BOGOR - In an industrial-themed cafe on the outskirts of Bogor, the aroma of steak and the gurgling of a fountain is not the only thing that fills the air on Saturday (14/12/2025) evening. There is another smell that is felt: the smell of thoughts, vulnerability, and musical notes that are born from the failure of love.
The event was not a legal seminar or a heavy academic discussion, even though the perpetrator was a philosophy professor and a law doctor. This is the launch of his fourth book, titled "Philosophy of Love", which was juxtaposed with the launch of a music single titled "Shadow of Love". The figure is Prof. Dr. Werdhi Sutisari, Ph.D., SH., MH., a multidisciplinary figure who is more familiarly called Mbak Tissa or "Nyentrik Professor" by his students.
"I wrote this book precisely because I failed in love. Failed to understand," he said with a typical smile, sitting casually on the sofa of Steak Bara Cafe & Resto. The statement drew laughter, but was immediately followed by seriousness. The background was shocking: a legal academic who studied Artificial Intelligence and social security systems, suddenly produced a book about love.
Tissa explained that his decision was based on the reality at his desk. As a lawyer, he often handles divorce cases that end in bitter complaints. "I see a pattern. Many people 'fall' in love, then get trapped in it. Love should liberate, become a wisdom, not a pit of suffering," he said. This book, he said, is his effort to reexamine the concept of love that is often misinterpreted, from the perspective of philosophy.
The collaboration with music is not accidental. The single "Bayangan Cinta" sung by Shayan as the vocalist of the Malika group, is part of his personal therapy. The song was created in the midst of a difficult time after his own marriage. "Shayan saved my feelings at that time. His maturity and decency not only as a musician, but as a friend, made him able to capture the essence of this song," recalled Tissa.
Shayan, who was also in charge of the arrangement, performed the song with a deep vocal that tells of love as a beautiful but ephemeral "shadow" or "proof", like dusk.
Behind the persona of "eccentric" and outspoken, Tissa is a true seeker of knowledge. His educational background ranges from economics, IT, law, philosophy, to theology. "I am thirsty to learn. This academic and writing busy is my positive escape. So as not to drown in personal disappointment," said the woman who works as a professor at the ASEAN International University (AUI) Malaysia.
His unconventional teaching style - encouraging students to "be free" and be themselves - makes the Philosophy class, which is usually avoided, always full. "As educators, we must first be recognized as human beings. Not just a picture on a PowerPoint slide. As long as ethics and customs are maintained, being yourself opens up a space for honest dialogue," he said, explaining why many students dare to confide in him.
When asked about responsibility in love, especially marriage, his answer was firm. "Responsibility is not the remnants of worn-out love. Responsibility is the absolute application of love itself. It arises because we love the Almighty, so learn to love His creation, including our partner," he said.
The night at Gunung Putri may be just a small dot on the map. But it was there that a philosophy professor dean of Philosophy took off his formal robe, shared fragments of his personal failures, and packaged them into philosophy and melody. Not as a promotion, but as a testament that sometimes, the deepest understanding of love comes precisely from the shadow of pain, and wisdom often comes from the courage to embrace all sides of life - in the classroom, in the courtroom, or on the small stage of a cafe.
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