Paternalistic Sometime Makes Problem

Did you know? When volcanic eruption of Mount Agung happened in 1960s, the villagers who live nearby the mountain were urged to evacuate from the area. As a result of limited amount of transportation, the women were left behind at home, waiting for disaster to pick up, while all the men were riding on big trucks to be transferred else where safer. This applied because the Balinese believed that men would carry on the pure family liner. I don’t agree with this, women and children’s are hope for future generation.

Balinese social system the men will carry the family line. As a Balinese male this system is good for me, but in the other side, it’s really bad for child education. Balinese sons have more love and protection from their parents. In many cases, this condition make Balinese men more spoiled, arrogant and have less respect to their parents. One case that I have see yesterday Sunday, a grandfather with history of cardiac failure complaining about difficulty in breathing and got insomnia symptom, putting in small room with limited sunlight access, very hot inside. Because of Sunday, difficult to find a cardiologist, so I am trying to cure him with acupuncture. When I see him in the Monday morning the next day, I am glad there is a progress, He can sleep in the night, and can breathing properly, but I see there is an edema at right leg, so I suggest to go to Hospital to meet Cardiologist. The problem is, there is nobody at that home, the grandfather also have full cataract in both eyes. His son living in better place, this grandfather is neglected. So I am putting a chair outside the room and suggest him to get sunlight and fresh air and calling if something happen. I think, it is because of spoiling son because of carrying family line.

Another case, because a family do not have a son, only daughters, they find a man to bring to their family with marrying their daughter. And that family spoiling the man, and the man become greedy.

One case again, a wealthy family only have daughters. The wife forced her husband to marrying a woman for birthing a son. Thanks God if they got a son from that woman, if baby is female they divorce her. But I have found a case; they got a son but still they neglecting the woman. She is a human also not cattle.

I am not saying that paternalistic is a bad system; it is good for continuing the Balinese cultures and religion, which are the magnet of Bali tourism. But I have suggestion, Balinese should not spoiling them sons, giving their sons a good education for respecting parents, women, and the people around him, also a responsibility. One of my professor (Suharko Kasran) said a doctor is a community teacher, that’s why I am trying spreading my thought to my community.   

Message from me

Dr. Agung