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COLDPLAY’s concert at the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Main Stadium in Jakarta, Wednesday (11/15), 2023, not only provided excitement for tens of thousands of music fans, but also opened the curtain on the ethical crisis that is currently occurring.
News from Coldplay’s management regarding the return rate for Xyloband, a sophisticated smart bracelet that became a symbol of concerts, reached 77%, attracting the attention of many parties. Of the 80,000 total attendees, 18,400 of them did not return Xyloband, a surprising figure especially when compared to Coldplay’s first year concert average of 86%.
This phenomenon raises crucial questions about ethics and honesty among Coldplay viewers in Indonesia.
Regarding this matter, Child, Adolescent and Education Development Psychologist, Theresia Novi Poespita Candra gave her views on Saturday, the lecturer from Gajah Mada University (UGM) said that Indonesia was facing an ethical crisis, with honesty being one of the main victims.
He considers returning the bracelet or Xyloband a form of ethics, and not doing so is a clear example of the ethical crisis that is currently hitting society.
Novi also said that the ethical crisis in Indonesia is actually not only reflected in the return of concert bracelets, but also spills over into everyday behavior. A simple example, the behavior of throwing rubbish carelessly, without paying attention to hygiene ethics, is also an example of an ongoing ethical crisis.
The digital era and its impact
The digital era, according to Novi, plays a big role in worsening this condition. The tendency to respond quickly and without thinking is often fueled by technology, which speeds up everything in our lives.
For example, in the digital world, when someone doesn’t like or agree with them, that person can immediately delete the friendship, regardless of ethics and the impact on social relationships.
It is important to understand that this instantaneous way of thinking is triggered by the way technology works, which tends to pursue effectiveness and efficiency.
However, the consequence of this behavior is a lack of consideration for other people’s emotions and the impact they may have.
In this context, Novi said that not returning goods, such as Xyloband, is a clear example of unethical action, because it does not consider the impact on other parties.
One aspect that needs to be looked at is the role of technology in shaping the way humans think and act.
The inability to dialogue is also one of the negative impacts of this digital era. With all the ease and speed of information provided by technology, there is a decline in the ability to understand other people’s emotions and the impact of actions taken.
From a psychological perspective, Novi explained that the human brain has a part of the prefrontal cortex, one of which has the task of making ethical decisions.
However, research shows that in Indonesia, especially in big cities such as Surabaya and Jakarta, the prefrontal cortex of children aged 15 years and over tends to be weak due to a lack of stimulation through education.
Education as a solution
Education, according to Novi, has a crucial role in forming morals and ethics. Unfortunately, education in Indonesia, according to him, has not been able to build self-awareness in behavior.
Novi highlighted education policies that focus more on academic standardization, literacy and numeracy without placing emphasis on morals and ethics. Novi believes that changing the educational paradigm, with a focus on self-awareness and dialogue, could be the first step in overcoming the ethical crisis.
Morals and ethics are formed through moral reasoning, which can be developed through education that involves dialogue and discussion.
In the journal Bhinaka Tunggal Ika, volume 2, number 1, May 2015, by Amrina Rosyada, the moral reasoning approach is an approach to the learning process that can activate students in the learning process through group discussions.
However, said Novi, the habit of discussing ethical matters has not become the main focus of education in Indonesia. It is important to note that the impact of this inability to dialogue can be seen in various aspects of society.
This phenomenon should be a warning to society to pay more attention to education based on self-awareness and dialogue, as a crucial step in overcoming the ethical crisis that is currently hitting us.
Referring to the social learning theory of Albert Bandura in the book Learning and Learning by Moh. Suardi (2018), said that humans take information and decide on the behavior they will adopt based on the environment and the behavior of other people around them.
In other words, those closest to them, including parents, can be role models for their children regarding behavior. If the behavior shown is not good, the condition can decline and become bad.
However, according to Novi, the chains of bad habits from parents or the surrounding environment can be broken with the role of the government as a maker of new civilization through formal education.
In schools, social emotional learning (SEL), as is done in developed countries, can be the key to creating positive change. If children acquire new ways of thinking at school, their habits at home can be erased by themselves. Ethics is not only academic, but can be instilled through education that involves discussion and dialogue.
Therefore, formal education and the role of teachers are crucial in providing training to learn to dialogue, not just providing learning material. In developed countries, ethics education has become the foundation at the elementary school level, while at the middle and high school levels, ethics has become part of citizenship.
The government needs to change the orientation of education to build a new civilization, not just catch up with lagging numeracy and literacy scores. Countries like Vietnam, said Novi, no longer even measure numeracy and literacy as a top priority.
All parties have their respective roles in overcoming this ethical crisis. Increasing the space for interaction and dialogue is very important. Parents need to have skills such as listening and consequences, which will create an environment that supports children’s ethical development.
In formulating education policies, the government and educational institutions need to take concrete steps to overhaul the education system to pay more attention to moral and ethical aspects.
In this way, Indonesian society can move towards a more ethical, civilized and responsible direction, so that the current ethical crisis can be overcome comprehensively. [antaranews]
