The Chronicles of Blame Culture in Digital Populism in Indonesia

Pradipto Bhagaskoro¹, Rommel Utungga Pasopati²

bhagas.jpf@gmail.com¹ rommelpasopati@yahoo.com²

Independent Researcher¹

Dr. Soetomo University Surabaya²

Abstract

Netizenship is a new form of citizenship made possible by the development of social media. In certain circumstances, netizenship may be evoked into digital populism which tends to divide public opinion. The opinion divided in digital populism often involves each party playing victim while accusing other party conspiring for their own interests. As stated in blame culture, to blame others remain necessary in defining identities of self and others. If so, how may blame culture reflect digital populism in Indonesia? This paper is stated in qualitative method by asserting written data. Conditions of digital realm, blame culture, and digital populism are explored to answer that question. It seems that the problem is related to dualism of differences rather than duality of diversities. Netizenship today tends to shape identities not by strengthening own matters, but by revealing others’ weakness and fault. However, this condition is unnecessary for digital education, but it is inevitable due to unlimited flowing of information today. In conclusion, blame culture is how netizens shape their identities in digital populism. Digital sphere is never such free-value, but it is always power-related as it may associate with identities of human beings.

Keywords: blame culture, digital populism, digital realm, identity