Cultural Creatives is a term coined by sociologist Paul H. Ray and psychologist Sherry Ruth Anderson to describe a large segment in Western Society.
The research found that 70 million adult Americans (slightly over thirty five percent of the adult population) can now be identified as belonging to this group. They estimate that there are an additional 110/120 million Cultural Creatives in Europe (as of 2010). These numbers have grown by a third in the last 10 years. By some estimates there are an additional 300 to 600 million Cultural Creatives in the rest of the world.
Characteristics:
Cultural Creatives identify with 10 or more of the qualities listed below.
- love of nature and deep caring about its preservation, and its natural balance.
- strong awareness of the planet-wide issues (i.e. climate change, poverty, overpopulation, etc.) and a desire to see new efforts to combat these issues being activists themselves
- willingness to pay higher taxes or spend more money for goods if that money goes to improving the environment
- heavy emphasis on the importance of developing and maintaining relationships
- heavy emphasis on the importance of helping others and developing their unique gifts
- volunteer work with one or more good causes
- interest in spiritual and psychological development
- spirituality as an important aspect of life but worry about religious fundamentalism
- desire equity for women and men in business, life and politics
- express concern and support of the wellbeing (freedom) of all women and children
- want politics and government to spend more money on education, community programs and the support of a more ecologically sustainable future
- are unhappy with the left and right in politics
- are optimistic about the future
- want to be involved in creating a new and better way of life
- have concerns about big business and the means they use to generate profits, including endangering the environment and exploiting poorer countries
- are unlikely to overspend or be in heavy debt
- dislike the emphasis of modern cultures on “making it” or “succeeding” by consuming and making money
- are attracted to people, places and things that are different or exotic
Values:
Ray and Anderson assert that ‘values are the best single predictor of real behavior’. The list below outlines the values that dictate a Cultural Creative’s behavior:
- Authenticity, actions must be consistent with words and beliefs
- Engaged action and whole process learning; seeing the world as interwoven and connected
- Idealism and activism
- Globalism and ecology
- The importance of women
- Core Cultural Creatives also value altruism, self-actualization, and spirituality
Culture Creatives in Business:
Ron Rentel, was the first to identify the Cultural Creative subculture in entrepreneurship. Rentel named entrepreneurial Cultural Creatives “innerpreneurs”. Innerpreneurs have the defining characteristics of an entrepreneur:
- high need for achievement
- high need for independence
- low need for conformity
- internal focus of control
- love of ambiguity
- propensity for risk-taking
Innerpreneurs use their business for monetary gain and to find personal fulfillment (creative, spiritual, emotional) and to create social change.
