Concerns About Teenage Entertainment

Written by: M. Abriyanto. Translated by: Kanya Indivara Aditya, Dianti Arudi

Titiek never considers age as a barrier to keep playing a role in society; especially when it concerns social issues, such as aiding others. “Ever since I was young, my parents taught me to respect, to be helpful, and to appreciate others. And I hold on to it until today,” expresses Titiek who will turn 70 this November.

Regarding social issues,  Titiek feels concerned about the way the teenage world unfolds these days. Particularly with all the rush of information from the outside world that comes freely through  the public and easily-accessed medias such as television and internet, which makes it easier for either the negative or the positive values to be absorbed by the younger generation.

Various soap operas flood the television stations; in which children and adolescents are raised to stardom. On one hand it reveals the pulse of the enthusiastic youth, but on the other hand Titiek regards that the material content which is publicized can be risky. Why? 

“I always see short scenes that depict violence in teenager in soap operas that are not finished. This is dangerous, because viewers cannot find the right conclusion towards this,” expresses the grandmother with fourteen grandchildren. What also concerns Titiek is the children songs nowadays that mostly relate to mature world.

One thing that Titiek believes could prevent all this from happening is the existence of harmony in a family. This is where the parents play an important role in teaching, educating and directing their children to the right track. Titiek honestly confesses that she does not consider herself as a good parent (In her life, she has been married three times. From the first and second husband, came Petty and Ella. And her third husband has three children from his previous marriage).

But Titiek believes in what we all know as honesty and determination. She abides by both those traits throughout her life journey. To both her daughters she always taught these values. She also stressed the importance of being grateful of what life has bestowed upon us. “If you want anything, for example; shoes, clothes, a refrigerator, ask God. God exists. But you must be patient when you’re asking Him for something,” that was how Titiek used to tell her daughters, Petty and Ella. Even when she was going to get married for the third time, she asked for her daughters’ blessing.

“God loves me because everything I have given to my children, I have given sincerely. And what I do is what they see. So it is not lip service. Not just to say ‘this is a sin’, without a reason. I learnt that from my parents,” continues Titiek who has twelve siblings from the Tugeno Puspowidjojo and Siti Mariam couple.

She has been able to give anything to her children and grandchildren truthfully and honestly until now. ”We have taught them of beauty and care for others since they were young. So when they have grown, they are mature enough to differentiate between the good and the bad. We dont have to worry about the global stream that is occurring at the present,” says Titiek.

In the end, Titiek only wishes that each person would learn how the respect each other. “There is no need for pointing fingers at one another,” says Titiek.

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