Month: March 2026

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Homecoming, the Craziest Sociological Phenomenon in the World

Even though Eid is less than a week away, chatter in family groups, offices, or neighbors’ chats has started to shift: plane tickets are sold out, train ticket prices soar crazy, or the classic question “this year riding a motorbike again, right?”. Eid homecoming is not just an annual tradition; It is the most massive, most extreme, and perhaps the most “crazy” sociological phenomenon in the world. Where else are hundreds of millions of people even in peak years reaching nearly 200 million willing to risk their lives, time, energy, and savings just for a simultaneous “homecoming” procession within a week or two? The realization of the 2025 Eid homecoming will reach around 154.6 million people (down about 4-5% from 2024 which will be 162 million, and far from the initial projection of 146 million due to weakening economic factors). This is equivalent to more than half of Indonesia’s population moving simultaneously. It is not an ordinary migration like a vacation in another country; It’s a collective ritual that involves all modes of transportation: full planes, overcapacity trains, long queue buses, to millions of motorcycles that slide on highways and arteries. We are willing to queue for hours at the terminal, get stuck in traffic for tens or even hundreds of hours, or force ourselves to drive hundreds of kilometers just to arrive at our hometowns before the Eid prayer. For many migrants, homecoming is not just a longing for parents or relatives, but a stage to prove one’s existence. We want to show that in a big city we are “already people”: an established job, a car (even if it is a long loan), a house (a 20-year mortgage), or at least a “successful” appearance. Our education system and culture rarely emphasize that true success does not need to be shown. As a result, the highway turns into a big theater: the latest car is parked conspicuously in the yard of the parents’ house, new gold jewelry is worn to the village recitation, or stories of “big projects” are distributed at the dinner table even though the installments may still be gaping. This phenomenon reflects the paradox of Indonesia’s severe urbanization. Big cities like Jakarta, Surabaya, or Bandung offer economic opportunities, but they also create inequality, insecurity, and alienation. Hometown becomes a “stage” for vertical social mobility that is exhibited. From a sociological perspective, this is similar to Émile Durkheim’s forced mechanical solidarity: going home not because of natural organic bonds, but because of the pressure of social norms so as not to be excluded from the extended family or village community. Historically, homecoming has existed since the colonial era (as a “homecoming” for contract workers), but it exploded in the Reform era thanks to the growth of the urban middle class and toll road infrastructure. From an economic perspective, homecoming does bring “blessings” even though 2025 feels more slack. The money turnover is predicted to be around IDR 138-145 trillion (down 12% from 2024), but it is still significant: transportation tickets, fuel, tolls, lodging, souvenirs, traditional market shopping, to village MSMEs that are suddenly crowded. Destination areas such as Central Java (tens of millions of travelers), East Java, and West Java received a large injection of best-selling rest areas, full food stalls, batik sellers or special foods with double profits. But it’s also a national waste of energy: fuel consumption soars, air pollution increases dramatically, productivity in big cities drops temporarily, and environmental impacts such as plastic waste in rest areas or carbon emissions from millions of vehicles. The most tragic: the salvation of the soul. Every year hundreds of people die on the road. By 2025, the fatality rate will drop significantly (about 28% lower than 2024, with fatalities falling by as much as 35% on some records), thanks to close surveillance, raids, and rising awareness. But the majority of victims remain the cheapest but most risky fashion motorcyclists. We call homecoming an “economic blessing”, but ignore the social costs, lives lost, and incalculable physical-psychological exhaustion. Why are we obsessed with our “physical hometowns”, but rarely care about “going home” spiritually? Ramadan fasting should bring us back to our true selves: honesty, simplicity, humility, sincerity. But homecoming often adds a layer of falsehood of overspending for the sake of prestige, pretending to be successful for the admiration of the family, or stress because they are unable to “show” anything. Compare it to similar traditions in other countries: Thanksgiving in the US or Chinese New Year in China also involves going home, but rarely this extreme in scale, risk, and prestige pressure. Homecoming has a beautiful side: strengthening friendship, distributing sustenance to the village, a moment of family reflection. But the essence of friendship can be done at any time of routine video calls, sending monthly money, or going home outside the season without pressure from the masses. There is no need to risk your life in traffic jams. This year (or years to come), try asking yourself: am I coming home to resume genuine affection, or just to show off my fragile accomplishments? If the intention is more inclined towards the latter, it may be better to stay at home, pray tarawih alone, read the Qur’an more deeply, and reflect on why our souls are so thirsty for the confession of others. Perhaps the real “homecoming” is not to a physical address, but to a calmer, more sincere, and more free heart from prestige. Homecoming is not the problem; obsessions, falsehoods, and imbalances behind them that we need to re-examine before it’s too late.

