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Trendscape 2024
Influential Trendspotter
Michael Tchong
Definition
Ubertrend
A massive wave that cascades through society, leaving many subtends in its wake.
Digital Lifestyle
As technology becomes more tightly interwoven with the fabric of life, the Digital Lifestyle has transformed how we live, work, and think. This seismic shift is not merely about gadgets but a profound societal change brought about by a growing dependency on digital...
Subtrends
Here are the top trends driven by the Digital Lifestyle:
Time Compression
A severe snowstorm raged in New York City on Friday, Feb. 21, 1947. Despite the inclement weather, some 650 members of the Optical Society of America had gathered at Hotel Pennsylvania on Seventh Avenue for a highly anticipated demonstration by inventor Edwin Land....
Subtrends
Here are some of the trends propelled by Time Compression:
Casual Living
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Trend and Innovation Insights
Digital Lifestyle
The Digital Lifestyle Ubertrend — the marriage of man and machine — is rewriting the rules of innovation. As technology becomes more tightly interwoven with the fabric of life, the prevailing values of this digital era, connectivity and convergence, gain more urgency. This shift has fostered a society so reliant on digital devices that it’s spending less on food, health and travel to support its dependency. It has also ushered in a new social dialog that has turned emojis into modern-day hieroglyphics. The zenith of this revolution is generative AI, which is accelerating the convergence of humankind and machines, and indelibly altering the course of human history.
Time Compression
The Time Compression Ubertrend — the acceleration of life — is being propelled by technologies that help people achieve tasks more quickly. This Ubertrend has created a society with an insatiable appetite for instant gratification, reflected in a prevalent saying, “I want it yesterday.” In the eye of the storm lie arcane compression technologies called codecs, which let the world move at internet speed. Future algorithms promise to hasten life even more. To keep up with this fast-paced reality, we’re constantly multitasking, supported by a growing consumption of coffee, energy drinks, and Xanax. Our state of mind has become a state of time.
Casual Living
The Casual Living Ubertrend — the evaporation of decorum — has led to a dramatically less formal society, eroding traditional norms of propriety in the process. This shift, triggered by the anonymous culture prevalent on the internet and in large cities, has ushered in a new behavioral code that has given rise to disruptive public behaviors, including, but not limited to, bullying, trolling, and air and road rage. A parallel effect of the Casual Living Ubertrend is the emergence of a new global uniform, visible in the ubiquity of jeans, t-shirts and sneakers. This shift in attire reflects a broader societal movement towards the relaxation of traditional norms and the embracing of a more informal lifestyle.