Social and Cultural Trends

  • Communities and lifestyles

    • Transportation and housing, including challenges to living near where one works – public safety officers (policemen and firemen), emergency technicians, teachers, tourist industry workers – and the consequences

    • The next living and working patterns after telecommuting

    • Sense of community – worldwide friends while not knowing one's geographic neighbors

    • The future of family life

    • Forms of entertainment and recreation

    • "Down time" and leisure time

    • Lives of fulfillment and self-actualization vs. lives of maintenance?

    • Outlooks on life – optimistic or fatalistic?

    • "24 x 7" and complete disconnection from nature – the wave of the future, or not?

    • The instant gratification culture – will it continue?

    • Stimulation and diversion – more of the same, or a resurgence of a more inner-directed life?

    • Fast-paced life – is it inevitable?

  • Values and cultural issues

    • Global villag