On Modernity

The word ‘Modernity’ and Modernism’ [I guess the words are different in meaning] has been familiar to our ears. Most people, I think, have heard the word Modernity many times. Recently, in the school, I’ve heard one of my students said ‘HPmu sangat moderen ya’ and that word caught me at glance and made me ask myself: What is Modernity? What makes us modern? I do not know really know the meaning of modernity. So I looked for the meaning of modernity in the dictionary. For sure, the word modernity derived from a Latin word moderna meaning that New, the latest one. But then, I kept asking my self what makes someone can be called modern? What criteria are used to be called modern? Can I be called modern because I have the latest Mobile phone series? Or having the new PDA? Do I become modern when I wear stylish fashion as young people wear? Such questions come up in my mind again and again. If what we have determine our modernity such as mobile phone, fashion etc, it seems that modernity or modernization is nothing but westernization.
A month ago, I asked a friend of mine in Jogja to buy me a book. The title of the book is Melampaui modernitas dan positivisme written by F.B Hardiman, a lecturer at STF Driyarkara Jakarta. In his book, the author says that there are several characteristics of modernity. Firstly, modernity means becoming progressive. Modern people think progressively, they try hard to become better persons day to day. They try hard to improve their skills and knowledge. Secondly, modernity means becoming reflective. Modern people reflect whatever they do. Reflective life is what they always do. The main purpose of reflection is to improve their life. Modern people believe on what philosophers say ‘that life which is not reflected is not a worth living life’. Thirdly, modernity focuses on the subject of life. Modernity puts humanism, univeralism, ethics and democracy as its main breaths. Modernity does not include materialism, hedonism and others as its main menus; they are just seasonings/spices of modernity. So the results of knowledge such as TV, Mobile phone, PDA are just spices of modernity. They are not the main menus of modernity. So, if you have the latest PDA, mobile phones, computers, YOU DO NOT BECOME DIRECTLY MODERN. You have just the spices. Your thinking does make you modern. If you are open minded, tolerant, affectionate and humanistic to others, then you are modern. Fourthly, modernity means becoming critical. Modern people do not accept everything for granted. They do not just receive any dogmas or beliefs without criticizing them. Modern people are critical. They do not really like the so called MYTH and a kind of. They do not believe DUNIA LAIN. They put aside those kinds of thinking and use their intellectuality a lot. They like to hear the term ‘rationality or rational’. It does not mean they are arrogant. They are just honest to themselves. Don’t we believe that rationality has brought a change in our civilization? It has created betters things to use but also has brought us to the edge of death like Global Warming.
Now, we can all ask ourselves. Am I modern? Do I possess the spices of modernity that make me arrogant? What does modernity mean to me? I have shut up my student’s mouth that was arrogant because he has a cool motorbike. Now he has known what modernity means. Let’s us think ourselves. And I think my position is the middle of modernity and primitivism.


Peace and Love



Kristian