Chapter 3: Status Quo (Third Part)

Marlon and Riri sat at a small coffee shop by the roadside, waiting for Pak Herman's arrival. They had made an appointment to meet with the middle-aged man, a former businessman who now worked as an online taxi driver. Soon enough, an old car stopped in front of them, and a man with a thick mustache and a slightly bulging belly stepped out.

"Sorry I'm late. There was a traffic jam because a motorcyclist suddenly stopped to take a picture of a cat sleeping in the middle of the road. The world is getting stranger," said Pak Herman as he pulled out a chair and sat down across from them.

Marlon and Riri chuckled quietly.

"No worries, Pak. It actually makes for a great conversation starter. By the way, you used to be a businessman, right? How did you end up as an online taxi driver?" asked Marlon.

Pak Herman took a deep breath, then sipped his black coffee before beginning his story.

"I used to have a small business—selling groceries and some side businesses. It started simply, but since I was always thinking, 'how can I make this money grow,' I became more ambitious. Over time, I started taking bigger profits, raising prices, cutting employee salaries, all in the name of profit. And you know what? It worked! I became successful. New car, bigger house, people started respecting me."

"But why are you a driver now, Pak?" Riri asked, curious.

Pak Herman laughed softly. "Ah, that's the thing! My success ended up making a lot of people dislike me. The employees whose salaries I had cut started leaving one by one. Customers began switching because my prices were too high. I thought, 'Well, they just can't accept change.' But gradually, my business crumbled. The store was empty, stock piled up, and money kept running low. Eventually, I went bankrupt."

Marlon and Riri fell silent for a moment, letting the story sink in.

"So, what happened next, Pak? Did you try to bounce back?" Marlon asked.

Pak Herman shrugged. "I thought maybe I should live simpler. Maybe I should be more honest, more kind, more fair. I tried selling things at reasonable prices, not too ambitiously, not trying to make a huge profit. But you know what? That made my business fail even more. Why? Because no one else was playing like that. In business, if you're too honest, you'll be eaten alive. I realized, the world doesn't entirely need good people, but it also can't be filled with bad ones."

Riri leaned back, reflecting. "So, do you think the world is supposed to be gray?"

Pak Herman nodded. "Yes. But there's something that makes the world seem like it's just black and white. Like there's a force that wants us to choose between just two sides: good or bad, rich or poor, success or failure. But the reality is, life is a mix."

Marlon looked at Pak Herman with enthusiasm. "You mean, there's some big interest trying to make us believe the world is just two-sided?"

Pak Herman grinned. "Ever heard the saying, 'When two people are arguing, there's always a third party benefiting?' Maybe someone is deliberately making us believe the world is just two sides so they can control us."

Riri frowned. "But who, Pak?"

Pak Herman raised his hand. "Well, I don't know yet. It could be the government, the media, or even... that guy selling porridge at the corner who makes us debate 'should the porridge be stirred or not.'"

Marlon and Riri burst out laughing.

"Come on, Pak, be serious!" Riri said while chuckling.

"Hahaha! The point is, we need to realize that the world isn't as simple as we've been taught. Don't blindly trust concepts that seem too extreme. We need to find our own balance," Pak Herman said, sipping his coffee again.

Marlon and Riri exchanged glances, realizing that this conversation was broadening their thinking. They hadn't just heard a story about the rise and fall of a life, but also a big question that they would need to find an answer to in their next journey.

The rain drizzled on the café window near the city park. Marlon, Riri, and Pak Herman sat at a table by the window, enjoying the aroma of coffee mixed with the fresh air after the rain. They had just come from the library, and as usual, Marlon's mind was full of theories he wanted to discuss.

"Pak Herman," Marlon began as he stirred his coffee, "why do you think the world is made to seem black and white?"

Pak Herman raised an eyebrow. "Whoa, that's a heavy question, kid. It's still lunchtime, you know."

Riri laughed. "It's normal, Pak. Marlon's head is like a CPU, it never cools down."

"But seriously, Pak. I've been thinking because everything we've been taught since we were kids has always been framed in two sides: good or bad, yes or no, sin or virtue. There's no gray area. Why is that?"

Pak Herman thought for a moment before responding. "If the world wasn't made black and white, people might get confused. Humans don't like complicated things. If there's a clear rule, life is easier. For example, if we were taught from a young age 'don't steal' without exceptions, people wouldn't have as many excuses to steal."

Riri nodded. "Yeah, if everyone started using logic like 'it depends on the situation,' things could get messy. But... isn't the world really complex?"

Marlon added, "Yeah, that's the problem. Why are we taught in a way that oversimplifies things? Doesn't that make us unprepared for the more gray reality?"

Pak Herman chuckled. "You two are like debating on a philosophy TV show. Think about it, if everyone was taught from a young age that the world is gray, people would have a hard time making decisions. There would be too much confusion. The current system—the one that's black and white—makes it easier to control things."

Marlon squinted. "Control in what way?"

"Look at schools, offices, and the government. Clear systems make people obedient. If too many people start thinking for themselves and questioning the rules, the system could collapse. Plus, the people who run the world need an easy way to manage society. Imagine if a teacher at school said, 'Learning is important, but if you're lazy, it's okay, everyone has their own reasons.' That would be chaotic, right?"

Riri giggled. "Seems like if that were the case, Marlon would be the laziest student."

Marlon sighed. "So, the status quo of the world is intentionally made black and white so it's easier to control, huh?"