A Leader or A Gamer?

Which one does Indonesia need the most right now? An inspiring brave-heart leader or a "gamer" who is capable of designing numerous rules of the game?

Great leaders inspire us all, it's true, but to what extent? Let say you're a big-time corruptor and you happen to listen to the president's enlighting speech about war to corruption. Will you suddenly stop doing corruption? I bet you won’t. And since you’re the corruption godfather, what you’ll probably do is finding a more sophisticated way of doing corruption without being notice by the law.

But believe it or not, a “gamer” can! Let me reveal the idea.

The core of all problems in our nation - corruption, fraud, counterfeiting, you name it - is in the institutions. We are lacking of appropriate rules of the game, those that can change the way people behave in the institutions.

Here’s the big picture. Good rules of the game will reward every beneficial actions and punish all the wrongdoings. Good rules of the game also ensure that the rules are implemented. Since you’re bounded by such rules, you cannot run away from it thus they will affect you’re behaviour.

Let me give you the first example. Say there are two countries, A and B. Both country A and B have rules that punish people for throwing rubbish carelessly. But in country A, people are not aware of the rule and the authority make no effort to put the rule in practice. In country B, the authority set up enforcements standing by for rule-breakers and ready to punish them. Let say I’m a filthy person who likes to throw waste everywhere I want to. When I’m in country A, I don’t give a damn where I want to throw my garbage. But eventhough I’m a careless person, I do not want to throw garbage except in the garbage bin if I'm in country B because I do not want to be fined that will cost me.

See! Even bad guy put their head down to the rule if the rules of the game is practiced.

Let me give you the second example, a simpler one. Say there’s a stop sign in the corner of an intersection and you’re riding your motorcycle.

Everywhere in the world, the stop sign requires you stop for a moment and continue the ride after you are assured the road ahead is clear. Either you don’t know the rule or you’re sure you won’t be fined, you ignore the sign.

On the next intersection, you find another stop sign. But, this one differs from the last.

Oh dang! If I don’t stop, I will be fined $250! That’s my salary for one month! So you have to stop. But it’s so quite and you’re sure enough that there are no police standing by. So once again, you ignore the sign and keep riding.

On the last intersection before your intended destination, you find another stop sign!

There’s a stop sign, a fine warning, and a policeman. I will bet that you’ll stop otherwise you’re a mad man!

There are some lessons learned from the examples above.

1. First, we need proper rules of the game for many issue, topics, concerns, and problems in Indonesia. Thus, we need gamers’ mastermind

2. second, we need to reassure the rules of the game take account of rewards and punishments (for example: the fine and penalty)

3. third, we need authorities and enforcements to ensure that the rules are practiced. Otherwise the rules are just another waste.

4. fourth, correctly implemented rules reassure that people – especially the bad ones – to think twice before break any rules.

I will not put aside the role of leaders because Indonesia need leaders and I always encourage individuals that have the capability to devote theirselves to become leaders. But, we can learn from this that corruption, frauds, and other problems in Indonesia are the prolemma of our institutions. Even the words of the most inspiring and true-hearted leaders might not be enough to stop the problems.

Heyho "Gamers"!