Indonesia The New Powerhouse?

 Indonesia's Harashta Haifa Zahra is Miss Supranational 2024. Congratulations to you and your country.

I want Indonesia to savor the intoxicating feeling of winning for the first time and I want our brother Indonesians to celebrate, drink, and toast ... this is another feather in the cap for ASEAN countries. Even Filipinos and Thais are happy with their achievement.

Understandably, because of their latest triumph, some tipsy Indonesians have gone beyond hangovers ... and let success spoil the best of them when they start bragging and making hyperbolic pronouncements that "they are at the moment the new powerhouse in Asia. "

I saw one critic's comment who got ticked off by the new viral FAKE NEWS that stems from MAGNIFIED and AMPLIFIED crowing and blowing off one's trumpet from a certain sector: "They seek attention, admiration, and respect from their peers and other countries ... and believe that boasting about their new achievement will make them feel more confident and valued.

Another reactor said that they like to brag because it gives them a sense of control. By boasting, they feel that they are in charge of how others perceive them.

Other critics have to make comparisons (like the image above) debunking the claim. I also made a post 3 days ago about how the Philippines managed to amass 42 titles and 27 runner-up spots (of all major and minor pageants) in the first half of 2024 alone ... a record that is second to none.)

While some egotists want attention and approval, others seek to bring shame or jealousy to others. "What jealousy are they talking about?" said one reactor. "There is no need to fuel jealousy, especially the Filipinos and the Thais. The number shows ... they need a lot of catching to do."

In all these heated debates on who's who in Asia ... I want to place myself in the middle of the warring factions. To other ASEAN countries please give them the chance to celebrate and digest the exhilarating effects of victory. They need that. Just understand that when you win your heart is full ... because of the victory the mouth speaks ... or the euphoria of the win affects the way they write or word their reactions ... to the point that they may sound boastful.

On the other hand, I also want to remind our friends and neighbors to be careful about how they choose to express their confidence. You can show your happiness ... but you are still mindful that you are not stepping on their shoes. When comments have been exaggerated and the readers smell braggadocio painted all over the page, you could wind up pushing people away instead of drawing them in. Instead of welcoming thousands of people from other countries sharing your latest blessing ... you drive them away. 

Bragging about your achievements and personal qualities can poison the readers' perception of you.