There is a recurring social media trend of highlighting "attractive" civil servants. While this humanizes the bureaucracy, critics often point to it as a sign of superficiality, where public service performance is overshadowed by individual branding on platforms like Instagram or TikTok Regional Pride and the "Suroboyoan" Vibe: Surabaya culture is famous for its egalitarianism
: As of 2026, the Indonesian government is increasingly regulating youth digital spaces (e.g., social media bans for under-16s), making the role of young civil servants even more critical as bridges between the state and the youth population. 2.4.1 There is a recurring social media trend of
They invited me to join them for a cup of coffee at a small warung (food stall) near their office. As we sipped our coffee, they began to share their stories about the challenges of being a PNS in Surabaya. As we sipped our coffee, they began to