(Not) Just a kid from Borneo
I like to describe myself as a 'Schrödinger's cat who speaks louder outside the box' – thanks to Tan Malaka and Erwin Schrödinger. Just like Schrödinger's cat who experiences the quantum superposition, I thrive under uncertainties that put me on a thin line between fruitful success and impactful lessons. And just like Tan Malaka, any outcome shall become a footnote in history.
This is me (I love cats)
Interestingly, my life path has always been on a thin line as well—between technology and humanity. It mesmerizes me how innovation is driven heavily by human values and vice-versa—how human values are shifting along with technological changes. Our creations are meant to make us understand the universe more, yet we keep discovering something new within ourselves instead. Borrowing the quote from a world-renowned fictional mathematician, Dr. Ian Malcolm, "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether they could, they didn't stop to think if they should," innovation requires check and balance from the other sides of the cube—an interdisciplinary approach.
As I delved deeper into the journey of the sociotechnical realm, I had the opportunity to do a lot of research on the interaction between technology, humanity, and the environment. I met a bunch of brilliant engineers as well as savvy policymakers. There seems to be a universal agreement that, as described perfectly by Charlie Chaplin, “Science and progress shall lead to all men’s happiness.” Yet sometimes it is not the case. There seems to be a missing link between them as if we are lost in translation.
Simulation of how a high-rise apartment in Yogyakarta—which was built to solve the housing crisis—greatly disrupts the microclimate of the area, hence deteriorating the livelihood of existing villages within its vicinity (Pamungkas, 2019)
Ex-CEO of Intel, Andy Grover said, "High-tech runs three times faster than normal businesses, and the government runs three times slower than normal businesses, so we have a nine times gap." But as an avid reader of science fiction, I beg to differ. If Asimov and Orwell were able to predict the future of technology with their imagination and literature prowess, then so do the policymakers who can adopt technology and algorithms into their workflow.
Hence, I decided to dedicate myself as a bridge between technology and policy—as a jack-of-all-trades; as a middleman. Welcome aboard to the collection of snippets of my little journey between the two worlds.
Oh, and below is my ‘Personal Anthem’ Spotify playlist.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/41MXCycjXx8JhttmCVtDSH?si=b97cd5d8da204cfd