| Are you a Cultural Creative? Check the statements you agree with. If you agree with 10 or more, you probably are one -- and a higher score increases the odds. You are likely to be a Cultural Creative if you... __ 1. love nature and are deeply concerned about its destruction. __ 2. are strongly aware of the problems of the whole planet (global warming, destruction of rain forests, overpopulation, lack of ecological sustainability, exploitation of people in poorer countries) and want to see more action on them, such as limiting economic growth. __ 3. would pay more taxes or pay more for consumer goods if you knew the money would go to clean up the environment and to stop global warming __ 4. give a lot of importance to developing and maintaining your relationships __ 5. give a lot of importance to helping other people and bringing out their unique gifts __ 6. volunteer for one or more good causes __ 7. care intensely about psychological and spiritual development __ 8. see spirituality or religion as important in your life, but are also concerned about the role of the Religious Right in politics __ 9. Want more equality for women at work, and more women leaders in business and politics __ 10. are concerned about violence and the abuse of women and children around the world __ 11. want our politics and government spending to put more emphasis on children's education and well-being, on rebuilding our neighborhoods and communities, and on creating an ecologically sustainable future __ 12. are unhappy with both the left and the right in politics and want to find a new way that is not in the mushy middle __ 13. tend to be rather optimistic about our future and distrust the cynical and pessimistic view that is given by the media __ 14. want to be involved in creating a new and better way of life in our country __ 15. are concerned about what the big corporations are doing in the name of making more profits: downsizing, creating environmental problems, and exploiting poorer countries __ 16. have your finances and spending under control and are not concerned about over-spending __ 17. dislike all the emphasis in modern culture on success and "making it," on getting and spending, on wealth and luxury goods __ 18. like people and places that are exotic and foreign, and like experiencing and learning about other ways of life Cultural Creatives share these values: ECOLOGICAL SUSTAINABILITY, BEYOND ENVIRONMENTALISM: Any aspect of ecology and sustainability you can name, Cultural Creatives are emphatically for it - and we are leading the way. They demonstrate awareness of a large range of issues, and their values include wanting to rebuild neighborhoods and communities, achieving ecological sustainability, supporting limits to growth, seeing nature as sacred, wanting voluntary simplicity, and being willing to pay for cleaning up the environment and stopping global warming. GLOBALISM: Among the top values of Cultural Creatives are xenophilism (love of foreigners, the exotic, and travel to foreign places), and ecological sustainability, which includes concern for planetary stewardship and global ecology, and concern for population problems. FEMINISM, WOMEN'S ISSUES, RELATIONSHIPS, FAMILY: The fact that women make up 60 percent of the Cultural Creatives is a key to understanding this subculture. Much of the focus on women's issues in politics comes from them, including concerns about violence and abuse of women and children, the desire to rebuild neighborhoods and communities, the desire to create caring relationships, and concerns about family. ALTRUISM, SELF-ACTUALIZATION, ALTERNATIVE HEALTH CARE, SPIRITUALITY, AND SPIRITUAL PSYCHOLOGY: Cultural Creatives hold a complex of highly correlated beliefs and values centered on the inner life. This represents a new sense of the sacred that sees a unity between personal growth psychology, the spiritual, and service to others. It also includes a stronger trend toward holistic health and alternative health care. WELL-DEVELOPED SOCIAL CONSCIENCE AND SOCIAL OPTIMISM: Contrary to what some social critics have argues, an emphasis on the personal does not exclude a social conscience or political concern. Cultural Creatives are as engaged in the world as they are in personal and spiritual issues. Rebuilding and healing society are related to healing oneself, physically and spiritually. With that goes a guarded social optimism. Copyright © 2000 The Cultural Creatives: How 50 Million People are Changing the World (Harmony Books) |
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Nov 2004 |
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