Behind the Choices: What Everyday Behaviour Can Tell Us About People

A purchase can look like a simple transaction. Time spent at a café can look like leisure. Hours online can look like screen time. But the same behaviour can mean very different things to different people.

For one person, a premium purchase may be a carefully considered investment in productivity. For another, it may be a symbol of personal progress after years of waiting. A casual afternoon with friends can be a much-needed break; a long call with friends can be a way to feel less alone while working remotely.

That is the starting point of Faces of Indonesia Vol. 2: Behind the Choices.

Through in-depth conversations with eight young people across Greater Jakarta, we explored three everyday areas of life: money, leisure, and screen time. What emerged was a simple but important reminder: knowing what people do is only the beginning. Understanding what they are balancing, feeling, hoping for, or trying to solve is where insight begins.

“Worth it” is personal

Price alone does not define value. A Rp300,000 plush can provide emotional comfort. A device can represent productivity, aspiration, or independence. Spending on a loved one can feel more meaningful than spending on oneself. The action may look similar from the outside. The reason behind it rarely is.

Free time does not always mean feeling recharged

For some, recharging means spending time with friends. For others, it means finally getting enough sleep after a demanding workweek. Time, money, energy, responsibilities, and relationships all shape what feels possible. Sometimes, what looks like a preference is actually an adaptation to the realities of everyday life.

Screen time needs a closer look

Hours spent online tell only part of the story. Digital platforms can help people work, stay organised, learn, discover places, manage money, exercise, entertain themselves, and feel connected. Even multiple accounts on the same platform may serve different needs. The question is not only how long people are online, but what they are getting from that time.

Go beyond the answer

Questionnaires and data are essential in showing us what people choose, how often they do something, or how much they spend. But some details are harder to capture in a response option: the emotional comfort behind an object, the difference between free time and genuine rest, or the quiet need for companionship behind a long video call. Sometimes, the next insight is not another answer. It is an experience.

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