Kwaruh Pangupajiwa Ki Ageng Suryomentaram sebagai Kerangka Etika Konsumsi dalam Mengkritik Konsumerisme Modern

Abstract

Modern consumerism has transformed consumption from an activity aimed at satisfying basic needs into a means of fulfilling desires and constructing symbolic identities. This shift has blurred the distinction between needs and wants, giving rise to significant ethical concerns in contemporary society. Although consumerism has been extensively examined from the perspectives of sociology, political economy, and consumer psychology, relatively little attention has been given to ethical approaches grounded in Javanese Philosophy. Addressing this gap, this article examines the concept of kawruh pangupajiwa in the philosophy of Ki Ageng Suryomentaram as a framework for the ethics of consumption in critiquing modern consumerism. This study employs a qualitative library-based approach using conceptual and philosophical analysis. The analysis proceeds through four stages: conceptual description, philosophical interpretation, conceptual dialogue, and normative synthesis. The findings reveal that kawruh pangupajiwa establishes a clea distinction between needs and desires as the foundation of ethical consumption. It further introduces the nem-sa principles (sakpenake, sabutuhe, saperlune, sacukupe, samesthine, and sabenere) as evaluative guidelines for regulating consumer behavior through self-awareness and reflective judgment. In contrast to the logic of modern consumerism, which prioritizes symbolic or sign-value, kawruh pangupajiwa reorients consumption toward use value, sufficiency, and reflective self-consciousness. This study contributes to the growing discourse on consumption ethics by demonstrating how Javanese philosophy provides an alternative ethical framework for critically engaging with consumerism in contemporary society.