What makes PNS ABG Surabaya important is its refusal to romanticize either side. It doesn’t paint the old guard as purely evil nor the youth as purely victims. Instead, it asks: Can a system built on hierarchy and deference absorb a generation raised on equality and virality? The answer, hinted at by the ending, is messy—some ABGs flee to private jobs or become influencers, others adapt into cynical mini-bosses themselves. That ambiguity feels painfully real.
Title: "The Morality of Leisure: Youth, Public Space, and Social Control in Surabaya, Indonesia"
Published in: Bijdragen tot de taal-, land- en volkenkunde / Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences of Southeast Asia (2018) – or similar ethnographic studies by Dr. Bianca Manzi or Dr. Rachmah Ida (Airlangga University, Surabaya). What makes PNS ABG Surabaya important is its
Since a direct hit is rare, below is a conceptual structure for a paper you could write or find pieces of—plus a real, citable paper that covers 80% of your request: Surabaya’s PNS culture differs from Jakarta’s
Surabaya’s PNS culture differs from Jakarta’s. Arek (people of Surabaya) are known for being cercah (blunt) and efficient. A PNS in Surabaya is less likely to engage in the smooth-talking diplomacy of a Javanese priyayi (noble class) from Solo. Instead, they speak with the aggressive directness of a port city. This suroboyoan assertiveness often clashes with the national bureaucratic culture, creating a unique hybrid: fast-paced but still trapped in a red-tape maze. It isn't all doom and gloom
It isn't all doom and gloom. Surabaya has found innovative ways to bridge the PNS-ABG divide.