Ten Key Trends for Women in 2005 and Beyond

Thomas Frey, Executive Director of the DaVinci Institute, has posted an interesting article that describes Ten Key Trends for Women in 2005 and Beyond:

As people move through life, they search for signposts along the way. They search for those rare pieces of intelligence that give them a gut-level feeling of confidence about what to do next. Today’s women are particularly adept at reading these signposts, which range from magazine articles, to movies, to conversations with a people they trust. They trust their instincts and aren’t afraid to make critical decisions.

Women today are bold and confident, unapologetic for who they are and the things they like, and vast in their ability to influence nearly every aspect of modern life.

In spite of the heavy load that most women shoulder, and the torrid pace of living, the bad years are now past, and a resurgence of hope seems to be building. With guarded smiles reacting to each new piece of positive news, they listen intently for the rhythm of hope that beats continuously in their lives.

Women create our culture. They give birth to each new generation and heavily influence nearly every major decision being made today. Its critically important that we pay close attention to the drivers that are influencing the emerging new thinking class of bright articulate women wanting to make a difference in today’s world.

The ten trends that Frey outlines are:

1. The Emerging New Value Set
2. Virtual Families
3. Our Gender-Confused Nation
4. Women Viewed through the Cyberporn Lens
5. Quiet Demand for the Gritty Truth
6. The Social Obligation to "Live the Life" and "Do Your Part"
7. Transition from a Product-Based Economy to an Experience Based Economy
8. The Age of Cross-Functional Foods
9. 24-7 is Back
10. Get the Geek Out

Each trend is interesting and provocative in its own right, especially the extended family notion and the problem of ubiquitous porn. Unfortunately, Frey missed a major point, and that is the rapid and radical expanse of female reproductive options, including and especially germinal choice. A battle is about to waged among feminists; those who will condemn the new biotechnologies, and those who welcome it as matter of reproductive and responsible choice.