Kenapa ya "sunyi" rasanya lebih mencekam daripada "sepi"?
On the Director's Chair
Human being is a fascinating object. Especially when it comes to emotions and inner thoughts -- things not visible even under the super-accurate electric microscope. Not captured by the most technologically advanced micro-camera inserted in the neurons (if such device exists). Things that you can only -- at best -- hypothesize and make prediction thereof. Or merely assumptions, I'll say.
Often times humans remains a mystery to each 0ther. And that makes it even more exciting for them. Humans try to understand themselves, eager to be able to tell their strengths and weaknesses. Perhaps it's part of humans survival efforts, an instinct inherited from generations to generations, for millions years.
Studies about human personalities are alive both with the academic level as well as an individual trait. To some people, their fascination in personalities goes to the length of seeing other human being as their object: to test, to exploit, to play with their emotions, and by that are attempting to fit the pieces into the completed jigsaw picture. For personal satisfaction.
The best example of this might be portrayed by a fictional story: Agatha Christie's book, "Hercule Poirot's Christmas". Fellow Christie's fans may remember the plot: Simeon Lee, a multimillionaire, knowing he's dying, invites all his family members "for Christmas". Nothing to do with familial sentiment, he's more interested to bring out the evil inside them. As they gather, he intentionally insults his children, brags about his illegitimate offsprings, shows off favoritism, and announces that he is changing his will. All to force them to take off their masks and reveal their true characters. Nevertheless, this is a deadly game, and in a few days Simeon Lee gets murdered.
Simeon Lee may be an extreme sample -- after all, this is a fictional character. However, it is hard to argue that there are people who like to sit on The Director's chair, create a situation, explore characters' personality and exploit them to get a certain effect. I'm not very religious, but I think there is strong reason God prohibited Earth's first couple to touch the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Lucifer had disclosed it to Eve: you will be like God. To be more precise: feel like God, without the possession of God's wisdom.
O yeah, I am not a saint. I put a large picture of a cat on my Friendster page, knowing a certain someone will get pissed off because it: it features a cat -- the ultimate animal-to-hate for her -- and it represents me -- the ultimate person-to-hate.
Often times humans remains a mystery to each 0ther. And that makes it even more exciting for them. Humans try to understand themselves, eager to be able to tell their strengths and weaknesses. Perhaps it's part of humans survival efforts, an instinct inherited from generations to generations, for millions years.
Studies about human personalities are alive both with the academic level as well as an individual trait. To some people, their fascination in personalities goes to the length of seeing other human being as their object: to test, to exploit, to play with their emotions, and by that are attempting to fit the pieces into the completed jigsaw picture. For personal satisfaction.
The best example of this might be portrayed by a fictional story: Agatha Christie's book, "Hercule Poirot's Christmas". Fellow Christie's fans may remember the plot: Simeon Lee, a multimillionaire, knowing he's dying, invites all his family members "for Christmas". Nothing to do with familial sentiment, he's more interested to bring out the evil inside them. As they gather, he intentionally insults his children, brags about his illegitimate offsprings, shows off favoritism, and announces that he is changing his will. All to force them to take off their masks and reveal their true characters. Nevertheless, this is a deadly game, and in a few days Simeon Lee gets murdered.
Simeon Lee may be an extreme sample -- after all, this is a fictional character. However, it is hard to argue that there are people who like to sit on The Director's chair, create a situation, explore characters' personality and exploit them to get a certain effect. I'm not very religious, but I think there is strong reason God prohibited Earth's first couple to touch the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Lucifer had disclosed it to Eve: you will be like God. To be more precise: feel like God, without the possession of God's wisdom.
O yeah, I am not a saint. I put a large picture of a cat on my Friendster page, knowing a certain someone will get pissed off because it: it features a cat -- the ultimate animal-to-hate for her -- and it represents me -- the ultimate person-to-hate.
How tall is the Ivy tower?
"So how did it go, Mbak?" asked this girl. "Sorry, Eli and I had to go early".
"I know. Eli had told me you guys have class at six, right?"
"True true true. So?"
"Well...," I hesitated for a few seconds. "I'm kinda disappointed, actually. You see, last week the Ambassador and I had an extensive discussion with a group of high school students, in a small town of North Carolina. When I say 'small', I mean small. One hundred and fifty thousand people in habitant. They fired us with brilliant questions, all with sufficient knowledge of Indonesia. Indeed, they are Advanced Program students. But still..." *sighs*
*Chuckles* "Georgetown sucks. Don't you know that?"
"Ha! You should tell me more, girl!"
"You know what it is. Unimportant questions, sugar-coated with sophisticated vocabularies. They are incessantly depressing." (I remember Eli commented that the girl, while being among the smartest people in the program, is often very quiet.)
She and Eli are taking their master's degree in one of the best schools in international relations in the country. The school that is also famous for its wide array of high-profile alumni, and practically has become State Department's human resources department.
Moral of the story: I guess American diplomats are not that well-trained, hehehe...
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