Pancasila as the Basis of Social Interaction for the Millennial Generation

      Pancasila is the foundation and outlook for living as a nation, a state and a society in Indonesia. Pancasila contains values that are very important for the Indonesian nation, because the values it contains  are consistent  with  the  identity  of the nation and were born from the great thinking of the founders of the nation. When the values of Pancasila are spelled out in real life, they become norms, which in turn become guidelines and an outlook on life. As the next generation of the nation  we must also make Pancasila the foundation and guide in our social relations. 

       However, in this era of globalisation and rapid technological development, there are many deviations in the social conduct of the millennial generation. Examples are the prevalence of brawls between students, drug abuse, misuse of digital media and, most recently, millennial terrorists. The millennial generation seems to have lost direction and purpose; this is caused by the decline of Pancasila moral values in the millennial generation and a lack of awareness of the importance of Pancasila as the basis of social conduct. The implementation of Pancasila values has become merely theory taught in schools, because the millennial generation has not yet been able to practise Pancasila values in life and in social conduct.

        The millennial generation, or Generation Y, now in its productive age, plays an important role in the nation's progress. In this era of globalisation and rapid technological development, this generation excels in creativity, but is also the greatest influence on changes in the character and behaviour of the millennial generation. The effects of globalisation and technological development bring significant changes to the millennial generation's outlook. As a result, the Pancasila values embedded in the millennial generation are eroded and even have a bad influence on them. Therefore, millennials need to be equipped with an understanding and implementation of Pancasila values in daily life so that changes in the behaviour and outlook of the millennial generation can be minimised.

        The millennial generation is identified with a fully digital life and technological proficiency. But because they live in an age of automation and sophistication, they tend to want everything instant and practical. This millennial generation also practises a new lifestyle: they tend to be hedonistic, fond of partying and have a free lifestyle. If they keep taking the negative side of globalisation and technological development, it will cause many problems for their lives and personalities. Therefore, the ideology of Pancasila must become the foundation for the millennial generation in facing the phenomena occurring today.

       The development of globalisation, accompanied by technological progress, makes it ever easier for cultures to enter Indonesia freely, and we cannot avoid the entry of other countries' cultures. As a result, a paradigm and efforts have begun to emerge that generalise national cultures with the foreign cultures entering Indonesia. Consequently, many millennials forget their own culture and consider foreign culture more modern than national culture. But what matters most today is how Indonesian society, especially  the millennial generation, can filter out the negative impacts of globalisation and take the positive side in line with the values and norms of Pancasila. Therefore, it is very important for the millennial generation to practise Pancasila and make it a filter in facing the impacts of globalisation today.

        Pancasila, as the foundation and guide in daily life, should be a filter and a bulwark in facing the impact of globalisation on the social conduct of the millennial generation. If the millennial generation cannot filter the impacts of globalisation and is instead influenced by impacts of globalisation that  do not accord with Pancasila values, it will have a bad effect on the life of the nation going forward, because the millennial generation is also the next generation on which the nation places its hopes for the future. 

       The consolidation of Pancasila values  must be carried out firmly and regularly in accordance with applicable norms  and  with  the  aim  of  improving  the  social  conduct  and  ethics  of this nation. Pancasila  should be made the reference for the millennial generation in their attitudes, actions and speech in accordance with applicable norms. Because Pancasila is a guide for life in facing various threats of national disunity caused by differing views in many aspects, whether political, cultural, religious, ethnic,  racial or  attacks  by  outside  ideologies  that  conflict  with  the  state  ideology.  

        Although the era of globalisation and rapid technological development has many positive and negative sides, we, especially the millennial generation, must be able to filter the impacts of globalisation that exist today and that do not suit the nation's identity. The consolidation of Pancasila values in the millennial generation is also greatly needed so that they can filter whatever may enter them, and of course what accords with the values and morals of Pancasila. And with Pancasila, the millennial generation must also be wiser in the use of technology, especially social media. Because rising technological progress must be balanced  by  rising Pancasila morality as well.

Newspaper: Mata Banua

E-paper : 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k1TeVjwijycTIPAIw5GsTrn87d95jL15/view?usp=drivesdk