Prosperity Without Door

Based on Merril & Capgemini research which published in Hongkong (16/10), Indonesia is a state with third highest growth of the wealth (16,0%) in Asia-Pacific, after Singapore (21,2%) and India (20,5%). Even, growth of the wealth in Indonesia almost twice of global growth which around 8,3%.

On the other hand, The World Bank reports disclosed that almost 45 percent of Indonesia's 220 million people survive on daily expenditures of between US$1 and $2 (The Jakarta Post, 9/12/06). And, based on Central Statistics Agency publicity, about 39 million, or 17.5 percent of the total population live below the poverty line.

After more than 62 years on ‘big push’ development, the portrait of our prosperity discrepancy seems become a disturbing fact.

Consequence from 'the wealth-poor divider’ is quite real. Two species of Homo sapiens which almost differ are visibly expanding. News and visual image in mass media can illustrated this matter quite well, and also can lead us to the fidget ideas about the future.

Will be difficult for us to explain that backward community at Papua, (included people in low settlement at metropolises), and the elite at Jakarta for example, are come from same species.
In the case of wealth, properties, facility, survival prospect, education and health, both are quite different.

This matter can generate an apocalyptical inquiring: may we cover this social gap, at least at vanishing difference in years come?

Nevertheless, its will be more difficult for us to explain the genealogy of this social discrepancy. Maybe its true that poverty caused by social-culture custom regarding to deficiency of ‘the progressive desire'. But, if Professor Muhammad Yunus judgment is right, social-economy system which controlled by the elite therefore also become determinant in lameness of 'the wealth-poor divider’ at present.

For many social thinkers in the entire world, problem at this greedy society is a hole, one deep part that empty; without moral philosophy or a set of kindliness principle which moving it.

On the contrary, the dynamic energy that activates this society is individualism, desire to dominates, and unappeased motivation to control nothing but a money. Each new technology must available at our house, this is 'obsession to take all till exhausted'. Its existential philosophy is 'I go shopping, so I am exists'.

Social Disorder
Behind this acute discrepancy, the potentially problem’s derivation is because it’s visual image which sometimes glamorous other community with scene about prosperity, about greatness and sophisticated, but ironically provide a pittance access for other community to achieve that prosperity.

It’s like make a window that showing (abundant) prosperity, but without 'door' for other community to pass by.

Prosperity which only mirage and merely can be stared at the luxurious presentation in our television, without access and equal opportunity for each citizen to feels it.

Consequences from this 'prosperity without door' are well depicted by Carlos Fuentes (through his novel, Christopher Unborn; Pan Books, 1990) as provocative hatred philosophy.

This ‘philosophy of action' translated by some of society with pillage behavior at the riot act at 1998. An expensive consequence from the exact opposite of two escalation: the excessive wealth increase among a few people, inversely with the poor acceleration which progressively poor.
This broken community, or social disorders, is one of the urban ills which is elusive (Wheeler & Beatley, 2004), and must be reduce as early as possible by all of us.

Moral Philosophy
However, this poverty rate will push us in debate about how to reducing poverty with the highest quality programs.

If we analyze various programs to reducing poverty, MDGs for example, one of the important pillars is international aid. This aid force each developed countries to share prosperity, and more than that, to make a ‘crossing door’ for all sort of other society to pursue their backwardness.

Helping each other, sharing prosperity, and provide a bridge to passed together for more equities life is most valuable moral philosophy in lessening big discrepancy which have been formed during the time. This is become the basis for sophisticated economic program, empowerment and education, and also other unceasing equivalence efforts.

For modern social psychologist, this mutually helping society is healthy and positive, because focused at cooperation strength and human’s positive values to achieve the collective well-being.

According to conviction of Martin Seligman, pioneer of positive psychology, essence from this model is not simply living, but also thriving. Wherein the strength of society emphasized in individual; which their accomplishment, satisfaction and their meaningful of life, interrelated to actualization of their whole self-potencies for the society goodness.