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Cultural Descriptors
Partial List of Cultural Characteristics and Descriptors
How will YOU live and work tomorrow?
General lifestyle characteristics
| Self-actualization opportunities; lives of fulfillment? | OR | Lives of maintenance? |
| Introspection? | OR | Stimulation and diversion? |
| Fast-paced life? | OR | Tranquility? |
| Work-centric? | OR | Balance among work, family, leisure? |
| Complex society? | OR | Simple lifestyles? |
| Non-material or inner happiness? | OR | Economy based on permanent discontent (creation and satisfaction of wants and needs)? |
Family, Community, and Identity
| Sense of community? | OR | Large, impersonal society? |
| Nuclear family? | OR | Extended or other family structure? |
| Group-based identity (family, ethnicity, religion, nation, socioeconomic class, profession, political party, etc.)? | OR | Individual-based identity; self-reliance; individual independence; loose ties |
| Patriarchal? | OR | Matriarchal? |
| Preponderance of inner-directed people? | OR | Preponderance of other-directed people? |
| Transient friendships and business relationships? | OR | Commitment to long-term relationships? |
Outlooks and mindsets
Reductionistic thinking? |
OR | Holistic thinking? |
| Long-term thinking and planning horizon? | OR | "Quarterly earnings statement" mindset? |
| "Right-brain" culture (intuitive, creative)? | OR | "Left-brain" culture (analytical, deductive)? |
| Youth-oriented? | OR | Age-oriented (respect for ancestors and elders)? |
| Long-term commitment, thrift, perseverance, and sacrifice? | OR | Instant gratification? |
| Risk-aversion? | OR | Risk-taking and adventure? |
| Co-existence with nature? | OR | Disconnection from and/or dominion over nature? |
| Outlook of self-determination? | OR | Fatalistic outlook? |
| Competitive? Control, power, and achievement focused? | OR | Cooperative? |
| Conformist pressures? | OR | Diversity tolerant? |
| Rule-oriented? | OR | More acceptance of diversity and uncertainty? |
| Counterpoint-based identity ("us-them")? | OR | Other basis for identity? |
| Education and learning as a means to an end? | OR | Education and learning valued in themselves? |
| Traditions respected (which ones)? | OR | Traditions discarded (which ones)? |
| Same structuring institutions – family, workplace, religions, patriotism, educational institutions, etc.? | OR | New structuring institutions? |