Thursday, July 10, 2008

So Special

Indonesians think they're so special.

I suppose it's like lots of countries (it really irks me when an Irish starts say "we are a blah blah ppl" - gaaaahhhhhhh!) but Indonesians are really really good at thinking they're special.

Indonesians think Indonesians are real unfaithful - Indonesian guys and girls, man have I heard some stories!!

Indonesians, think Indonesia is reeeeeeeeal dangerous. Visit mean parts of any major European city (esp if you're not the right colour).

And what about food?? Let's face it, everyone that wasn't brainwashed by Masakan Padang from a young age, prefers Thai! :P And Rendang is MALAY! I have 5 bottles of Sharwoods MALAY Rendang sauce in my kitchen.

And onto Indonesian women again, why do Indonesian women seem to rate themselves so highly? They're average.

Also, what about the spooks? Indonesia is a special place that has all sorts of magic and spirits. But step off the plane and onto European soil and 99% of them vanish into thin air!

Oh yeh, and to all the hardcore Muslims and Christians out there, your religion is about as special as scientology or zoroastrianism take ur pick.

What about Pribumi? Many Pribumi think that they have God written deeds to the seas and lands of Indonesia. Well dudes, interestingly enough the term pribumi was first coined by the Dutch (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pribumi). Your whole concept of fucking specialness was given to you by Belanda! Hahahahaha. How ironic is that!

You think you're so corrupt and dishonest. I've been lucky enough to have been put up by many Indonesian families, many I didn't know that well, all shown exceptional hospitality. I have buy stuff of street hawkers and get /exact/ change back, even when it's only a couple of hundred rups.

There's good and bad everywhere. Indonesia ain't so special. Gotta say I love the smell of kretek tho.

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hahah. Wow, this is probably the post that shows your angst the most - spicy but honest.

Indonesians have so much pride in them, and from what I see, the type of people who think this way are mostly those who have nothing worthy to be proud of, except for their (inherited) wealth of ability to corrupt this country to fuck.

Every country has its own problem, so yes you're right John, it isn't that special.

Hey perhaps you can check my blog out - the current debate there can give you more insights on 'special Indonesian women'.

rimafauzi said...

I have written a comment long enough for a blog post, and decided to post it on my log instead.
hope you dont mind

my reply to john orford

Finally Woken said...

I don't know if Indonesians have pride, when I was in Australia during East Timor issue, most of us admitted we're Malaysian.

Indonesian women rate themselves so high? I don't think so John. If they did, no one would want to sleep with white men for a portion of chicken in KFC, or for 'taxi money'.

But I still believe Indonesia is special. No other countries with majority of people thinking that anything bad happens to the country must be due to the act of evil Zionism, Jewish, Israel, and USA, yet their dream country is still USA, they still drink Coca-Cola and go to McDonald after screaming at Bundaran HI, protesting oil price hike....

Anonymous said...

pfftt... where the heck did you hear that? indonesians think they're special? hah. it's like hearing some other citizen of a different country said they are special. like irishmen, for instance. what a joke.

nobody should think their country is special, right mr. orford?

it's not like our country has gone through a lot. colonialization by both the deutch for 350 years plus japan for 3 years is nothing, right mr. orford? a different country that's never been colonialized nor having long-term conflicts is more special, right mr. orford? oh btw, how's english-irish relationship nowadays? just peachy? that's nice.

i would love to write a longer one here. but i think rima's reply in her blog would be sufficient enough.

i sure hope you are an avid traveler. it's amazing to witness how people in one country thinks their country is so special. pfftt. what a joke, right mr. orford?

JennieSBev.com said...

Indonesia and Indonesians are special, but we need to think that we are a part of the world and behave based on that. Other than that, I have no complaints. Have a nice weekend. Oh, I just saw your new snapshot. (Cutie cutie)

Unknown said...

Therry, nah this post was just aimed at driving my hits...

Rima, I think u misread part of what I wrote...

Anita, hookers accept payment in KFC chicken legs now? Gimme a break!

D, sounds like u got ur head stuck in history books too long. Assorted Indonesians have fucked Indonesia and its ppl up for waaaaaay longer than 350 years, and most importantly are continuing to do so!

Jennie, u got a pretty cute snapshot there urself, wink wink ;)

Anonymous said...

I think John was writing this with tongue firmly on the cheek, aren't you John? :)

You are right though, I sometimes feel that some of us as a nation are whining too much. You know what I hate is when someone use the term, "Gimana Indonesia mau maju? Pake bikini di tv aja gak boleh" or something to that effect ... I mean what!?!?!

