Furthermore, Atlantis Nusantara can be understood as an imagined future in the sense proposed by Benedict Anderson (1983). If imagined community is the basis for nation-building, then Atlantis can be the basis for an imagined destiny---a shared, imagined destiny for the future. In this context, the narrative of Atlantis not only binds national identity but also provides orientation for future development and civilization.
Atlantis is also significant as a symbol of resistance against the reduction of modernity, which is often measured solely in terms of industrialization and capitalism. Plato described Atlantis as a land advanced in agriculture, technology, and spirituality (Plato, Critias). This interpretation can serve as inspiration for building an Indonesian development model based on ecological harmony, not on natural exploitation. In other words, Atlantis Nusantara reminds us that the future of this nation must be shaped by a balance between science, local wisdom, and spirituality.
The Atlantis narrative offers Indonesia an opportunity to revive the vision of a Global Maritime Axis. If our ancestors were skilled sailors who sailed the oceans as far as Madagascar and the Pacific, then Indonesia's maritime revival in the 21st century is not a pipe dream, but rather a continuation of a long history. Atlantis serves as both a reminder and a catalyst, that maritime affairs are not merely geopolitical, but the core of this nation's identity.
However, Atlantis Nusantara must not cease to be a romanticism. It must be transformed into practical energy. Atlantis must inspire equitable agrarian policies, environmentally friendly technology, cosmopolitan yet locally rooted education, and maritime politics that connect Indonesia to the world. In this way, the Atlantis myth will find its actualization in the real lives of the Indonesian people.
Within this framework, Atlantis Nusantara also functions as a civilizational manifesto. It claims that the archipelago was not only once the center of civilization, but is now poised to regain that position. Atlantis is thus not simply a story of sinking, but a story of rebirth. It is a "functional fable," meaning it provides direction for the nation's collective action.
Of course, some will continue to view Atlantis as mere fiction. But that is precisely where its symbolic power lies. In philosophy, myths are not judged by their factual truth, but by their power to construct meaning. Atlantis Nusantara, like the founding myths of other nations, serves as a foundation of imagination that supports the continuity of collective identity and ideals.
Reading Atlantis as part of a nation's identity, we learn that history is not written solely with the ink of facts, but also with the light of imagination. Facts provide the foundation, but imagination provides direction. Without imagination, a nation will lose its vision. Without vision, a nation will lose its purpose. Atlantis, then, is the light of imagination that guides this nation toward a new renaissance.
If Atlantis once sank due to arrogance and greed, then the revival of Nusantara must stem from a deep ecological awareness, social ethics, and spirituality. Atlantis reminds us that civilization can collapse if it does not maintain balance with nature and morality. Therefore, the revival of Nusantara in the 21st century will only be valid if it is built on a foundation of justice, wisdom, and harmony.
Ultimately, we must understand Atlantis Nusantara as a narrative of hope. The hope that this nation can overcome the wounds of colonialism, political fragmentation, and ecological crisis. The hope that Indonesia can emerge as a great, just, and wise maritime nation. The hope that the archipelago will not only repeat its past glory but also create a new civilization that will set an example for the world.
Thus, despite academic controversy, Atlantis Nusantara is a story of resurrection. It is not merely a sunken myth, but a lighthouse that illuminates this nation's path to the future. Atlantis, in this sense, is Indonesia itself: a once-glorious civilization that has sunk, but is now ready to rise again on the world stage.
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