Cultural Creatives

A few days back, I came across the offbeat organization, Voluntary Human Extinction Movement.

Following that trend, I've stumbled upon Cultural Creatives.

The term "cultural creatives" is the product of research done by sociologist Paul H. Ray and psychologist Sherry Ruth Anderson.  Going just by their web site, the term refers to people who are the counterbalance to the religious right in America.  The creatives are people likely to care greatly about the environment, justice, self-expression, and spirituality.  While spiritual, they are not necessarily Christian nor do they see a place for religion in government.  This culture of thinkers is just as much a force as the fundies are, defining values and affecting change in the broader spectrum of the American rainbow, so to speak.

Just sifting through their site, I immediately picked up on the spiritual undercurrent, the vibe that seems to pervade everything they do.  While I'm not opposed to that, I am apprehensive towards such subject matter as it starts to make me think of crystals, mediation, and peyote, even though the group vehemently denies that they are any kind of New Age movement.  Still, the suggested paradigm shift...meaning the refocusing of our attentions to spiritual well-being, acting to save the environment, the encouragement of creativity, and especially the redefining of "success" in American culture...really appeals to me.  So am I cultural creative?  Do I fit their criterion?  If they googled me, would they like what they saw?

Fortunately, they had this handy dandy quiz app on their site to help determine that.  According to what it says, if you answer 10 or more of the 18 questions in the affirmative, you're probably a cultural creative.  I answered "yes" to 11. 

So go on.  Take the test.  See if they'll let you in the club, too.  Maybe we get free tote bags, toasters, or perhaps even Turtle Wax.

I kid.  Seems like this organization certainly isn't hurting anyone.  If anything they just want to help.  Can I go around calling myself a "cultural creative" or will I get slapped with a c&d letter because I haven't earned it yet?  I hope I can claim the new moniker.  Sounds a bit more positive than "outsider dumbass."



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