#homecoming

#mudik

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Suggestopedia Learning Methods

Suggestopedia is a learning method designed by Georgi Lozanov to maximize learning potential by creating a relaxed, fun, and low-stress atmosphere using classical music, positive suggestions, and a comfortable classroom environment. The goal is to remove psychological barriers, allowing students to absorb information consciously and subconsciously faster.

Main Characteristics of Suggestopedia:

Relaxed Environment: Classes are comfortably organized, often with dim lighting, lounge chairs, and classical music playing during the delivery of material (first & second concerts).

Positive Suggestions: The teacher acts as an authority figure who builds students’ confidence, reassuring them that learning is easy and fun.

Student & Teacher Roles: Students often take on new identities (roles) to reduce anxiety, while teachers create supportive interactions.

“Peripheral” learning: Learning materials are mounted on the walls of the classroom for students to learn unconsciously.

Learning Steps (Procedure):

Introduction: The teacher establishes a relaxed atmosphere and gives positive suggestions.

First Concert (Active): The teacher reads the material/story with special intonation accompanied by passionate classical music.

Second Concert (Passive): Students listen to the material in a relaxed manner (often closing their eyes) accompanied by quieter classical music.

Production/Activation: Students participate in role-plays, games, or discussions to practice the material.

Advantages and Disadvantages:

Pros: It is very effective for increasing motivation, lowering anxiety, and improving memory retention, especially in language learning.

Disadvantages: Requires a special environment, more costs, specially trained teachers, and is sometimes considered less scientific by some parties.

This method, also known as desuggestopedia, emphasizes that learning a language or other material does not have to be tense, but can be through a humanistic approach that humanizes students.

#suggestopedia

#teachingmethod

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Panic Bullying in an Era of Uncertainty

Re-reading the simulation of the impact of the increase in oil prices. The figure is dizzying: for every 10 dollar increase above the assumption of the state budget, the state must increase the subsidy burden by Rp 80 trillion. Now the price is 92 dollars. This means that Rp 160 trillion must be sought.

But what bothers me more is not that number. When I opened social media, my timeline was hot. It is not because of policy discussions. But because of hunting.

A housewife reuploaded her video while shopping. “You know, mothers buy cooking oil, later the price will go up because of them.” The comments below are cruel: greedy, stupid, brainless. In fact, maybe the mother was just panicking. Maybe he was afraid that he wouldn’t be able to feed his family if prices kept rising.

This phenomenon has a name: panic bullying. The act of bullying others in response to fear or collective panic. And in the age of social media, it spreads faster than fire.

When Fear Looks for a Black Goat

Simple psychology is that when we are afraid, we are looking for something to blame. In the current situation of global conflict—the US and Iran attacking each other, the Strait of Hormuz being disrupted, oil prices soaring—the fear is real.

But since most of us can’t shoot missiles or stop wars, we look for easier targets. Mothers who overspend. Traders who raise prices. Neighbors who have more stock. Or anyone who is different, who can be used as the “culprit”.

The Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef) noted that an increase in oil prices of 10 dollars could increase the burden of subsidies up to Rp 80 trillion.

But no one calculates how much psychological burden poaching can take on social media. How many people sleep restlessly because their name is the subject of public ridicule just because of panic shopping?

