Drugs and Bastardization of Modernity
I had a very nice baby-face innocent-looking friend not so long time ago. I met him occasionally, but certainly he is one of those whose presence making conversation alive and congenial. His father is a colonel in Indonesian army. After intervening period of about two years, I met him again. I was shocked. He’s just a dead man alive. His impressive physical appearance just gone. I know the reason, yet I asked him for clarity or may be just for the sake of asking.
He confirmed my query of his addiction to drug. One year later after the last meeting, he died unnatural death. Victim of another version of modernity, the bastardized one.
Fareed Zakaria, Chief Editor Newsweek International, writes in his The Future of Freedom that many people in the developing countries tend to imitate the west the wrong way. For the rich and well-to-do family, modernization means McDonald’s hamburger, Rolex watches, fast cars and wearing the latest Paris fashion available. For the rich young guy, following the popular trend is everything even if it means drugs and dead.
Importing Western goods or its pop culture is easy; importing the inner stuffing of modern society–hard work, sense of responsibility, integrity, knowledgeable, among others– is difficult. I see my dead friend smiles noddingly from his premature grave.