Jennie M. Xue

Jakarta's public health and living standards

by Jennie S. Bev

I was born, raised, and lived in Central Jakarta for more than 25 years. I was proud of calling myself an anak Menteng asli, or a “genuine Menteng kid.” 

Today, I still pass by the hospital where I was born, which is located behind my old high school. And the humble house where I was raised is now a noodle shop selling local delicacies.

Even though Menteng is considered somewhat “elite” by Indonesian standards, many public facilities are far below the standard of not-so-elite suburban American communities.

Propaganda dan demokrasi di Indonesia

Kekuasaan kilat berada di tangan mereka untuk melakukan framing alias 'propaganda' langsung (direct propaganda).

CALIFORNIA, Jaringnews.com - Bagi yang mengira propaganda hanya terjadi di negara-negara sosialis-komunis--seperti Cina di era Mao Zedong dengan berbagai atraksi kulturalnya yang sarat dengan nuansa komunisme--sebaiknya berpikir kembali. 'Indonesia negara demokrasi, sehingga tidak ada propaganda' adalah suatu pendapat yang salah.

Tidak perlu suatu pesan politik disampaikan dengan eksplisit sambil berseragam dan bergaya tertentu. Pesan-pesan politik tidak hanya dilakukan secara terus terang dengan perbuatan (action), namun juga tidak dengan perbuatan (inaction). Pesan-pesan politik bisa juga disampaikan tidak dengan isi (konten) namun juga saluran distribusinya (channel). Pesan-pesan politik bisa disampaikan tidak dengan 'apa' (what) namun juga oleh 'siapa' (why).

Cultivating positivity in children

Republished in Psychology Central Good Life Column on March 22, 2012.

Originally published in NY Parenting on June 7, 2011.

by Jennie S. Bev

Raising children is about shaping traits and instilling values, not merely about fixing behaviors. Teaching children how to flourish should start with focusing on their strengths, not their weaknesses. By focusing on their strengths, parents and children are more motivated to work together as a team. But teaching positivity isn’t synonymous with using positive reinforcements all the time. It’s a tricky balance of reframing.

Every child is born with his own level of so-called “natural” happiness. Some were born with over-the-top cheerfulness, while others are born with less. This explains why some children are fussier, while others keep grinning from ear to ear, regardless of the mood of the surrounding environment. Happy kids tend to respond differently to failure than not-too-happy kids. Their strengths, however, should be distinguished from their natural level of happiness.

Do no harm and kebebasan

oleh Jennie S. Bev

Standar-standar ganda yang diciptakan oleh dogma-dogma kadaluwarsa sudah saatnya direvisi.

CALIFORNIA, Jaringnews.com - Ujian dari suatu konsep, teori atau filosofi adalah waktu dan fungsi. Mudah untuk berkata-kata, namun waktu yang akan membuktikan kesahihan suatu kata-kata. Mudah untuk menyatakan bahwa sesuatu berfungsi, namun ketika lebih banyak unsur mencelakakan, mencederai, mengganggu kelancaran, dan menambah beban negatif, maka fungsi yang diharapkan hanyalah suatu ide yang dituju, bukan fakta.

Demikian pula halnya dengan konsep moralitas yang berdasarkan standar-standar tertentu, termasuk dari dogma-dogma religi dan hukum-hukum normatif. John Stuart Mill, filsuf dari Inggris Raya yang sangat berpengaruh di abad ke-19, dikenal dengan filsafat utilitarianisme-nya, yang bisa diterapkan dalam hampir segala segi kehidupan, termasuk sosial, politik, ekonomi, dan hubungan-hubungan interpersonal dan intrapersonal. Intinya adalah 'do no harm to others'.

AEC 2015 and Indonesia

Download FORBES AEC 2015 and Indonesia PDF

by Jennie S. Bev 

March, 2012 - The ASEAN charter was signed in 2007 with a promise to build an economic community fully engaged in globalization. With this in mind, the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) that was signed in May 2010 will remove all tariff barriers in most of the ASEAN region by 2015. Such a major agreement comes with opportunities, responsibilities and consequences. How would a potential ASEAN economic community (AEC) in 2015 change Indonesia’s business and economic landscape? What are the possible challenges?
 
The AEC provides a needed foundation for building an economic community fully engaged in the global economy by creating a consolidated—and competitive—single market. Goals such as financial stability, development of regional infrastructure, connectivity, sustainable development and closing the development gap should drive the community to create and implement mutually beneficial programs. For instance, under ATIGA, the first group of ASEAN countries (Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand) would drop their tariffs by 2015 while the newer members (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam) would drop their tariffs and non-tariff barriers by 2018.

Freedom, doing no harm, and a good life

by Jennie S. Bev

John Stuart Mill, the 19th century British philosopher, was known for his utilitarianism concept. An individual has a value as long as they do no harm to others, regardless of whether they inflict any pain on themselves. 

“Doing no harm” is the highest standard of “morality,” if it is an appropriate word to use, as Mill himself didn’t agree with dogma-based “moral standards."

Frequently commuting between the USA and Indonesia as I do, I can clearly observe how “freedom” is a relative term. In many instances, “freedom” is not really so, particularly in Indonesia. Too many restricting dogmas abound, which place you in a “good” or “bad” category. Yet, dogma does not seem to work when it comes to the routine bribery, extortion and other abuses of public office.

Fenomena Angel Investor

Download KONTAN Fenomena Angel Investor

Entrepreneurship atau kewirausahaan lebih dari sekadar jalur mencari nafkah dan sekantong berlian. Seorang entrepreneur hidup dalam napas kewirausahaan. Ia dan kewirausahaan adalah satu.

Bagi para entrepreneur sukses, setiap bibit yang berpotensi sukses memberi suatu gairah tertentu dan mereka ingin memberikan harapan bagi para penerus. Lahirlah istilah “angel investor”. Para “malaikat” ini adalah pebisnis berideologi.

Disaster Management: pasca selingkuh, bisakah kembali seperti dulu?

Download ESQUIRE March 2012 Disaster Management by Jennie S. Bev

oleh Jennie S. Bev

Banyak yang berpendapat pria berselingkuh karena seks, sedangkan wanita karena ikatan emosional. Benarkah demikian? Setelah “bencana perselingkuhan” terkuak, bisakah pasangan kembali harmonis seperti dahulu? 

Mengapa seorang pria berselingkuh memang mempunyai beberapa kemungkinan. Psikoterapis Dr. Erica Goodstone yang berpraktik di Florida, berpendapat bahwa perselingkuhan disebabkan karena daya tarik yang lebih dari sekadar kekecewaan terhadap perilaku, gaya berdandan, dan sifat dari pasangan. Sering kali, mereka yang memilih  berselingkuh telah memiliki segalanya: karier, kemapanan finansial, dan “pasangan jangka panjang” (istri atau pacar) yang baik dan setara.