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Clinton adviser discusses microtrends in politics
By Mackenzie Kolling on 10/22/07
Young people graduating from college and entering the workforce are driving the microtrend of social division breakdowns, said Mark Penn, chief adviser to the presidential campaign of Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., during a conference call with an AU reporter last Tuesday to discuss his latest book.
Penn's book, "Microtrends," is a commentary on the title term, which he identifies as "small, under-the-radar forces that can involve as little as 1 percent of the population, but which are powerfully shaping our society." Microtrends are present in the realms of religion, leisure, politics and family life, according to the book.
The prime drivers of microtrends are graduates and those entering the work force, Penn said. These individuals have a greater variety of choices, whether it's attributed to a wider range of careers, a variety of religions practiced or other reasons, he said.
However, the most predominant microtrend on college campuses is the high number of college dropouts, Penn said.
There is increasing pressure to attend college, so people who would not normally be inclined to enroll feel forced into going, said Brittany Field, a sophomore in the School of International Service.
Some college students may get jobs to help pay their tuition, but these jobs end up paying well and they choose to pursue them instead, said Katie Glenn, a freshman in the School of Communication.
People must look for things that are happening and developing through society to understand microtrending, Penn said.
Once these trends crystallize, people feel as though they are part of a group, he said. However, even though these people are making very similar choices, they don't realize they are part of a community of people, Penn said.
The basic concept being conveyed in microtrends is that as people become more diverse, and substantial growth and tolerance occurs, barriers are broken down and people form new choice base groups, Penn said. A lot of old divisions by class and gender are being broken down in this dramatically changing world, he added.
Penn's book, "Microtrends," is a commentary on the title term, which he identifies as "small, under-the-radar forces that can involve as little as 1 percent of the population, but which are powerfully shaping our society." Microtrends are present in the realms of religion, leisure, politics and family life, according to the book.
The prime drivers of microtrends are graduates and those entering the work force, Penn said. These individuals have a greater variety of choices, whether it's attributed to a wider range of careers, a variety of religions practiced or other reasons, he said.
However, the most predominant microtrend on college campuses is the high number of college dropouts, Penn said.
There is increasing pressure to attend college, so people who would not normally be inclined to enroll feel forced into going, said Brittany Field, a sophomore in the School of International Service.
Some college students may get jobs to help pay their tuition, but these jobs end up paying well and they choose to pursue them instead, said Katie Glenn, a freshman in the School of Communication.
People must look for things that are happening and developing through society to understand microtrending, Penn said.
Once these trends crystallize, people feel as though they are part of a group, he said. However, even though these people are making very similar choices, they don't realize they are part of a community of people, Penn said.
The basic concept being conveyed in microtrends is that as people become more diverse, and substantial growth and tolerance occurs, barriers are broken down and people form new choice base groups, Penn said. A lot of old divisions by class and gender are being broken down in this dramatically changing world, he added.
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