Today’s young generation is faced with new challenges to remain relevant in the era of the attention economy, an era in which public attention has become a valuable commodity with high economic worth. Ferry Irwandi, the CEO of Malaka Project, emphasised that public attention has significant financial value and the construction of narratives has a strong influence on it.
He illustrated this through digital marketing practices on social media, where producers no longer merely introduce products but also build stories, exclusivity, and value perceptions in the minds of audiences.
Can this phenomenon be described as manipulation? Ferry explained that this is not a straightforward matter.
“The main issue does not lie in attention itself, but in individuals’ ability to remain rational and critical toward circulating narratives. The more limited and superficial our understanding is, the more easily we are consumed by those narratives,” he said during the Young Entrepreneurs Show (YES!) 2025 in late October 2025.
He further explained that preventing manipulation from external factors is difficult. Therefore, young people need to prepare themselves by strengthening their knowledge and rational thinking.
“Understanding costs and benefits, comprehending the reasons behind decisions, and not acting purely on impulse will strengthen rationality. A rational person is far more difficult to deceive,” he added.
On the same occasion, Ferry also highlighted the issue of skill mismatch between higher education graduates and industry needs. In response, he advised students to focus on equipping themselves with industry-relevant skill sets, while also strengthening their mentality, empathy, and ability to accept failure.
“Young people have a large margin for failure. As people grow older, that margin becomes smaller because life responsibilities increase. So, learn, work, and have fun,” he advised.
Report: Shofi Hawa Anjani
Editor: Kurnia Ekaptiningrum
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