Written in the 1990s by Faith Popcorn and Lys Marigold, Clicking may be old by noew, but some trends presented in the book still make for interesting reading.

Highlights:

The sixteen trends that are shaping our future: (re: this was written in 1996)
1. Cocooning: this labels our desire to build ourselves strong and cozy nests where we can retreat from the world, enjoying ourselves in safety and comfort
2. Clanning: this refers to our need to associate with like-minded individuals, and to identify ourselves with a particular group that shares our outlook and values
3. Fantasy adventure: as a break from the mundane day-to-day, we seek risk-free fantasy and adventure experiences
4. Pleasure revenge: another form of escape for us is to take enjoyment in sensual and pleasurable activities, as a feeling of reward for all we've suffered
5. Small indulgences: this refers to the trend towards people rewarding themselves regularly with small everyday affordable luxuries
6. Anchoring: this term refers to the increasing tendency for people to seek fulfillment in spiritual values, and looking back to the past to recapture what was comforting and reassuring then
7. Egonomics: this is a reaction against the standardization imposed by the computer age, which manifests itself in terms of individuals seeking out various avenues for self-expression and personal statements
8. Female think: what this boils down to is that women think and act differently than men - as women occupy more positions of power this is reflected in more caring and sharing types of decision-making approaches, characterized by consensus (as opposed a hierarchical, male-dominated decision-making process) - the authors state that women start twice as many new businesses as do men, so this is a trend to be aware of
9. Mancipation: increasingly, men no longer are "strictly business" - they can now enjoy the freedom to be themselves, not feeling guilty about participating in child-raising, showing emotion, etc.
10. 99 lives: this trend refers to the increasing tendency (brought about in many cases by necessity) for people to assume multiple roles in society, specializing in more than one thing in their lives
11. Cashing out: increasing numbers of working men and women are choosing to leave, or are being forced out of, high-profile careers - they 'cash out', choosing simpler and more fulfilling life styles
12. Being alive: this refers to the growing awareness of the concept of 'wellness', and the benefits of a healthy lifestyle in terms of a better quality of life, as well as a longer life overall
13. Down-aging: this trend refers to the fact that people, especially in middle age or older, adopt or maintain lifestyles (and, of course, purchase products) that would normally be associated with younger people
14. Vigilante consumerism: increasingly, consumers are manipulating the marketplace through pressure, protest and politics
15. Icon toppling: increasingly, say the authors, we are questioning established institutions as well as individuals who are 'pillars of society'
16. S.O.S. (save our society): this refers to the trend towards an environmental ethic being practiced in business and personal affairs

[From the Great Books Series. Also see The Success Manual  - Encyclopedia of Advice, which contains summaries of 100+ Most useful books.]