Accelerating technological and social change are blurring boundaries and making life/work and other demarcations increasingly difficult to maintain. The overarching issue for people in the near future will be to redefine the boundaries most important to them. Among the most pressing issues: Where does work stop and life begin? What is the difference between home and office, and between business and personal? When does uptime stop and downtime start? What is work and what is play? Who counts as family? In this speech, which can be customized for the audience, Marian explores these and other trends that are shaping our new normal.

SEXUAL FAULT LINES: With sexual images and discussions pushing boundaries well beyond many people’s comfort zones, 2006 will see bigger fault lines opening between sexual conservatives and liberals. This time, the pushback against sex on TV and in the movies will come from "regular folk," as well as the religious right.

REALLY UNREAL: Celebrity and reality TV are staples of mass entertainment. In both areas, unapologetic authenticity will stake its claim in 2006. As the boundary between what’s real and what’s fake becomes ever more blurred, people are looking for pure realism.

TIMEOUT: In the helter-skelter of modern living, time seems to rush by faster than ever. As China and India move firmly center stage in 2006, people will appreciate more than ever these cultures’ ancient disciplines for stepping out of time. More and more, we’ll look for ways to mark out timeless space in our lives—meaning time when nobody and nothing, not even worries, interfere with our experiencing the moment.

UPTIME AND DOWNTIME: With mobile phones and WiFi just about everywhere, the boundaries between work and home, and between uptime and downtime, are blurring. With downtime and downspace all but gone, it will be up to consumers themselves to mark and maintain their "do not disturb" boundaries in 2006.

CONTROL FREAKS: Consumers increasingly expect to call the shots; they demand more personal control, yet all too often find it doesn’t give them the satisfaction they seek. In 2006, people will be seeking to further extend the boundaries of personal control in their retail and other transactions.

STAY-HOME-STYLE: Unlimited personal mobility has been one of the key benefits and demands of modern life. But as fuel costs continue to rise, traffic congestion worsens, and pollution further affects the environment, both near and far, people in 2006 will be seriously questioning the desirability and drawbacks of mobility for the first time.

BIRD BETS: The idea of "The Next Pandemic" is becoming firmly established; it’s not a question of whether, just when. With something as contagious as a flu virus, in 2006 people will increasingly ponder the boundary between what’s safe and what’s risky. The issue for many people will be determining how much they’re willing to leave to chance.
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MORE Current themes:

Trends for the Near Future

Today’s Age Shuffle

The Yin and Yang of Modern Life: Material Chores in a Digitized World

The New Luxury Market

Convergence is Coming Together

Gender Shift

Marian on Trends