However if you're getting these vibe that we are thinking soo special from reading some blogs, I hope you're not taking everything we said too seriously :) come on what else are we going to write if not about our self.

I'm so glad that some Indonesian family have been very hospitable towards you, and I firmly agree that good and bad people are everywhere.

Some of us really have a banana mentality hehehe, yellow in the outside but white in the inside, they sooo wanna be white. Some of us have martyrdom mentality, some with chronic inferiority complex, some with overzealous patriotism, etc etc ... please take all of it with a pinch of salt :)

The Dodo said...

"why do Indonesian women seem to rate themselves so highly? "

excuse me?

Anonymous said...

I have this feeling that this post is related to 'that news'.

Unknown said...

Jo, yeh well i realise things are different if u rn't white, or if u r chinese. but to a certain extent one can only judge from ones own experiences...

btw u had baywatch didn u?!?!!?

Denica, u'r excused :)

rimafauzi said...

which part did i misread? maybe you can explain to me in simple terms, as english is not my mother tongue ;)

Unknown said...

Rima, well, eh, cos i'm afraid of women, u prob misread whatever part u were most angry with :)

Me said...

many places have people who have high opinions of themselves and their country - check out thailand sometime

indonesians do tend to believe their place is dangerous and it s hardly surprising, check out the evening news sometime!

having lived through the irish bombing the shit out of my country for several years i gotta say this place ain t so bad

Finally Woken said...

Rima, I think because if you read the rest of John's entry, this post is out of his usual style. So of course he's being cheeky.

Re. girls paid by KFC, John, it's more high school students, or so I have heard...

rimafauzi said...

John: I wasn't angry when I read your post and wrote a reply to it, actually.. I was rather amused..
but I didn't really know what you wanted people to think with this post, and as for my reply to your blog post, well, they are just the immediate answers on my mind after reading each paragraph of your post.. :)

Anita: He probably was being cheeky Anita, but like I said, I just wrote what I thought of after reading his post, and thought, "hey, this could be a blogpost of it's own, maybe I could make my readers be interested in this as well!" Seeing as there are many Indonesians out there as type casted by mr. orford here.. :)

Unknown said...

Hey Antony, yeh the IRA bombings in England were terrible. And even nowadays with the terrorist threat i recon there's a different air about London that other cities.

Anita, I'm still sceptical...

Rima, yeh no worries :)

Anonymous said...

You think Indonesian Women are just average? Hmmm dude.....guess you need carrot juice for your breakfast!

Yes we do proud of our country, that is for sure, but compare to American, they feel lot more special than the way we feel about our country.

And yes, rendang is Indonesia food, Malaysia is just a stealer, well-known for that! They steal our trees, culture and traditional songs

Unknown said...

Ailtje, I just called them average, i.e. no better or worse than any other nationality. shurely that's a fair judgement?

Anonymous said...

I do not agree with the way you are generalizing the Indonesian people or any one in this world. Please use your word wisely. If you are angry to some or one, then please clarify in your post.

Anonymous said...

"Indonesians, think Indonesia is reeeeeeeeal dangerous. Visit mean parts of any major European city (esp if you're not the right colour)."

I won't call Indonesia safe either, though. But I guess you never experience being unsafe in Indonesia as being white gives you more protection there. People will only make comment on you but will not do any harm to you, right? Perhaps, if you disguise yourself by being Indonesian, then you will find out.

"And what about food?? Let's face it, everyone that wasn't brainwashed by Masakan Padang from a young age, prefers Thai! :P And Rendang is MALAY!"

I am originally from East Java. I don't like rendang and as a matter of fact, I prefer Chinese over Thai. How much do you know about Indonesian food anyway? Every region of Indonesia has their own food.
Rendang is NOT MALAY!"!! It's shared by Sumatra people, as well. Perhaps, Padang to be exact.
Man, you have to research more before you make your own comments blatantly!!!

When all we have is just pride of our selves, is it wrong if we hold on to it too tight?

And for those indonesian ladies who made a joke about ayam or whatever that is, honestly, ladies, it was not something you ought to joke on.

I bet you are coming from the have families and are lucky enough to pursue your education abroad/having a taste of the western civilisation.

Poverty is not something you could joke about. People will do anything just to survive. It is their own live, if they choose for it, they know what they deal with.

So live the ayam alone, alright? And blame the western who exploits them, instead!!!

Unknown said...

Anon, I am not generalising, in fact if u read /closely/ I am doing the opposite. The reason I wrote the post in fact was cos I am fed up about Indonesians generalising Indonesians!

Setia, thx for the comment. I agree with many of ur points, i was just stirring when I mentioned Rendang :) [no pun intended]

Anonymous said...

