The spirit of the time is a slightly open and indefinable concept that relates to trends. Therefore, in this context, it is a clever idea to get a handle on it.
This is a small excerpt (page 32) from the book ‘Trendsociology v. 2.0’, published by pej gruppen. Buy the book here.
The spirit of the time is perceived by many as being the sum of the many trends that layer upon layer control norms, attitudes and actions during a specified period. These attitudes and actions reflect the fundamental values – those values that there is a consensus on, values that permeate everything and that are not discussed. A good indicator of the spirit of the time is what the public debate is characterised by, what generally fills everyday conversation, the topics covered in the range of TV programmes and the magazines on the shelves in shops. Many also talk about the sign of the times, i.e. specific products during a given period, which can be seen as manifestations of the spirit of the time.
Here is an example:
From self-realization…
Før krisen så vi mange arbejdspladser tilbyde sine medarbejdere et hav af tilbud rettet mod forløsning af eget personligt potentiale sådan at selvrealiseringen kunne finde sted gennem arbejdet, og der blev registreret en øget søgning mod diverse kurser i selvudvikling; lige fra yoga, meditation til silents retreats, coach- og terapiforløb mv. De fleste rettet mod at frigøre det enkelte individ fra snærende egen-begrænsninger.
…To the purpose of life
Men i dag er det ikke nær så trendy. Tværtimod skal organisationer forstå at tilbyde deres medarbejdere og kunder en følelse af, at de indgår i en større helhed med et højere formål. Ønsker man som arbejdsplads at tiltrække de trendsættende medarbejdere og ledere, skal man kunne tilbyde dem at arbejde for en sag, der har et højere formål, gennem cocreation med andre interessante kollegaer og partnere. Og ønsker man som privatperson at finde sin plads i samfundet i dag, handler det mindre om at spørge Hvem er jeg? Og mere om Hvad er mit livsformål? Derfor søger mange efter at finde fællesskaber man kan være en aktiv del af, dette for at opleve mening og tilhørsforhold.
The spirit of the time is the framework for our lives and says something about what we care about and is therefore quite interesting to understand. Seeing it can also help us get a grip on why different phenomena emerge and disappear and the direction they take along the way.
Interested in getting your hands on the entire book, (it’s 400 pages), it is possible to buy here.
The book consists of three parts:
1. Theory and practical description of what a trend is, how it is spread and what effect it may have.
2. Interview with 17 of the world’s top trend researchers
3. Practical process description (5 phased process) with concrete methods and tools for working with trends.