I D E A L I S M

When I questioned where is idealism and values, these are the answers I get:

Flushed down the toilet

Burried 6 feet under

Still there, with major, major adjustment

My dear friend Mitch answered the only value and idealism she believes is love (even that is compromised these days).

This is what I think about idealism.  I think idealism started from a value that we carry and the dream we have.

I am a geoscientist.  One of my job is to ‘reconstruct’ earth.  Based on my knowledge that I learned for 7 years (through bachelor and master degree) and my experience for almost 19 years, I have to answer the question, “Where is the oil?”.  It is a question worth several million US dollars.

Scientists have, or should have, values.  The first thing is, they have to tell the truth based on what they learned through their experiments and their knowledge, furthermore to explain to others about the information so others could benefit, or at least, be educated.  I will never, ever, dare showing the management what they want to hear and make them happy if it is not the truth.   I will never, ever tell a lie to make the CEOs happy so that they can up the share price.  If I don’t know, I will say I don’t know and try to find the answer.

I will never, ever, appreciate plagiarism.  That is another value that I carry.  No matter what, I will have my own opinion, and I will quote or cite those who came up with the original idea.

Yesterday one colleague of mine came and I had a debate or discussion on how to do a certain task.  Argument is common in science.  One of my task is to make sure things get done with the correct approach.  As a geologist, I have a reputation I have to protect: my credibility.  The person wanted the team to copy other company’s nomenclature without going through a process or even knowing what sort of data and geology we have, while I told him it should be treated carefully.  After challenging arguments on how to approach it, which I think was still in a healthy boundary, the last the response killed it.  It was, “The Director, is our customer.  We have to please him”.

So far, I have pleased lots of bosses because I produced good work.  I don’t focus on ‘making someone happy’ but I focus on giving the best that I could.  My professor at ITB told me something that I will never forget,  “Every line that you pull or draw on a paper, you should be responsible of”.  Tell the truth, be responsible and loyal to my profession.

But then I try to understand, different people have different values and motivation.  I am lucky because I am single, I have no dependant, I have not in debt, not those that I cannot pay should something happen to me today.  If there is one thing I have to protect is my credibility in the geology community in my country.  Once I made stupid remarks with no back up or strong argument, my credibility is gone.  My career would be over. My dream is, to make sure this company survives for long term, discover and produce oil and gas.

My colleague has a different background.  His contract is 1 year and has a family. Of course his first responsibility is to be a responsible father and husband.  Take care of his family.  I also understand that he is not pleasant being a in that position, being pressed from here and there and unfortunately, have to keep most people happy.

I understand that sometimes reality does not permit one to be 100% idealistic.  That is when you have to compromise.  We survive by compromising to some extent, as long as it does not jeopardize your values.  For example, for me, producing crap work just to please someone is against my value, in which, may jeopardize my career and credibility as a scientist.  Remember the Busang case years ago, where Bre-X gave a fake number on their gold reserves to up their shares?  The geologist committed suicide, jumped from a helicopter.

Example above is mild.   Look around and you will be wetting your pants because you will be scared.  Doctors these days.  How many credible doctors are there in Jakarta?  Those that you can trust that they analyze your illness and prescribe the right medicine, instead of prescribing those that came from the pharmaceutical company that give them extra money?  These doctors are not stupid.  How many recommends surgery when it is not necessary, or give alternatives?  No wonder Indonesians trust magic like Ponari because they are cheaper.  No wonder the rich Indonesians go to Singapore or Malaysia for better treatment.  I cannot even rely on doctors, I have to educate myself through the internet before going to them, google their names, and check the medicines they gave me.  Even the health minister said that the swine flu is difficult to live in Indonesia because it is hot.  Everything is under control because we managed bird flu well.  The last time I know, Mexico was not that cool.   Did she say that to please the president?

Personal trainers.   How many are there telling their clients to do some ridiculous exercises that can be dangerous?  How many are those who really know how to train and responsible with their title?  I sometimes pity the overweighted and untrained women that goes to the gym and unluckily being trained by those who tell them to do lunges with weight without considering their age and condition.  Ignorant instead of stupid.  No idealism nor dream to improve themselves to be a real professional, let alone care about their own reputation.  Thank God those diving students of mine are all good and safe divers.  Because I won’t let them pass a single exam or pool session if they don’t master even one skill.  Because, if they die, how am I going to live with myself?

Rani, the caddy involved with the murder of Nasrudin Zulkarnaen and the Anti Corruption Team leader Antasari Azhar.  Which makes me think of those unlucky girls from the kampung.  Wait a minute, are they  really poor or do they want to have some luxury and live like the rich without working too hard?   Marry or date somebody that they don’t love so that they can have fast cash?  Tell you what, not only those poor kampung girls, even girls that works in the office (this is my friend who works in a major oil company) once told me that she wants to marry an expat so that she doesn’t have to work anymore.  Now.  The poor, I can understand how poor people  in rural Indonesia are and poverty is a never ending story.  But the others, what happen to love (Mitch, answer!).  What happened to dreams?  No wonder my cousin said he will not consider dating a women unless they have their own BMW that they bought themselves.  To ensure that the women is not after his money, but after him.

Those judges, police, politicians.  I was listening to the radio about the legislatives and one candidate, who is a teacher in a small town in South Sumatra said, ” Well, it’s ok if I am not elected as a legislative; back to normal and I will find another income”.   What happened to making his district prosperous?  Is idealism that shallow now?

Dream and hope is not the monopoly of the rich only.  Dream and hope makes one live.   If you work on it, your dreams may come true.  And tell you what, it feels good!  But do  good values have to be tweaked and compromised?

Last but not least, this country, Indonesia, was formed by idealist who have a dream.  They are the founding fathers.  They left the world with good names and their decendants are proud of it.   It is not an easy road to fight for the values and live to reach your dream.  If you are a believer, look at the sorrow and challenges the messengers had to go through.  That’s a bit extreme, I guess.  Nelson Mandela then.  The writer, Pramoedya Ananta Toer.  Soekarno and Mohammad Hatta.  Aung San Su Kyi.  Ayaan Hirsi Ali.

I have two nieces.  Who knows if they will be a geologist in the future.  I often wonder if I would be different if I am in a position where I was poor, in debt and have to feed 5 mouths.   Would I still be able to say I’d rather die than live in disgrace and forget about values?