Cultural Creatives, Part 2

As I wrote about last time, Cultural Creatives are on the forefront of creating needed culture change in the U.S. and elsewhere.  The term describes people with a cluster of values that reflect an ecological, social, global and often spiritual consciousness who are distinct from the more skeptical, individualistic and materialistic Moderns and the more fundamentalist Traditionals. If you're in the Chicago area, you're invited to join me for a public program about Cultural Creatives this Sunday afternoon.

I wanted to share two more pieces about Cultural Creatives in this blog. The first is my own summary of who Cultural Creatives are and what we value and believe. Second is a list of Cultural Creative characteristics--an assessment of sorts--drawn from the original 2000 book, The Cultural Creatives, that reflect earlier findings of value distinctions. Please let me know if you have comments, reactions or criticisms.

Cultural Creatives: Who are we?

We are people who believe that all humans are interconnected and are all citizens of Planet Earth, which should be treated with respect and love.

We don’t subscribe to the “Us vs. Them” or “Every man for himself” philosophies and believe relationships, community needs, social responsibility and ecological sustainability are more important than short-term profits or material success.

We value our own personal growth and spiritual development, seek authenticity and creativity, and honor what are sometimes considered feminine values of caring about each other and our children, supporting education, and seeking peace and collaboration with neighbors and nations, who are our brothers and sisters, not our enemies.  Yes, we are idealistic rather than cynical.

We believe our political and healthcare systems are in need of transformation, currently in the stranglehold of moneyed interests invested in the status quo, and the media should be focusing less on sensational conflict that divide us and more on finding solutions that can unite us.

We appreciate Western medicine but know that our pursuit of good health and well-being must be expanded to embrace other forms of holistic healing of the body, mind and spirit.

We actively seek change and are involved in creating new ways to thrive as a country and culture. 

~AS

Cultural Creative Characteristics

Here are some of the key characteristics common to Cultural Creatives determined by Dr. Ray and Dr. Anderson in their 2000 book:

• want to be involved in creating a new and better way of life
• love of nature and deep caring about its destruction
• strong awareness of the planet-wide issues (i.e. global warming, poverty, overpopulation, etc.) and a desire to see more action on them
• heavy emphasis on the importance of developing and maintaining relationships
• heavy emphasis on the importance of helping others and developing their unique gifts
• volunteer with one or more good causes
• intense interest in spiritual and psychological development
• see spirituality as an important aspect of life but worry about religious fundamentalism
• desire more equity for women in business, life and politics
• want politics and government to spend more money on education, community programs and the support of a more ecologically sustainable future
• are unhappy with the left and right in politics
• optimism towards the future
• are concerned with big business and the means they use to generate profits, including destroying the environment and exploiting poorer countries
• unlikely to overspend or be in heavy debt
• dislike the emphasis of modern cultures on "making it" and success, on consuming and making money
• like people, places and things that are different or exotic