The Last Day of the Decade: A Reflection

  (Photo: Reuters/Corbis)

It's going to be 2010 in several hours from the time when I write this post and I feel the need to reflect on how the decade of 2000s have been and what kind of impacts those years bring to our lives. I know a lot of people in media have written this and that about the 2000s. Some have called it the aughties or, even, the aughties naughties. Time dubbed the last ten years as "The Decade from Hell," due to the countless crises we face. While the Entertainment Weekly beg to differ from its sister publication by showcasing the best entertainers of the decade, including Johnny Depp, Beyoncé, and Tina Fey. And I bet there are many others who decide what is the best and worst of the 2000s, including, well, me. So, please let me, in this decade’s last day, to reflect on some of the events that I think have completely change our lives. It is to be considered that there is a very wide range of things to discuss here: politics, economy, technology, fashion, music, movies, etc. So, I guess I will just write those that fascinate me the most. Enjoy.

1) The Magic of Internet

Could you imagine how we live today without the Internet? It seems we are connected more than ever. Every information we want is just one click away. And in the last half of the decade, we see the invention of Facebook and Twitter; both have changed our notion of communication. There is also YouTube, where videos—from cute pet videos to Susan Boyle singing “I Dreamed a Dream” to the death of Neda Agha-Soltan, an Iranian protester—go viral. One of other greatest inventions is Google, of course, which has become the most famous new verb of the decade.

Nonetheless, the Internet also poses some challenges to the traditional media, i.e, the print media. Newspapers and magazines started to lose their readers and, hence, their advertisers, forcing them to close down. But some of them have also utilized the so-called “New Media” by starting their own Web sites and producing their online versions, for which readers have to pay a small amount of money. Speaking of media, the Internet has also released the inner journalists in each and everyone of us. Blogs—like this very one you are reading now—are popping up. Even CNN created a show called iReport where “citizen journalists” can share their findings to the world. Internet has irrevocably changed our ways of living and we are waiting for many changes in the years to come.

2) The So-Called “Post-9/11” World: Wars, Economic Fallout, and the Environment

We all know that something terrible happened on September 11, 2001. This event, thanks to Mr. Bush, has led to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, where the United States is trying to stop the Al-Qaeda and its networks. A hard job, I presume, since those terrorists are scattered around—it is the “asymmetric” war on terror. Fast-forward to Obama’s election in 2008—that image of him and Michelle and their two kids on his winning night on November 4, 2008, is unforgettable—the American troops in Iraq will be withdrawn, yet recently there is a surge in Afghanistan, which according to General Stanley McChrystal, the top US commander there, is necessary to actually banish Taliban insurgents and Al-Qaeda itself. Many are afraid that Afghanistan will be the new Vietnam, but only time can answer if the surge will be worth it to win the war. The Obama Administration has made some right decisions, in my opinion, for example, in closing Guantanamo. But he still has a long laundry list of problems to tackle.

One of those problems is apparently the financial and economic meltdown that is caused, among others, the failure of the real-estate market and the greediness of the Wall Street executives. People around the world are losing their jobs, industries are closed, and so on. It’s a hard time, although some analysts see that we start to recover from the recession.

Other things that capture our focus is natural disasters that happen throughout the globe, from the Asian tsunami of 2004 that killed more than 200,000 people to Hurricane Katrina to the endless earthquakes in my own country, Indonesia. I don’t want to get too philosophical here, but if I may say so, these could be the sign from above for us to be more sensitive to the environment surrounding us. The topic of climate change is being discussed everywhere because it is clear that the real threats of it are looming before our eyes. Unfortunately, it’s still so hard for all countries in the world to make a certain agreement on how to reduce greenhouse gas emission, which is the main culprit of this environmental blow. The last UN Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen has produced an unsatisfactory result. My answer to this dilemma is this, cliché maybe, but realistic: Let’s start from ourselves. Just start from small things: switch off lights when not in use, use public transportation, use both sides of paper. On the other hand, we also must push our respective government to do something about this. You know, the civil society movement is one of the most influential parts to change this world, and you and I are part of them.

To borrow from Andy Serwer in his Time article, “The ‘00s: Goodbye (at Last) to the Decade from Hell,” there are four reasons why this so-called post-9/11 world has gone pretty bad: Neglect, Greed, Self-interest, and Deferral of Responsibility. If we all want to see a better decade in the future, let’s renew ourselves and refresh our perception of the world and our lives in it.

3) Entertainment at Its Best

Now, after talking about the gloomy side of the decade, I think it would be better to talk the lighter and more fun side, that is, the entertainment world. It is like a conventional wisdom that when you talk about entertainment, you have to talk about movies, television, music, and books, so I will just tell you my version of “The Best of the Decade” of each. Feel free to give your own versions in the comment!

Nico’s Pick: The Best of the Decade

Movie: Avatar

Yes, it’s new and it even just opened several weeks before 2010, but seriously, it is the best movie in this decade. See my previous post for proof.

Television: Confused…

No, it’s not a TV show title, it’s just me who is confused on how to determine the best TV show. Let me just say there are several I like the most: Ugly Betty, American Idol, Desperate Housewives, 30 Rock, and Damages. Some of them sound corny, of course, but it is definitely what I need from TV to refresh myself: a nice scandalous, guilty-pleasure show. (Although I also watch “serious” channels, like CNN!)

