Culturally Creative persons began to emerge about fifty years ago. Typically they participate in social and consciousness movements: civil rights, environmental, women’s, jobs and social justice, peace, organic food and alternative health, new spirituality and self growth. Holding a strong and vigorous impulse to reassert a voice in their destiny – and to help others gain their self-reliance – along with a growing revulsion against inequality, injustice and oppression they are emerging as a global social, economic and political phenomena. Millions of people and organisations worldwide are embracing a new value proposition supportive of a positive view of the future.
As societal beliefs alter, the prevailing culture inevitably disintegrates and a new culture emerges. We are poised for a cultural upheaval and Cultural Creatives are leading it.
Cultural Creatives are spiritually motivated but not dogmatically religious, they embrace technology and economic development, but only within a deep affirmation of the environment and community. They tend to view the world from the perspective of holistic systems; they pay attention to world events and global trends. A Cultural Creative is characterised by inner direction, social concern, spiritual and psychological depth, maturity, intense entrepreneurial drive and creativity. Cultural Creatives respect the contributions and views of others and will strengthen any process where people are seen as equals. Mobilised they will wield enormous influence shifting the balance in everything on our planet.
The emergence of Cultural Creatives is a rare historical occurrence; the implications will be profound for their value system is capable of carrying us through our turbulent time and help shape a better world. As we look for a more inclusive, realistic and emotionally intelligent way to run the governance of our planet, our evolving global humanity is led by Cultural Creatives.
A Cultural Creative is a self actualised person, possibly our innate potential in its complete expression. Their profile includes:
- More efficient perception of reality/comfortable relations with it. Able to detect the spurious/see the concealed or confused.
- Acceptance of self, others and nature/not guilty, anxious or inhibited. Hearty appetites, enjoyment. Without pose or defensiveness/disliking hypocrisy.
- Spontaneity, simplicity, naturalness – particularly in inner life, thoughts and impulses.
- Problem-centered rather than ego-centered – their vision transcends petty concerns.
- Detached, liking solitude and privacy. Can remain unruffled, above the battle. Objective, even about personal problems.
- Autonomous – independent of culture and environment. Holds the strength to be independent of good opinion (and even affection) of others.
- Able to freshly and naively appreciate the basic good in life with awe and pleasure.
- Common to mystical experiences/limitless horizons of wonder and meaning.
- Caring, with a deep feeling of identification, sympathy and affection for humanity.
- Deep relationships/unusual fusion, love and obliteration of ego boundary – but with few persons.
- Democratic character structure – ready to learn from others regardless of class, education, race or politics.
- Philosophical, non-hostile sense of humour.
- Creativeness in all activities.
- Liberated from dominance of the past – don’t seem to have sensitive points that may trigger ego-based emotional reactions.
- Left and right brain hemispheres are in balance. Combining both faculties to live life as an effective visionary.
- Androgynous mind. This doubles possible responses/interaction with the world, is richer and has a spectrum of opportunities.
- Continual inner exploration ‘slays’ the ego. Space is allowed for the enlightened way of being to take over.
- Naturally live as a free person, choosing what is right for them. Tend to have individual rather than conventional ethical principles.
- Not without failings – can be silly, thoughtless, irritating, vain, depressed, hot tempered and so on.
Cultural Creatives trade their autopilot existence for intentional awareness; being compassionately and non-judgmentally present for themselves and others. Finding that positive emotions work better in an evolutionary way, they have shifted from the negative emotions of sacrifice, guilt and fear to love and compassion.
Our tremendous period of transition can be more easily traversed with authoritative love and awareness. For those willing to make the jump, reality will be much easier to understand.
