought, you might just arrive to another question; "What is the state of the country that we will lead?" This is a really disturbing question, since it seems like all the developing countries are in the dawn of a fall due to a lot of reasons caused by the richer countries. As your mind wonders over all the possibilities, maybe you will remember our Vision 2020...and you'll just stop, because you will arrive to the ultimate question; "Will it ever happen?"
Think about it; are the current leaders thinking about us? Are they preparing to leave the country to us in harmony...or in ruins? For all I know, maybe they have forgotten about us. Maybe they are too busy trying to save themselves that they forget...no one lives forever. They are too busy arguing and expanding their influences that they forget, that they once said, "We are building now for our future generations." The question is; what are you building for us, and, are you actually building?
For all I know of the state we are in now, we have to prepare ourselves. We have to be stronger and wiser. These days, I am reminded of Saidina Ali. So, is there anyone in our current generation is as strong and as wise as him? Or, are we prepared to be under the mercy of foreign powers and live in fear? We should prepare ourselves, so we can stand on our own feet and walk without holding any crutches.
Anyway, this is not a political article; this is just how I feel. I am not saying, let's change the whole government or anything. If we change the government, then we have to be prepared to start from zero. Are we prepared to rise again from the ashes? Also, I am not crying out "Reformasi!" or whatever. I am just saying; they tell us we are the golden generation, the future leaders. So, we had better show them that they are right.
***
Switchfoot - Lonely Nation
(struck by lightning)
A question hit me yesterday, after I finished watching The Kite Runner. Actually, it was triggered before that, during my dinner with my housemates. The actual stimuli was a question by one of my housemates. She asked me, "What is the actual economic state in our country?" Well, to answer that question, you just have to look at the news and gather all the information that is there. I remember earlier this month, there was a statement by one of the ministers saying, "Global food crisis is not affecting Malaysia." It made me thank God, because ever since I have been reading about the food crisis, I have been worried about the state of it in Malaysia. But, after about a week or so, there was another report in the same newspaper website saying, "Harga beras naik melebihi paras siling." (The price of rice goes over the roof? Boley ke camnih?) Then, a few days after, another article was published, talking about opening new lands for agriculture. So, where are we now? I do not even dare to speculate.
I remember a time when we had to write articles and journals and compositions every other day. Most of the time, they will tell us to discuss certain issues that are hot at the time. Often, we find ourselves writing this sentence: we are the golden generation; the future leaders. This is what they have always taught us and what they have always told us. We are the future leaders; therefore, we have to educate ourselves. We have to gather information and sufficient experiences in order to lead the nation in the future. They tell us that we are the nation's hope for success and respect. We have to hold on to our principles and be strong to defend our country and its people.
Ever since we can read the news, these urges and beliefs are firmly placed in our minds. But, after we had learned to analyze the news (reading and analyzing are two very different things, ye kawan-kawan), we come across a different reality. We come across a few harsh realities, like, people are greedy. When they get power, they gloat over it and forget themselves. They poison the people's minds with their power and they plan for things to go their way. I am not saying that each and every leader has this criteria, I am just saying that the average people who have power, have these traits. Average people with unusual powers; this is where problems arise.
As you can see now, with all the hot topics and the hot issues around; do you think the media are actually reporting the news that matters? Or are they reporting the things that they are told to report by those average people? Media is a wonderful tool for the greedy; it is the ultimate power that controls people's minds. But, I am not here to talk about the media (we can go on forever talking about this). I am here to talk about us; the golden generation.
The question that hit me after I watched The Kite Runner last night was this; "Will we ever have the chance to be leaders?" I pondered over this and I related this with all the on-goings. If you ever give it some thought, you might just arrive to another question; "What is the state of the country that we will lead?" This is a really disturbing question, since it seems like all the developing countries are in the dawn of a fall due to a lot of reasons caused by the richer countries. As your mind wonders over all the possibilities, maybe you will remember our Vision 2020...and you'll just stop, because you will arrive to the ultimate question; "Will it ever happen?"
Think about it; are the current leaders thinking about us? Are they preparing to leave the country to us in harmony...or in ruins? For all I know, maybe they have forgotten about us. Maybe they are too busy trying to save themselves that they forget...no one lives forever. They are too busy arguing and expanding their influences that they forget, that they once said, "We are building now for our future generations." The question is; what are you building for us, and, are you actually building?
For all I know of the state we are in now, we have to prepare ourselves. We have to be stronger and wiser. These days, I am reminded of Saidina Ali. So, is there anyone in our current generation is as strong and as wise as him? Or, are we prepared to be under the mercy of foreign powers and live in fear? We should prepare ourselves, so we can stand on our own feet and walk without holding any crutches.
Anyway, this is not a political article; this is just how I feel. I am not saying, let's change the whole government or anything. If we change the government, then we have to be prepared to start from zero. Are we prepared to rise again from the ashes? Also, I am not crying out "Reformasi!" or whatever. I am just saying; they tell us we are the golden generation, the future leaders. So, we had better show them that they are right.
***
Switchfoot - Lonely Nation
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