Wednesday, August 26, 2009
trendwatching
been assigned to do up a competitive portfolio on Air Asia over my internship stint (or maybe sooner than that) and now im just scanning through tonnes of materials on low-cost carriers, trends of today, consumer behavior, market research & all. (which reminds me, i have not finished my work for peter. O.M.G. it seems like a never-ending business) so chanced upon this site, www.trendwatching.com it has really interesting briefs on the latest trends and terms of today. i suppose trends dictate collective behavior in society to a certain extent, and given the vast developments in technology along with globalization, trends are becoming evermore fast-paced and unpredictable. this is when we humans have to be flexible and adaptable in all we do, thinking on our feet in times of change and thriving on these transformations.
change. a word that many people have a love-hate relationship with. change is welcomed when it promises hope, joy, peace, and other tangible benefits. change is loathed when it results in tears, sadness, anger, and sorts. i must say, change to me is like being a woman; her mood is erratic and very much hinges on timing, place, situation, and people around. i guess im happy that im a woman cos that gives me the convenient excuse to not having to squeeze my pea brains dry to rationalize a woman's behavior. no reasons are needed for the occasional mood swings, the sudden cravings, the much needed retail therapy, the i-think-i-am-fat syndrome, also the i-think-i-am-fat-and-i-should-diet-but-i-think-i'll-do-it-tomorrow illness, and so on.
well, guess im lucky in that way, but looking at the bigger picture, i think the norms are shifting. women are slowly becoming more masculine, maybe not so much of physically, but in thoughts and behavior. not only are more women out-doing men physically in various sporting activities, they are doing so in academics and/or career as well. women are given more say in issues that concerns them, and working women are already THE target of modern consumerism.
on the other hand, men are incorporating more feminine traits in them in order to be adaptable to the females around them. they are more sensitive, home oriented, more likely to accept women's opinions, caring, patient, nurturing, and the list goes on. i see this as part of evolution, going along the lines of "survival of the fittest". Innately, mankind has come to a realization that to survive, diversity is much needed and that applies across all aspects of human life. this leads to a union of traits between men & women. this is an era, where the lines drawn between sexualities are blurred. for those who are still holding on desperately to the traditional roles of your gender, change is not a must-embrace, but a good-to-embrace for now. i would predict that down the years, change may, in itself, evolve to become a necessity, but for now, change is like having starbucks coffee, while many others just stick to their kopi-O.
for myself now, being jaded about issues, im just glad im not going anywhere near coffee.
