What is the direction the world is moving in today’s age?
Are we headed toward disaster or are we headed toward a
Golden Age?
Market researchers have investigated the trends in our rapidly
changing society, and have found some very fascinating
statistics.
It seems that we are all a part of a trend toward a better
brighter world!
In his book, "Cultural Creatives, How 50 Million People are
Changing the World", Paul H Ray, PhD and Sherry Ruth
Anderson PhD describe the converging forces which are
creating a profound change for the better.
These researchers estimate 26% of the American population
and some 30-35% in Western Europe fall into the category of
the “culturally creative”, those who seek to create a new
culture: one that is rich with strong moral values and a clear
vision for the future — a better, brighter more harmonious
world.
The ranks of “culturally creative” are growing — increasing by
about 1% each year — and they are looking to improve the
quality of life in everything they do.
This group, though often unaware in many cases that there are
so many others like them, are yet becoming more and more
recognized as a driving force. Businesses are beginning to plan
strategies to market to this population, political groups are
attempting to understand them, and even the media are
beginning to pick up on their stories.
The “cultural creative” group values green living, high moral
and social values and a way of life which includes enhancing
personal potential, spirituality, organic foods, environment,
ecology and holistic health. Chances are, if you are reading
this magazine, you are interested in improving the world and a
member of this movement toward a better life globally.
Cultural Creatives contains 13 years of research on hundreds of
thousands of Americans and in-depth interviews that reveal the
emergence of this sub-culture that is now going mainstream.
In the newly released Megatrends 2010, The Rise of Conscious
Capitalism, by Patricia Aburdene, co-author of he New York
Times Bestseller, Megatrends 2000, describes the scope of the
influence of the “cultural creatives” in more detail.
The message of this groundbreaking research is that the inner
world of ideals and beliefs shape our values. The synergy of
changing values and economic necessity is transforming
capitalism globally.
In America, businesses, including large corporations, are
moving to service the value-driven consumer who is reaching
for life with more meaning. There is a wave of conscious
solutions to business problems with a more creative and
spiritual view of business.
We will be hearing much more about the term “socially
responsible investing” and it will become the norm. Already
“green” investments are on the rise as well as worldwide
projects to establish ecosystems and improve the environment.
Megatrends 2010 reports on a number of winning actions being
taken by major corporations, including such companies as 3M,
General Mills, P&G and Motorola. A Conference Board poll of
25,000 people in 23 countries found two thirds want businesses
to expand beyond the traditional emphasis on profits and
contribute to broad social objectives.
Contrary to what you might expect, companies who are
changing their viewpoint are finding results in their returns,
with socially responsible firms repeatedly achieving high
financial returns that meet, and even beat, the returns of their
less conscientious peers.
Effective self-mastery is becoming a highly valued executive
skill with a clear trend away from the "greed" of capitalism
toward the use of capitalism to, not provide charity, but to use
the system to build thriving communities all over the world.
With the Internet and the rapid worldwide communication lines,
it is inevitable that globalization will occur. The wealthy and
abundant way of life we have enjoyed in America is made
known through television, radio, and Internet, making it
possible for virtually anyone in any part of the world to reach
out and avail himself of it.
With more than 85% of the world’s population living without
these amenities so commonplace in everyday lives of
Americans, it is inevitable that, upon discovering a better way
of life, they will want to enjoy the same.
So the world is getting smaller and smaller in that we can more
easily traverse it, communicate with people from all walks of
life instantly all over the planet. What does this mean for
business? It means rapid expansion. You have seen the
expansion of the Chinese and Indian economies. How does this
impact our day-to-day lives?
The book, A Whole New Mind by researcher and writer Daniel
Pink, postulates a movement from the “Information Age” to
what he calls “The Conceptual Age,” largely due to these
changes going on in the world economy.
Citing such predictions such as one of ten US jobs in computer,
software and information technology industry moving overseas
in the next two years, and 3.3 million white collar jobs shifting
from the US to the low-cost countries like India, China and
Russia by 2015, Daniel Pink is predicting a shift in the type of
work which will be done by Americans.
He determines, based on trends, the types of jobs that will be
considered valuable in our society will lean more toward
creative-thinking work that can never be done by a computer.
The market will demand executives and managers who can
conceive of the “broad picture,” designers and artists to bring
beauty into our lives, empathetic service providers, developers
of products oriented toward a sense of play, and those who
develop and enhance the sense of meaning in our lives. In the
health care industry the trend is toward a more holistic, more
spiritual type of healing.
Chances are, your way of life, your everyday choices in
consumer products, your investment strategies and most
importantly, your outlook on life are helping to change the
world each day.
Paul Dawson is a professional researcher and writer.