Slowly But Sure – Too Fast Too Furious

Have you ever noticed that Indonesians have the habit of being slow when it comes to the importance of others?

Take the girls at the supermarket check-out counters, for example. They beep every single item of my purchase in such a slow pace, it almost drives me nuts. If I had to do it myself, it would have taken me half the time that it takes them to do it. I can’t help but wondering why they are so slow – perhaps they are dieting and skipping lunch so they lack the energy to move faster or perhaps they just have a row with their husbands and they feel a bit down. What do you think?

I also notice the same thing when it comes to those who do administrative jobs in banks or government offices. Everything is being processed in such painstakingly slow ways, totally oblivious with the build up of queues of people waiting and the impatience most people have to endure, not to mention also the time that is already wasted for waiting in line just to process something that should have taken a mere five minutes to get done.

But do you also notice that when it comes to the importance of themselves, all of a sudden Indonesian people develop a fast-paced, even impatient attitude of getting things done?

Take the freeway, for example, and count how many people are driving over the speed limits just because they want to get to their destination faster, or those who can’t be bothered to get in line behind the queue of the exit gate that they actually cut other people’s path who are already queueing way before they do, thus creating a traffic jam because instead of a one organised line there are two or three lines queueing to get out of a road that is only meant for one vehicle. I’m sure any of you have been in such situation before, or perhaps you are one of those people who like to cut other people’s paths?

The same thing also happens on a busy road where there is only a couple of zebra crosses to use. Most pedestrians can’t be bothered to wait for the traffic light to turn red so they decide to jaywalk and risk their lives by crossing the road anywhere they like. And of course because there are so many of them crossing the road, those who are on vehicles are forced to slow down and stop, which again, causes traffic jam to the vehicles behind them who are wondering what the hell is going on, because the light has turned green but the traffic is not moving.

The irony of it all is that Indonesia is supposed to be a religious country, and yet there is no other place where I have witnessed selfishness that is so potent and obvious such as what I see in this country, that to meet a truly selfless person compels the raise of an eyebrow and a wave of suspicion.

The second irony, which is far worse than the first is the fact that my fellow workmates used to tease for being such a fast walker. “You walk so fast, it makes you look like a man” they said. When all the while I kept thinking, “I’m not the one who is walking too fast but you are the one who is walking too slow.”

And the biggest irony of it all is that most Indonesians are failing to recognize the right time to be patient and taking things slowly, or when it’s time to be quick and acting promptly.

I love my country, but the people in it are making it harder for me to do so.