Of course we had Baywatch, however there was this one period where two piece swimsuit was like frowned upon on TV, apparently it ticked some celebs in here.

One came up with this gem, "Bagimana mau bisa maju kalo pake swimsuit di tv aja gak boleh ..." aint't that silly?

Anyway I think something really lost in translation here to some of your readers John.

I am fed up too with Indonesians generalizing Indonesians, ups, there I also did it, again.

Interesting perspective though :)

Anonymous said...

Alright, I'd take what you said in the comment section which says "Anon, I am not generalising, in fact if u read /closely/ I am doing the opposite. The reason I wrote the post in fact was cos I am fed up about Indonesians generalising Indonesians!" However, I had not seen it in the post itself. I think that explains why many got upset after reading your post.

Again your comment itself sounds generalizing in "...Indonesians generalising Indonesians!" Did you mean the Indonesians who do generalizes? Or All Indonesians generalizes? Do you see why people got upset??

Anonymous said...

Alright, I'd take what you said in the comment section which says "Anon, I am not generalising, in fact if u read /closely/ I am doing the opposite. The reason I wrote the post in fact was cos I am fed up about Indonesians generalising Indonesians!" However, I had not seen it in the post itself. I think that explains why many got upset after reading your post.

Again your comment itself sounds generalizing in "...Indonesians generalising Indonesians!" Did you mean the Indonesian who does generalize? Or All Indonesians generalize? Do you see why some people got upset?

Anonymous said...

I didn't know my post came out twice.

Since, I know where the real subject of this post I'm going to make my own comment. Alright, I have my own pet peeve about CERTAIN Indonesians who exaggerate how life outside the country is way better (that makes one's friends and families drool with envy). For their friends and families, life in the outside can be as bad and as good as in Indonesia. In majority, life in the outside is harder if one was already living comfortably in Indonesia.

Anonymous said...

Hi John... :)
u write;
Rendang is MALAY! I have 5 bottles of Sharwoods MALAY Rendang sauce in my kitchen.

--
Hmm, Rendang is from Padang, West Sumatra... the place where my great grandparents come from.. and Padang people have much in common with Irish I think...
in the past up to now.. they are people who like to migrate or live for good in another country then they introduce padang food where they live to make a living....
like Irish who migrate to New york and Autralia then introduce their Guinnes beer...
...
I'm Padangese and my mum tribe is MALAY.. cuz padang is matrilinear system so i can say myself as Malay, there are alot tribes name in West Sumatra such as, Malay (melayu), Chaniago, gucci etc...so I think Malay and INDONESIA is one,.... we are one root but since imperialist came and divide us become Dutch and British system...
and dunno why,Indonesian thinks they are different from Malay...
if you search Malay people heritage in S'pore and Malaysia..
their great grandparents come from Java, Bugis, Sumatra......
so I think there's no reason to claim, Rendang is belong to Malay or Indonesia bla bla.....
..
we're from one root....
but today, Indonesian and Malay language are much different.... its like Action Script version 2.0 and 3.0
we Indonesian may be undesrtand Malay, but Malay might get much problem to understand Bahasa Indonesia.. because ours is new version from Malay....
....

u know... In S'pore.. there are hundreds Padang food/restaurant and they serve RENDANG, the owners are Malay of course..

Unknown said...

Jo,

"Bagimana mau bisa maju kalo pake swimsuit di tv aja gak boleh ..."

i soooo gotta learn Indonesian!

Anon, why r u anon?

CtrlZ, I think I am literally in love with u! U compared Indo and Malay to Actionscript 2.0 and 3.0! :):):)

That's like my comparison of Judaism, Christianity and Islam to Windows 95, 98 and ME :P

Anonymous said...

That's like my comparison of Judaism, Christianity and Islam to Windows 95, 98 and ME :P

...
LOLs
so LINUX is atheism/ agnotism..
and Mac.. ??
hahah.. so we can say Bill Gate as Abraham... abrahamic religions...
hahah, damn geeek.....

Unknown said...

yeh, and mac is scientology, steve jobs is tom cruise :P

Alföðr said...

well John, you got to give them something, otherwise they'll start complaining about their corrupt government and actually will do something to change it... anyway, I'm grateful to Indonesia, not because of its shallowness, nor its weird mixture of cultures, nor because of the fact they already forgot they were Hindu no matter how it shows every moment in daily life, but because behind all the stupidity and nonsense you can find here, you can see that people is actually nice, they are still people of course, but well, at least they try

Unknown said...

i agree with u christian. indonesians are basically nice, thing is, most indonesians won't probably agree with us ;)