GOLF SEBAGAI SIMBOL GAYA HIDUP DAN AKTUALISASI DIRI KALANGAN ELIT DI KOTA PALEMBANG
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51878/cendekia.v6i3.13919Keywords:
Golf, Aktualisasi Diri, Interaksionisme SimbolikAbstract
Golf is no longer perceived merely as a sporting activity, but has become a representation of lifestyle, social status, and group identity in urban society. However, studies that position golf as a symbolic communication practice and a means of self-actualization, particularly among elite groups in Palembang City, remain limited. This study offers novelty by analyzing the construction of golf’s meaning as a symbol of lifestyle and self-actualization through the perspective of symbolic interactionism developed by George Herbert Mead and Herbert Blumer. This study aims to analyze how golf is interpreted by elite groups as a medium for constructing social identity and self-actualization. The research employed a qualitative approach with a constructivist paradigm. Informants were selected purposively from active members of the golf community at Kenten Golf Driving Range, Palembang. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observation, and documentation, and analyzed using the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldana. The findings reveal that golf functions as a symbol of social status, a medium for building social and professional networks, and a means of self-actualization through personal achievement, self-image enhancement, and identity representation. Branded attributes, club membership, and interactions on the golf course serve as symbols that reinforce the social position of players. This study concludes that golf has transformed into a symbolic communication practice representing elite lifestyle and the need for social recognition in Palembang City.
ABSTRAK
Golf tidak lagi dimaknai semata sebagai aktivitas olahraga, tetapi juga sebagai representasi gaya hidup, status sosial, dan identitas kelompok di masyarakat urban. Namun, kajian yang menempatkan golf sebagai praktik komunikasi simbolik dan sarana aktualisasi diri, khususnya pada kalangan elit di Kota Palembang, masih terbatas. Penelitian ini menawarkan kebaruan dengan menganalisis konstruksi makna golf sebagai simbol gaya hidup dan aktualisasi diri melalui perspektif interaksionisme simbolik George Herbert Mead dan Herbert Blumer. Penelitian bertujuan menganalisis bagaimana golf dimaknai oleh kalangan elit sebagai media pembentukan identitas sosial dan aktualisasi diri. Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan paradigma konstruktivis. Informan dipilih secara purposive dari anggota komunitas golf yang aktif di Kenten Golf Driving Range Palembang. Data dikumpulkan melalui wawancara mendalam, observasi, dan dokumentasi, kemudian dianalisis menggunakan model interaktif Miles, Huberman, dan Saldana. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa golf berfungsi sebagai simbol status sosial, media untuk membangun jejaring sosial dan profesional, serta sarana aktualisasi diri melalui pencapaian personal, penguatan citra diri, dan representasi identitas. Penggunaan atribut bermerek, keanggotaan klub, dan interaksi di lapangan golf menjadi simbol yang menegaskan posisi sosial para pemain. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa golf telah bertransformasi menjadi praktik komunikasi simbolik yang merepresentasikan gaya hidup elit dan kebutuhan akan pengakuan sosial di Kota Palembang.
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