I opened X, the former Twitter. Hashtags #Ibu Greedy trending. Some edited videos of mothers in the market with dramatic music, as if they were criminals. In fact, maybe they just don’t have enough information. Maybe they just believe the neighbors’ talk that prices will rise dramatically.

Social media has a cruel mechanism: anonymity gives courage, virality gives gifts. The more cruel the comment, the more likes. The more judgmental, the more retweets.

In a situation of conflict and uncertainty like today, social media has become a space for fear amplification. Information is half-truthfully spreading. Rumors become facts. And the most vulnerable (housewives, small traders, ordinary people) become victims of public poaching.

Those who panic bullying may feel that they are “educating” or “straightening”. In fact, they are just venting their own fears on others. In the language of psychology, this is displacement: diverting aggression from the actual source of the threat (war, policy, uncertainty) to a safer target (fellow citizens).

Real Impact: Invisible Wounds of the State Budget

In the office, we calculate the economic impact. Inflation, growth, deficit. But there is no budget post to repair the psychological wounds of panic bullying victims.

A friend who is a psychologist at an online counseling service told me a story. In the past week, his clients have increased. They came with similar complaints: anxiety, fear of opening up social media, feeling isolated. Some have videos that go viral because they are considered to “spread panic” even though they only ask questions in the citizens’ forum.

“The wound is real,” my friend said. “They need weeks to recover. Meanwhile, the perpetrator may have forgotten and moved on to the next victim.”

This is the hidden cost of panic bullying. Costs that are not included in the LPS calculation are not recorded in the KSSK report, but are very real in daily life.

First, Rationality decreases, emotions increase. Second, the polarized social environment. Third, lack of emotional literacy. Fourth, weak enforcement of digital ethics.

Meanwhile, regulations are still lagging behind.

So, what can we do?

As citizens, in the midst of this uncertain situation, what is the right response?

First, take a breath before responding. Whatever information we receive, give it a pause. Ask yourself: am I sure this is true? Will my comments help or hurt? In a panic situation, a few seconds of pause can save a person from inner wounds.

Second, distinguish between information and provocation. Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Sufmi Dasco Ahmad has appealed to the public not to panic buy. But on social media, this kind of appeal is often twisted into ridicule. So, we need to be critical: is this content informative, or is it just looking for prey?

Third, strengthen solidarity, not hunting. In difficult situations, what we need is to help each other. If you see a neighbor panicking shopping, talk to him, not video and upload it for public laughter. If you see incorrect information, straighten it out politely, not with ridicule.

Fourth, report bullying content. Social media platforms have a reporting mechanism. Use. Don’t let our digital space become a hunting ground.

Fifth, take care of your own mental health. Panic bullying often starts from within: when we are unable to manage our own fears, we release them to the outside. So, it is important to take care of yourself. Limit news consumption if necessary. Look for information from trusted sources. Talk to friends or family if you’re anxious.

Reflection: The State Can Manage the Budget, But We Manage Ourselves

Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa is optimistic. Simulations have been made and Mitigation has been prepared.

But the state cannot manage collective emotions. The state cannot stop bullying on social media with the state budget. That’s our duty as citizens.

So, in the midst of this uncertainty, I chose to:

Do not participate in judging. I don’t know the struggles of others, I don’t know the pressure they are facing. Judging is easy, but never constructive.

Share information that is calming, not panic-inducing. If you get good news about food stocks or government policies, spread it. If you get bad news that is not clear to the truth, hold it back.

Remembering that behind the scenes, there are humans. The mother whose video went viral has children, has feelings, and dreams. Our comments can destroy all of that in a matter of seconds.

I remember a wise man’s message: “In a stormy situation, the wise man is not busy finding out who is at fault, but busy making sure everyone is safe.”

Let’s be that wise man. In the midst of global uncertainty, in the midst of economic threats, in the midst of hot social media—let’s be a damper, not a trigger. Let’s be helpers, not hunters.

Because in the end, the crisis will pass. The price will be stable. But the wounds from bullying can last a lifetime. And that, it is not comparable to the momentary gratification of a scathing comment.

#bullying