Literacy and Social Class Lead by Capitalism

Hantu Bangku Kosong or the empty chair (2006) is a horror movie which concerns on bullying in educational system. Even though the main topic is the horror essence about a girl that murdered in the class in one of chair by her classmate caused by love destruction and jealousy but still it’s consisting of literacy events. The setting of this movie taken in school building and there was studying activities included. The bullying thingy is caused by different social status of the victim and the bullyer. Where the heir of the donator let say rich family get the treasure and could do anything they want, including bullying and provocating teacher.Dinda was only a daughter of poor family who’s study in discriminative school. Dinda was always targeted by her school mate because of her low status despite of her weak personality. This problem oftenly reported to the headmaster of the school but she lightly say that she feel sorry for what happen to Dinda. The parent of her bullyer s are important person for the sake of the school.

It is related to the reality that from childhood on, we are told by the social institutions that shape our culture that literacy is a key to the door that leads to a better job, economic comfort, and social mobility. Learn to read and write better, and you can get a good job. Learn to read and write well, and you can move up the professional and social ladder. This model of literacy as a key for economic empowerment shows up in this movie. It’s kind of doctrine to survive I this world, don’t be stupid or you will lost. The world need the clever one. Yeah, it sounds right but feel so wrong. Because the standard of cleverness is too bias, some just only depend on the school fame, whether the school is favourite school or just the ordinary one. And others is just only about numerical thingy. Have you ever heard that they who more focused on exact subjects are labeled as clever nerd while they who focused on literature or anything outside exact are just ordinary. I oftenly heard my grandma praise my sister because she is smart at mathematic and my cousin because she is taking chemical subject in university. Dinda as main character here also portrayed as someone that smart at numerical thingy. All of books she read are numerical subject. I can relate why she get scholarship when she was that clever. But the stereotype is really annoying, I wish at least there would literature book as property when it comes to studying scene. Well my inner say it sincerely.

Well since the world needs the clever one, they use it raise their status and basically in economical thingy. The opportunity for economic and social mobility is one of the most unshakeable and deeply ingrained myths of our culture not only U.S right now. Work hard enough, be smart and savvy enough, and nothing can stop you from making a fortune and becoming a person of substance. Dinda really worked harder than anyone. The school ended in afternoon yet she still stay at school until night. She read and study at library to make sure she wouldn’t lose her score or she would lost her scholarship otherwise. The movie didn’t ended with the scene where Dinda being success but observed toward her line when the janitor ask her why she came too late than others after school it clearly possible that her aim to study harder is to graduate fast and help mother. In Dinda mind help is having job and make sure her mom wouldn’t be this suffer if she get proper job in the future.

But how about the her bullyer? Let’s call her Ria who’s from rich family and becoming a queen at school. No one can stop her to do what she wants even the headmaster herself. In this case her high status which come from rich family empower Dinda’s ability to study I peace at school. In short, because of Dinda was poor and Ria was rich they were get different treatment at school. From teacher, friend and headmaster. Money and wealth are treasure therefore people are competing to be rich and earn money like crazy. This movie virtualize money play big part in society, money can divide human into low and high class. If you have a lot of money you have power as a high status while the poor is otherwise. They’ve been treat differently. Ria was like having authority to bully Dinda and Dinda like having no strength to against her or she would be scolded by the school. This is also indicates that Ria’s status is giving her a power to do what she wants and no one bravery stop her meanwhile Dinda is powerless because she is the poor one that never donate the school by money because she doesn’t have it. Money humiliated Dinda.

The idea of money ruled the world and its system is come from capitalism. The idea of capitalism is an economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the state. in short the one who have more money than others could act freely even ruled a state. How come? Or how could this tortured system could win against humanity? How this ideology still exist while it can do is only terrible thing? The money oriented is exhausting, force you to do things that you actually no really want to do. All you want is live peacefully right? But the standard now is you have a lot of money. You don’t have to about your future and your education. You have to work harder and study harder, saving money for your future and sometime you lost your passion. Nowadays the capitalism effects are really terrifying. Many people change their subject into Economy Faculty because it’s promising better future. People are tending to work at bank and open their industry, they would sell everything they can. it’s the easiest way to survive in this era. Being slave of money. Do their best to get job. Educational system no longer to educate human to be good human being but to filter one of that have good quality to expand their company. “Kita menjadi individu yang sesuai dengan kebutuhan pasar” we become what corporate needs . Well it’s not all wrong actually but we could imagine how struggling the poor one in order to get better job while school is expensive. Depending on scholarship? Do you think all people can get the scholarship? Or you want to say that it depend on the people struggling and hard working? Hard working isn’t really while your rival is having enough money. You think you can win? The thing is you could do everything to get better life which the standard is made by capitalism. Where school is only a building. Literacy is only work as formality.