Music: Beyoncé

Who in this world is not tempted to shake their booty when they hear the addictive rhythm of “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”? Yes, people, Mrs. Jay-Z has brought music to a whole new different level with her amazing voice and even more amazing dance routine. According to a survey, there are 103 “Single Ladies” video parodies on YouTube, and a lot of people have also memorized this unforgettable dance (including me…). It seems we all have to agree with Kanye: “Beyoncé has one of the best videos of all time.” I think my other favorite, Madonna, should be careful if she doesn’t want to be toppled off from the Queen of Pop throne.

Alternative Pick for Music: Phoenix

I’m trying to have a wider taste, music-wise, and I always search for new band. The best of them is Phoenix, which I know for the first time in the page of Vogue (surprise!). Their album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is a revelation. “1901” and “Lisztomania” are definitely the catchiest tunes of this year.

Book: the Harry Potter series

The adventure of the Boy Who Lived in seven books? Enough said.

4) The Decade of Style

Since I’ve made it official that I’m the ultimate fashion aficionado, I will betray my own self if not talking about it here. There have been a lot of things going on, of course. In early 2000s, when Tom Ford was still the designer of Gucci and later YSL Rive Gauche, he redefined the notion of women’s fashion by making it more fresh and sexier (with a hint of vulgarism here and there). Now, he is developing his own Tom Ford brand, the most coveted men’s line—and the most expensive. Not to mention, Mr. Ford also ventures into the movie business by directing a critically-acclaimed movie, A Single Man.

Okay, now back to fashion, we see a lot of European houses being reinvigorated by younger talents, most notably Nicolas Ghesquière at Balenciaga, Marc Jacobs at Louis Vuitton, Stefano Pilati at Yves Saint Laurent, Alber Elbaz at Lanvin, and Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy. While, at the same time, there are also a lot  of young designers who design their own labels who make it big in the United States, like Jack McCullough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler, Rodarte’s Mulleavy sisters, Jason Wu (he’s the one who designed Michelle Obama’s ball gown in the Inauguration night), Christopher Kane, Alexander Wang, and Thakoon Panichgul (excuse me for the excessive name-dropping here). It has been a colorful decade for fashion, and I cannot wait to see what is coming up next.

There you have it, the flashback of the 00s. I realize there are still so many things I haven't covered yet, so any of your comment will be very welcomed here. Happy New Year (and Decade), everyone!!!

FLASHBACK: In Defense of Ethical and Eco-Friendly Fashion

(Originally published on June 25, 2009)

Lately, everybody is proclaiming green movement in most parts of the world. From carpooling to recycling, everything is being done to reduce harm to our suffering environment, to avert the—to borrow from Al Gore—“inconvenient truth” that we are facing global warming threat. And this eco-friendly thing has found its place in the fashion realm.

Just several years ago—and, well, still now—the stylish bourgeoisies are spending their cash on items like fur, crocodile belt, and others, which can reach a six-digit price tag. Not only that, fashion magazines around the world also encouraged this kind of lifestyle, notably, Vogue, whose editor-in-chief Anna Wintour is almost always spotted wearing some versions of fur and was, for a very long time, the main target of PETA’s (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals) anger.

But now, given the climate—the meteorological and the financial ones—spending money on the aforementioned stuffs is not a responsible act to do. It is time to embrace the new lifestyle, fashion-wise: Ethical and Eco-Friendly.

The Ethical fashion means that you are buying fashion products that are produced through a humane procedure. Fur and some other animal materials definitely don’t fall into this category. To make, say, a chincilla fur coat, you will need more than fifty (!) chincillas, and how they are killed is an unlikely sight. Most of the time, these animals are hunted in wildlife, and trapped, and, even, electrocuted. This is totally inhumane and by keeping on doing it, the ecosystem will be broken down because those irresponsible actors have broken the natural food chain.

I’m not saying that we cannot wear clothes or accessories made from animal—I’m not a vegan—but I’m encouraging you to avoid buying things that are made not from farmed animals because for the most part, the production process is very inhumane and clearly unethical. I still think it’s okay to wear leather jacket and accessories.

Besides about the animal material, ethical fashion also means that the whole production process ensures the welfare of the labors making it. Labors in the Third World countries are usually having some kind of “hidden slavery,” where they are pushed to work outside of their limitations. It has to be made loud and clear to the fashion company, especially, the fashion-chain that hires a lot of labors in poor countries (e.g.: Gap, Zara) to revise their labor policy and treat their labors ethically. Besides the labor, it also applies to the material producer, such as cotton farmer. Topman, a famous UK menswear fashion-chain, uses Fairtrade cotton in some of its products which, it claims, “guarantees a better deal for Third World Producers.”

Meanwhile, the Eco-Fashion refers to products that are made from materials that will not harm the environment, namely, the organic materials. The material can range from the fabric, such as cotton, to the dye used in the production. The organic cotton, for instance, is grown without the use of pesticides at all, which, obviously, is friendlier to the environment.

Cameron Diaz on June 2009 Vogue (Mario Testino)

The action must surely be taken. In recent months, Vogue has published a monthly article called “Style Ethics” where eco-ethical fashion is shown. Moreover, in its June 2009 issue, the cover story that stars the Green Queen of Hollywood, Cameron Diaz, showcases her wearing organic fashion. This could be a sign that slowly, but surely, ethical and eco-friendly fashion will reign supreme. I hope that this is not just another trend, but rather, a real lifestyle change that can transport us to a better—and still stylish—world in the future.