by A central assumption of ConsumerShift is that postmodern values are emerging as the primary shaping values of the consumer landscape in affluent countries and areas. So what does that mean for traditional values, which many would consider to be the bedrock of a healthy society? Are they poised to disappear? Put simply, no! A key learning from my research into values changes over the years is that while people will adopt new values over the course of their life, they do not necessarily discard the old one. They simply become less of a priority. So, it’s not that people replace one value with another, but that their array or inventory of values expands, and newer ones become more important. For example, let’s take traditional values of “comfort” or “family-orientation.” It’s not that a postmodern or integral values holder will reject comfort and family, but that they become less of a priority in relation to new values. They may be in a position to take comfort for granted. It may be that “appropriateness,” suitable to the situation or task at hand, becomes more important. Rather than seeking comfort in a challenging situation, they make seek to find the most appropriate solution. Similarly, with family-orientation, it is not that family loses all importance, but that it becomes less central. It may be that peers or colleagues take precedence over one’s family roots, for instance, in having to move away to pursue a career.
So, the point is, values are not replaced, but priorities shift. In a future post, we’ll talk about the idea of how they can “morph” over time. Andy Hines
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