THE PRACTICE OF HIGH LIFESTYLE AMONG IMDOMESIAM LOWER MIDDLE CLASS

TRI HARMAJI, Dr. Wening Udasmoro; Dr. Yahya Wijaya

2016 | Disertasi | S3 ILMU AGAMA DAN LINTAS BUDAYA

Among the Indonesian lower middle class todays, it happens what is called the practice of high lifestyle. The practice of high lifestyle is a practice that is done by the poor to consume symbolic goods that usually consumed by the rich in order to appear as the rich. This practice, not only raises a question about their financial problem but also about their religious values. As almost the lower middle class in Indonesia are the followers of a religion, the practice is against the principle of non-attachment that is thought by religion. This practice raises one big question: why and how do people of lower middle class do the practice of high lifestyle within the fact of financial incapability and the problem of religious value. As the lower middle class they must have financial difficulties in consuming the goods and as religious followers who know the religious principle of non-attachment they must know that their practice contradict to the values. Using two main theories, that is the theory of social distinction from Pierre Bourdieu and the theory of discourse formation from Michel Foucault, the study tries to understand the phenomenon and answer the question. From the first theory, as social life is basically social struggle in which everyone has desire to win and to take the highest position, it seems understandable that people of lower middle class, with all their limits and incapability, keep try to fight for the better social position. In this light the practice of high lifestyle can be seen as a strategy that they do in dealing with their financial limit. From the second theory, we also understand the practice of high lifestyle is not merely caused by their desire to improve their social position but also caused by what is called as the discourse of greed that encourages people to pursue worldly wealth. This tendency of course contradicts to the principle of non-attachment that is promoted by what is called as the discourse of simplicity. Facing this obstacle, the doers of high lifestyle do what is called as an act of changing the face of God, that is, through reinterpretation, turning God from hating worldly life to love it. The practice of high lifestyle in Indonesia is not only related to financial problem but also importantly related to the problem of religious principle of non-attachment. The pursuit of image that is done in this practice contradicts to the spirit of non-attachment that considers worldly wealth less important. Tracing the religious principle back to the history of religions, it is found that the contestation between desire to worldly pursuit (the discourse of greed) and the spirit to avoid it (the discourse of simplicity) has actually taken place since very long time ago. The modern practice of high lifestyle is only one of many battle fields where the two discourses compete and try to defeat each other.

Among the Indonesian lower middle class todays, it happens what is called the practice of high lifestyle. The practice of high lifestyle is a practice that is done by the poor to consume symbolic goods that usually consumed by the rich in order to appear as the rich. This practice, not only raises a question about their financial problem but also about their religious values. As almost the lower middle class in Indonesia are the followers of a religion, the practice is against the principle of non-attachment that is thought by religion. This practice raises one big question: why and how do people of lower middle class do the practice of high lifestyle within the fact of financial incapability and the problem of religious value. As the lower middle class they must have financial difficulties in consuming the goods and as religious followers who know the religious principle of non-attachment they must know that their practice contradict to the values. Using two main theories, that is the theory of social distinction from Pierre Bourdieu and the theory of discourse formation from Michel Foucault, the study tries to understand the phenomenon and answer the question. From the first theory, as social life is basically social struggle in which everyone has desire to win and to take the highest position, it seems understandable that people of lower middle class, with all their limits and incapability, keep try to fight for the better social position. In this light the practice of high lifestyle can be seen as a strategy that they do in dealing with their financial limit. From the second theory, we also understand the practice of high lifestyle is not merely caused by their desire to improve their social position but also caused by what is called as the discourse of greed that encourages people to pursue worldly wealth. This tendency of course contradicts to the principle of non-attachment that is promoted by what is called as the discourse of simplicity. Facing this obstacle, the doers of high lifestyle do what is called as an act of changing the face of God, that is, through reinterpretation, turning God from hating worldly life to love it. The practice of high lifestyle in Indonesia is not only related to financial problem but also importantly related to the problem of religious principle of non-attachment. The pursuit of image that is done in this practice contradicts to the spirit of non-attachment that considers worldly wealth less important. Tracing the religious principle back to the history of religions, it is found that the contestation between desire to worldly pursuit (the discourse of greed) and the spirit to avoid it (the discourse of simplicity) has actually taken place since very long time ago. The modern practice of high lifestyle is only one of many battle fields where the two discourses compete and try to defeat each other.

Kata Kunci : non-attachment, simplicity, greed, discourse, social game, image, symbolic goods