Unveiling Public Sentiment and Ideation Patterns in the #IndonesiaGelap Discourse through Appraisal Theory: A Corpus-Based Analysis

Abstract

Public ideation and sentiments expressed within specific social media discourses can serve as valuable references for assessing public satisfaction and aspirations. This study aims to explore public ideation and sentiment surrounding the hashtag #IndonesiaGelap on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. To analyze the sentiment, this study adopts the concept of interpersonal meaning in Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), which is represented through the use of appraisal to observe attitudes reflected within the discourse. To identify public ideation toward the discourses emerging in the context of #IndonesiaGelap, this study employs the language metafunctions such as ideational meaning, interpersonal meaning, and textual meaning focusing on how the public positions itself regarding government policies that appear through the hashtags attached to the #IndonesiaGelap discourse. The data analyzed in this study consists of a collection of posts using the #IndonesiaGelap hashtag that are gathered from X. Several issues raised under #IndonesiaGelap include socio-political issues, pro and contra toward law drafts, and militarism issues represented by the dual function of the military (TNI), which is perceived as a policy that undermines the spirit of reform. Upon closer examination, the word gelap (dark) in the phrase Indonesia Gelap holds a significant role in describing Indonesia’s current situation. Gelap is interpreted as a condition in which there is no light and everything remains obscure. The word carries a negative connotation as it is associated with bleak or grim circumstances. The hashtag #IndonesiaGelap conveys a negative discourse about Indonesia's present condition; however, on the other hand, it also fosters a sense of solidarity in amplifying democratic voices and expressing public ideation concerning government policies.