​Date: January 6, 2025. Location: The Grand Line (Multiverse Coordinates: Jakarta-Brasília-Kazan Nexus). Status: Charting a New Global Order

​They say the sea never stays the same, and neither does the world map. As a Multiverse Time Sailor, I’ve seen empires rise like tides and fall like spent waves. But what happened on January 6, 2025, wasn't just a ripple—it was a seismic shift in the ocean of global power. Indonesia, the emerald archipelago of the Southeast, officially stepped into the BRICS circle.

​For a long time, the "Log Pose" of global finance was fixed toward the West. The US Dollar was the North Star. But now? The needle is spinning. Indonesia joining Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (along with new crew members like the UAE and Egypt) is a clear signal: the Global South is tired of being just passengers; they want a hand on the helm.

​From a social and economic lens, this isn't just about trade—it’s about Identity and Agency. In World-System Theory, we often talk about the "Periphery" and the "Core." For decades, countries like Indonesia were seen as the "semi-periphery"—rich in resources but dependent on the Core’s financial rules.

​By joining BRICS, Indonesia is executing what political scientists call Strategic Hedging. They aren't abandoning their old friends, but they are diversifying their "crew." This strategic maneuver brings real-world impacts that we can see in two main currents of change.

​First, we see a shift toward De-dollarization. The move toward Local Currency Settlement (LCS) means Indonesia can trade with its neighbors using Rupiah, Yuan, or Real. For Gen-Z and Millennials in Jakarta or Bandung, this theoretically means our local economies and wallets are less vulnerable to the "mood swings of the Federal Reserve" over in America.

​Second, there is a wave of Investment Flux. With a $1 billion commitment to the New Development Bank (NDB), Indonesia is buying a seat at a table that funds its own infrastructure—renewable energy, digital hubs, and high-speed rails—without the heavy "conditionalities" often tied to Western loans. In the multiverse of history, the most dangerous thing a nation can do is rely on a single map. Indonesia just drew a second one.

​Why does this matter to us? Because we live in a world of Complex Interdependence. When Indonesia moves, the regional balance of ASEAN shifts. For a generation raised on global connectivity, this multipolarity offers a more inclusive—if more complicated—world. It’s a move toward a "Multipolar World Order," where no single hegemon OK dictates the price of bread or the cost of a data plan.

​However, the sea is rarely calm. This pivot risks "straining the rigging" of relationships with Western allies. Can Indonesia remain "Free and Active" (Bebas-Aktif) while sitting in a bloc that some see as a direct challenge to the G7? As a navigator, I know that the best path is often the one that utilizes all winds, but you have to be very careful not to let the sails tear in the storm of conflicting interests.

​Date: January 6, 2025. Location: The Grand Line (Multiverse Coordinates: Jakarta-Brasília-Kazan Nexus). Status: Charting a New Global Order

​They say the sea never stays the same, and neither does the world map. As a Multiverse Time Sailor, I’ve seen empires rise like tides and fall like spent waves. But what happened on January 6, 2025, wasn't just a ripple—it was a seismic shift in the ocean of global power. Indonesia, the emerald archipelago of the Southeast, officially stepped into the BRICS circle.

​For a long time, the "Log Pose" of global finance was fixed toward the West. The US Dollar was the North Star. But now? The needle is spinning. Indonesia joining Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (along with new crew members like the UAE and Egypt) is a clear signal: the Global South is tired of being just passengers; they want a hand on the helm.

​From a social and economic lens, this isn't just about trade—it’s about Identity and Agency. In World-System Theory, we often talk about the "Periphery" and the "Core." For decades, countries like Indonesia were seen as the "semi-periphery"—rich in resources but dependent on the Core’s financial rules.

​By joining BRICS, Indonesia is executing what political scientists call Strategic Hedging. They aren't abandoning their old friends, but they are diversifying their "crew." This strategic maneuver brings real-world impacts that we can see in two main currents of change.

​First, we see a shift toward De-dollarization. The move toward Local Currency Settlement (LCS) means Indonesia can trade with its neighbors using Rupiah, Yuan, or Real. For Gen-Z and Millennials in Jakarta or Bandung, this theoretically means our local economies and wallets are less vulnerable to the "mood swings of the Federal Reserve" over in America.

​Second, there is a wave of Investment Flux. With a $1 billion commitment to the New Development Bank (NDB), Indonesia is buying a seat at a table that funds its own infrastructure—renewable energy, digital hubs, and high-speed rails—without the heavy "conditionalities" often tied to Western loans. In the multiverse of history, the most dangerous thing a nation can do is rely on a single map. Indonesia just drew a second one.

​Why does this matter to us? Because we live in a world of Complex Interdependence. When Indonesia moves, the regional balance of ASEAN shifts. For a generation raised on global connectivity, this multipolarity offers a more inclusive—if more complicated—world. It’s a move toward a "Multipolar World Order," where no single hegemon OK dictates the price of bread or the cost of a data plan.

​However, the sea is rarely calm. This pivot risks "straining the rigging" of relationships with Western allies. Can Indonesia remain "Free and Active" (Bebas-Aktif) while sitting in a bloc that some see as a direct challenge to the G7? As a navigator, I know that the best path is often the one that utilizes all winds, but you have to be very careful not to let the sails tear in the storm of conflicting interests.