On Passion
Anies Baswedan, Ridwan Kamil, Bill Gates — what they share is an obsession with a cause. I haven't found mine yet. Let's search together.
If there’s anything I learned from powerful figures like Anies Baswedan, Ridwan Kamil, Rene Suhardono, and even Bill Gates — it’s their enormous passion on a specific cause. Look at the way Ridwan Kamil talked about creating a livable city, or how Anies gave a long speech on education and politics. Watch how Rene talk about education, or how Bill Gates brought mosquitoes to a conference room to talk about malaria. They’re somehow obsessed — in a good way — with their cause.
I believe a cause is essential in life. At the end of my life, I want to be able to say that I believed in something and I fought for it. Sadly, I haven’t found it yet.
A cause can be anything; none is too small or too large to fight for. Maybe it’s education, since our fellow Indonesians in remote places still lack access to education; or our primary health service, because in 2019 it will be the foundation of our nation’s safety net (BPJS). It could be politics, climate change, science education, medical education, UKDI, culture — anything.
There are so many things in this world that desperately need attention — your attention.
Look out there, search for a cause with me.
I haven’t read much, but there’s something I want to share with you, dear reader, if you’re even exist. Check this out if you have the time; and believe me, it’s worth it.
- Indonesia Mengajar is an organization which essentially does two things: giving a role model to our fellow Indonesians in remote places, and preparing our next leaders. Both are done by sending our best and brightest to remote places to teach in an elementary school for a year. Don’t tell me that’s not awesome.
- TED is a conference held every year for people with great ideas. Watch Temple Grandin’s view on autism, Bill Gates on malaria, or Enrique Peñalosa’s talk on public transportation. You’ll be surprised.
- Turun Tangan is really interesting if you want to know more about our next (hopefully) president candidate, Anies Baswedan.
- I’m a fan of war history, especially WWII. Sometimes it’s thrilling to see how decisions were made and battles won; they’re ugly, but thrilling at the same time. Watch Band of Brothers and The Pacific — a docu-drama on the European and Pacific war; or The World at War — a 1957 documentary if you’re a geek like I do.