Januar's Action Papers

Difference Shines Our Light

Achmad Januar Er Putra
SMA Negeri 10 Malang (Sampoerna Academy)

Difference is a sense in this earth. Difference is not the obstacle in our life, but it is a gift given by God to colorize our life. God creates us in different characteristics from one to another person. Someone cannot be said to be same with the other except if we are identical twins. Everyone bring their characters. Character will build the colorful in our life. It will shape the earth to be a puzzle that challenges its citizen to survive and keep the beat in each heart of human. Difference brings the earth citizen to dive in it and find their final way in which they want to be. Difference is not a problem, but it is a rainbow in the earth even we come from different background. Difference makes our life fluctuate continuously to be a better person. And what do we need to face the diversity in difference? Respect! That is the key to face it.

Why is respect important to join the differences? Respect is absolutely important to be one with differences in the world. Globalization grows faster since the technologies develop in the last century. Globalization brings all aspect of life from the one side of world to the other side of the world. Globalization breaks the wall that separate Eastern style with the Western. If the wall is broken, so there will be no filter that prevents the Eastern culture to get into the Western culture which is not good to be adopted by them. Respect is the effective way to prevent it. But, respect is not aimed to let Eastern people can’t join the differences. Precisely, respect will build a system that brings the benefit for all those people. This system could help each side of people to learn the better moral value from one of them and research the worse norm from the other side. If the moral value is better, so the other can adopt it in their life. While, if the norm is worse than their side, they can use it as introspection to be the better and more careful than the other without any violence and uphold the value of peace. Like cross-culture understanding that run not to compare and judge one’s system of life, but it want to build a best perception to understand the difference. Difference is important to our life, but it is more important if we respect each other and not accuse each other’s background.

Respect also brings a better atmosphere for getting a better world full of peace. A developed difference can be a simple, yet complex rule. This rule almost accepted by the people because the source of respect is also from the human heartstrings. The people develop the respect, and the people also obey the rule that they make with all they best idea. For example, the plan of Pancasila, called Jakarta Charter that had been revised in the first provision. The revision was done because the leader in Indonesia wanted to unite the nation without any disunity. If not, what will happen? Respect for difference can also unity all of people from various characteristics.

Respect can build the character-based world people. The people who have carved respect in their will not keep on questioning about difference between he and his spoken partner, but he will build an atmosphere that create comfortable conversation. The character will increase and sharpen the essential meaning of respect. Respect is not only a theory, but respect can be built by itself and integrate at all daily norms and values. Respect the difference also the best way to shape the youngster in the world to learn about how to be a good future leader. If the next leader has brought his character-based, especially respectful, the leader will lead the country fairly. Respect makes the characterized culture world.

It could be concluded that respect is the best way to get the better world. Respect is also one of the nine core value to shape the people. Respect will erase the difference among each people to be united. Respect is the bridge to reach our light in the world symphony.