Generation Without Footprint

Tantan Hermansah

Human civilization was built by someone who produced traces. These traces can then be studied today's patterns and methods. So that from these traces, humans today can fold time to master them, without having to immediately undergo a long process like previous generations.

Every trace that has produced patterns and models, then every piece of history, is improved day by day to find the best from the perspective of the sustainability of humanity. Therefore, don't be surprised if what we do today is actually based on various past experiences which were then improved in order to find efficiency and goodness that is much better than before. What was done by Prophet Adam AS to Prophet Isa AS and Prophet Muhammad SAW, as well as other great people, always focused on two things: ensuring the continuity of social order, and guarding against the destructive behavior of people who have the potential to destroy civilization.

Democracy, for example, since it was formulated as the basis for the governance of human life in the state, is a collection of historical records of how humans build, develop and maintain power to achieve a better life together. Apart from that, democracy is also a system that ensures that with the power it holds, civilization can be continued between generations. Among the democratic values is developing good traces in everyday life, which are then saved into various achievements.

This site can then be relied on in the process of becoming a leader of many people, with diverse backgrounds and interests, who are gathered into one nation. A nation is not just a group of people who, because of power, then design the future of society arbitrarily. The nation is an ideal imagination where everyone can gather and have the same space and opportunity to become someone. This is what is then called a merit system, where everyone has the same opportunity to find the authenticity of their life.

However, today, we are actually faced with the essential problem of the words nation and democracy which have long been used as the basis for life. This problem arises because the essence of citizenship and democracy is shattered due to the lack of merit in the system.

Destruction occurs because those who gain power, instead use the people's mandate to expedite the interests of a small group of people who are "thirsty" to continue to hold power. As a result, those who climb the career path of life from the bottom through a fair competition have to gape considering that there are people who are not only given passes and empty toll roads, but even red carpets.

Of course, this not only damages the system, it even destroys the pattern of cadre formation and the democratic system itself. Those who are pushed to fill this broken system can be called the “footless generation”.

The landless generation refers to individuals who gain recognition and advantages only because of family ties or proximity to political power, rather than based on personal talent or achievements. Some of the causes of the emergence of a generation without a footprint include: first, inequality of opportunities.

There is inequality of opportunity due to an unfair system in accessing opportunities. For example, in education, employment and socio-cultural capital, thus providing space for impartiality and nepotism. Second, the culture of nepotism. Where nepotism is a challenge in itself, because a strong family culture or corrupt political culture encourages recruitment practices based on family or friendship ties.

Nepotism is a cover that hinders a democratic system based on merit. Third, ignorance and awareness. There are still many of us who do not realize the importance of meritocracy in building a just and advanced society.

With the meritocracy model, everyone will be positioned equally and have the same opportunities. The consequence of the existence of a generation without a foothold in the future will be public dissatisfaction—especially towards anyone who later rises to power. It could even be that people will lose confidence in the existing system, because in their perception, all the achievements they achieve were obtained through unfair procedures and mechanisms.

On the other hand, Generation without a footprint may not be able to create the innovation and economic resilience necessary for sustainable growth. Because their presence is often not because it is honed by an ecosystem that can make a person tough, but because it is controlled by power. Sociologically, the problem of a generation without a footprint can result in incompetent cadres in government, which has an impact on reducing the quality and efficiency of government administration and state development. It must be realized that it is important to create a generation that is able to excel with their own abilities and competencies.

Therefore, the development system is actually focused on developing quality human resources, through just processes and mechanisms. Policy makers must design a robust system, which closes the gaps and generational space without the footprint of shifting an elegant, fair and civilized process.
So even if someone who is part of a certain family circle, then moves up a certain leadership career path, such as politics for example, they can be determined to be a "stepped generation". (Fnh)

Tantan Hermansyah is a Lecturer at the Faculty of Da'wah and Communication Sciences, Lecturer in Urban Sociology at UIN Jakarta. This article was published on Kompas.com on Wednesday, 15/11/2023 with the title "Generation Without Treads", Click to read: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2023/11/15/05410721/generasi-tanpa-tapak