Jakartan Millennials and the ‘Kekinian’ Mindset
Kekinian, Happening, Trending.
If you’d like to unlock *the* Jakartan Youth Lifestyle in the social media realm, these are just some of the important keywords you have to apply into your daily routine.
Simply ask, what is the trendiest thing to do? And you can easily find it among Jakartan millennials’ Instagram profiles and feeds. Whether it’s the new snack joint, the latest indie coffee shop in South Jakarta, even the latest Art Fair that you need to go to despite the fact you cannot afford any of the art, or perhaps understand any of it.
As much as I am intrigued to even try myself because of the amount of recommendations following the hype, I always end up questioning the lifestyle. Each of us has a purpose to go somewhere, and it is within each purpose, one is driven to seek and find out. For me personally, I’d like to unravel new findings in Jakarta that will impact me for a long while, better yet, for an unfolded future. From the perspective of the city I have yet to understand, to introducing myself to one more creative Indonesian.
What I notice in these three keywords, which I commonly hear, is that they all define the importance of existing in the present.
Take the IKEA Alam Sutera ‘mainstream hallway’ shot — or what I like to call the gudang Instagram shot. Though the original idea still baffles me until this date, I still wonder to what purpose this ‘mainstream’ photograph holds. The mere existence that you have accomplished by keeping up-to-date with the kekinian lifestyle, or simply, for the amount of likes you will definitely gain? Or, is it for something else?
More of it starts to be based on what matters in the present. How ‘now’ is important, only within in its own time and presence, unrelated to the influence of the past, or how it will impact the involvement of the future.
We love the idea of being present, and yet, we are not present.
As a platform, social media has made us cocooned to the idea that ‘now’ is more important than ever. Ironically, we are not the most punctual. Traffic will most likely make us late for work or for a meeting. Even so, most of us are drifted to our mobile phones while attending any sort of occasion or gathering. We instagram-story outings and events, even bridal showers while celebrating the occasion, and spent most of it editing Instagram shots rather than conversing. We fuel our online existence from ‘what we see’ into others’ feeds, to claim the existence of our reality — when it really does exist.
Your social media feed is not completely you, but it is part of you.
I feel that Jakarta’s millennials are fed to what’s happening in the present, to think that’s what matters, and that’s it. The crave to exist in the ‘now’ in our social media realm has gradually managed to pull us out from the reality we are supposedly complemented with these online platforms.
Often, it becomes a silent competition, of which one would have the most kekinian lifestyle. Yet, the competition is drowned, as no visual representation exceeds significantly to win a prize; because they all have the same shot of instagramable photos.
Finding Your Social Media Inner Peace
One thing I have embraced in this age as a millennial, is to recognise, admit, and surround myself with the experience of struggle.
As much as I praise Instagram for allowing us to have a very aesthetic facade of our day-to-day lives (as well as the low points of Awkarin, and yet, she’s even more popular now), it’s also a platform to voice experiences.
The idea of self-representation in social media is somewhat inevitable — and this applies to myself as well. The more I see it, the more I start to lean in to sharing experiences. Ones that you could write and read back again, remembering how significant each detail was. Ones that you can preserve, from the littlest ones that relieves a stressful week to notable highlights. Ones you’d share because it’s true from within you, not because of others.
I started following people who share their creativity without hiding their own struggling experience. Ones who admit the actual struggles in the process. Ones who thrive with what ought to prevent themselves. Ones who write paragraphs with honesty. Ones who share words of experience that depicts more than a number of likes. That every achievement reveals process and its messy track, impatience with constant challenges and compromises in order to survive throughout.
Not only does this lead in being inspired by role models and their accomplishments, but I see competitors as collaborators.
Complement, Not Complete
As much as it is important to exist in the ‘now’ or in the kekinian lifestyle, it is more important to be present. Present with yourself, and present with your surrounding.
This does not mean the kekinian lifestyle must be detracted completely, but we do need to be more aware on how sensible we share our lives online. In a way, we need to understand how essential it is to live a kekinian lifestyle without being online.
And when you understand how your Instagram does not complete you but can complement your day-to-day lifestyle, it gives way for days full-of-life.
