Institut Teknologi Bandung

BANDUNG, itb.ac.id - Institut Teknologi Bandung once again held the Studium Generale KU-4078 in West Hall of ITB, Jalan Ganesa No. 10, Bandung, last Wednesday (2/26/2020). This Studium Generale presented the Lieutenant General of Indonesian National Army (Ret.) Agus Widjojo, as the Governor of Indonesian National Resilience Agency, with the theme "Nationality Insight: Challenges of National Resilience in the Globalization and Post-Truth Era".

 

"Educational institutions students is one of strategic component. Because if looking at history, the greatness of a nation and civilization comes from science and knowledge," he stated at the beginning of his speech. In the initial session, he invited all audiences to have enthusiasm in learning, as it is one of the important foundations for nation and state development in the future.

 

Agus illustrates the meaning of resilience as an object that gets pressure, pull, and efforts to change its form. If the pressure can be overcome, then the object will return to its original form. Likewise with Indonesia, in facing the pressures and challenges that exist, we must be able to refocus on the national goal, that is the ideals of Indonesia. "Noble ideals in the 1945 Constitution are to protect the entire Indonesian nation and all of Indonesia's spilled blood, realize public welfare, educate the nation's life, participate in carrying out world order based on independence, eternal peace and social justice," Agus said. He also explained, speaking of national resilience is also very important to understand the meaning of nationalism concept.

 

Agus continued, Indonesia's condition is currently undergoing four periods of transition. They are political transition, cultural transition, transition of industrial revolution 4.0, and intergenerational transition. Those have become one of its own challenges to national resilience. In addition, there are still other challenges being faced such as the challenges of current globalization and nationalism character. He emphasized, at this time Indonesian people should be able to think critically to maintain unity in order to protect national resilience.

 

The era of globalization and post truth is also a big challenge for national resilience. He said, post truth is known as a time where a lot of hoaxes spread and it caused disunity between groups of people. Not to mention, in this globalization era, news can spread out very quickly. The worrying effect of this, according to him, is civil war within the nation itself. Of course, this can lead to the destruction of national resilience. "Students who are included in the education element in Indonesia must be able to think critically in responding to any outstanding issues. Because not a few educated people who also fall into uncertain news," he said.

In general, he mentioned that there are three main points posed to be post-truth threat towards national resilience. First, it weakens the unity and integrity of the nation. Second, post truth threats cannot be seen in plain view as military invasions but rather attacks on people's mindset. And third, it also has the potential to break unity through polarization which can ultimately lead to a default state.

 

"There are several steps that can be used to face post-truth era, including fostering sense of nationalism through many forms of implementation, such as increasing the ability of media literacy and digital literacy. Contents from media and digital should then be brought into various forums that involve public discussion," he explained.

Translator: Salsabila Mayang