Hectic schedules and unrelenting work pressure in Jakarta seems to have heightened the sense of individualism that in turn contributes to fraying social bonds among members of society.

Street vendors on some of the city’s walkways could be forgiven for turning a blind eye to robberies taking place before them because they have their lives on the line, but regular suburban dwellers should have no reason not to know their neighbors. However, work and long commutes are taking a toll.

Dion from Kalideres, West Jakarta, said he did not know a single person in his neighborhood.

“They are mostly college students, laborers or office workers. After all, most of them are not native to the area, so why bother [getting to know them],” he told The Jakarta Post recently.

Dion said he could not be acquainted with his neighbors because there was no occasion to do so.

“Leaders in the neighborhood once held community events to clean up the neighborhood. Invitations were sent to 50 people and only a dozen showed up, mostly the neighborhood officials themselves,” he said.

It did not take long for rubbish to pile up on the side of road because no one bothered to clean it up, Dion said.

Dayat, a private sector employee who lives in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, said he did not know his neighbors or speak to them.

He blamed his isolation on the lack of social events.

“We have no community events or gathering such as arisan in our neighborhood,” he said.

Others are simply too busy to join such activities.

Fransisca Xaveria Lindawati, an elementary school teacher in Cijantung, East Jakarta, said she had to skip almost all community events because of her work.

“For a working woman like me, it is very difficult to join such events. I also have to take care of my two young child,” she said.

Lindawati said she only knew her next door neighbors.

“I don’t really know the others in the neighborhood. I just say ‘hi’ when I walk by their houses,” she said.

Even those who have more free time say being a good neighbor proved to be too much.

Ellenika, a student at Atma Jaya Catholic University, lives in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, and says locals in her neighborhood often organized community events.

She claims she never joined in because she was too busy studying.

To save time commuting, Ellenika rides a motorcycle to university, but that does not leave her with much time to socialize. “I only know only a few of my neighbors,” she said.

However, some are making an effort to mingle with others.

Albert, a student at Bina Nusantara’s School of Information Technology rents a room in Kemanggisan, and says he knew most of those living at his boarding house.

“I always join community events in the neighborhood,” he said.

He said he was aware that modern day Jakartans were increasingly oblivious of each other, but that did not stop him from attempting to be nice to others.

“I try to be open. When I am on a train or the TransJakarta busway, I always try to greet the person sitting next to me. But I have to make sure they are willing to have a conversation with me,” said Albert, who was waiting for a train to Bandung, West Java, at Gambir train station in Central Jakarta. (aaa)

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