About Literature and Common Sense

By: Eeng Nurhaeni – Millennium Guardian of Literature, Guardian of Al-Bayan Islamic Boarding School, Rangkasbitung, South Banten

CIVILIZATION and bad culture are seen in the language patterns of people with sarcastic behavior. Nations that understand the complexity of literature, with a moral and humanistic perspective, seem to have the right to continue and have a high level of civilization. Because after all, the indicator of a great nation is equal to the high quality of culture in that country.

In Hegel’s philosophy of idealism, three main aspects of human thought must be considered, which are the quality of truth (logic), virtue (ethics), and beauty (aesthetics). The generation of literary education that reflects the quality of the nation’s culture was seen to be crippled during the military rule of the New Order. Therefore, the children of the millennial generation seem to be thirsty from literary ideas. We can understand when the psychologist and linguist, Thomas Lickona (1992) emphasized that the indicator of the destruction of the national culture is the use of bad words (bad language).

Currently, many scholars and humanists are concerned because of the poor quality of literary education at the household, school and university level. The culture of telling stories, reading, writing and discussing literary works must be revived in classes and families. The more the family speaks and communicates well, the more the children of that nation have the skills to use good and correct Indonesian words.

On the other hand, if parents set examples of bad, rude, and vulgar language every day, students will easily accept the language patterns used by their parents. For this reason, at the level of the national family, household leaders should ensure the nutrition of literature for the development of the minds and minds of students, starting with simple things, then continuing to increase the value and quality of literature at a high level. Parents can practice it by practicing reading and writing literary works. Children must be introduced to literature, literary works, literary language, national and regional writers, literary criticism and appreciation, up to the level of metaphor.

The best place to provide education for developing the language of politeness and wisdom for students is the family in the household. Because, whatever the communication system and language style in the family will determine their style and cultural characteristics. In addition, literary language has a magical power that can affect students’ memories. On the other hand, reading good literature encourages Indonesian children to develop the quality of their minds, and also sharpen their thinking and intelligence. With their ability to think, children will fly beyond their time, if they are used to reading quality books, then they can compose, give examples, and explain the results of their reading. In addition, literary work cannot be separated from systems to enhance the inner experience for children and families.

Following the experience of world history from time to time, it has been proven that good literature will be able to strengthen the role of the family to strengthen the new generation from the hidden dangers in this millennial age, starting from the hidden threats of hate speech, cyberbullying. , and bad language. (foul language). Reading literature really helps increase the speed of intelligence, imagination, behavior, wisdom and manners in children’s behavior, attitude, and in itself, to have good values.
About literary education

The type of literary education must be directed to the product of literary works. In addition to students understanding the main works of the world, they also need to be invited to preserve their literary works in the form of pieces, books and separate files. If since childhood they have been diligent in writing literary works, they have the ability to choose good literary works, then this generation is cultural, civilized, respectful, and has character, not only in dreams.

After all, the world of literature is the spirit of beauty and manners for students. Not everything, but everything can start from literature. Through good literature, the power of different parties in modern politics can be shown wisely and wisely, so that the reader does not lose the important parts that are the substance of literature and politics itself. People who fail in the world of politics are not presented as “disgusted” people, but rather a part of human psychology that continues to process to find maturity and identity.

Through literature, politicians will live their lives carefully, especially those who have the heart to do dirty politics to bring down their competitors. The emergence of young scholars and writers in this millennium is an inseparable link to the fact of the greatness of our poets in the past. Like the philosophical words that reveal the fate of innocent and innocent politicians, if they are not warned by the signs of morality and religion, they will go too far and plunge into the area of ​​the black valley that can cause them to be caught in the nets of their creation.

Therefore, it is not enough for us to just smile at the ruins of a developing culture and civilization, but we should draw common threads to maintain religious values ​​as much as possible.

The uniqueness of literary works

Following the essence of the novel Indonesian Ideas (POI), we will come to the conclusion that arrogance or illegality is the root of human evil. Intelligence and depth are only possible if one can ask existential questions and dare to think reflectively.

The characters in the POI novel are closely related to Andreas Maurenis Putra’s analysis in “The Terror of Eichmann, Hannah Arendt, and the Importance of Critical Reflection” (Kompas, December 23, 2021). Andreas offers a different perspective in looking at the problem of the beginning of crime. According to her, Arendt’s views on Eichmann show a structural view of the problem of crime, including what makes a person determined to commit evil. The Holocaust is a systematic crime that involves many psychopaths, if the perpetrators are actually people affected by mental disorders.

Andreas’ expression is similar to the characteristics of POI’s main character (Haris), that even ordinary people are capable of committing atrocities in an authoritarian system that emphasizes a collective identity based on racial ideology. Conceptually, this is the concept of a collective self that negates the other. POI’s novel has certainly attracted a lot of public attention regarding the revelation of the case of the murder of Yosua by Ferdi Sambo’s men, at the behest of his own superiors.

Daniel Goldhagen in his book Hitler’s Voluntary Murderers: Ordinary Germans and the Holocaust (1996) it also highlights the structural problem in which the ideology of anti-Semitism succeeds in defining and embedding a common enemy in apocalyptic narratives, as well as affirming the identity of a common self. According to Goldhagen, in such a structure – more or less similar to the army of the New Order – suggestions to commit crimes can easily infect even ordinary people.

Poor thinking will be a scourge that plays a role in processing the bad mistakes of the past. A weak national memory will be easily overwhelmed by other nations. POI’s novel was written with full awareness to awaken the people of Indonesia so that they do not repeat the historical sins committed by their own hands, the impact of which will be carried by generations of children and grandchildren for a long time.

The rise of the Indonesian people cannot be separated from the role of culture, where literature will stand in front, because it has a very important function to improve common sense. In addition, a good religious understanding, together with inner wisdom, can provide enough space to work on existential questions.

At the moment, perhaps what we are looking for is no longer an answer, because the answer is already available. However, that answer no longer works when no one dares to ask, because their common sense has been silenced by the ruling regime. As for good literature, it requires writings from creators who are rational and capable of expanding their common sense.

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