4. The "Futuristic Society"

A few years ago the sociologist, Gerhard Schulze, described the cultural scene in Germany in the phrase, "futuristic society". What he said about Germany is certainly valid for many other European countries: its central point is "beautification of the ordinary". Ordinary things (clothes, entertainment, cars, leisure) are designed so that everything has a touch of the future, is beautiful and arouses pleasurable sensations. Such a "futuristic environment" replaces the traditional milieus formed according to social status or religious denomination, and creates new milieus that derive more from status, age and even from one’s lifestyle and concept of life. Behind these developments there is, for some people, a strongly individualistic concept of life; for others, a trend towards ‘a sense of direction" and security, as expressed in the saying, "no-ties relationships". Where the younger generations are concerned, one often hears talk of "self-centered people who need support". According to Schulze, an "ethnically centered environment" is becoming the rule, with a clear inward orientation and closed boundaries. Put more simply: for many young people today it is not important if tomorrow they and others will still have food and clothing; instead, they talk about the kind of food and designer clothes, about the software and the cars they own or would like to have. Immediacy, image and ‘feel’ are becoming almost a "secular religion". Socialization does not necessarily take place on the traditional social and cultural models. Instead, new groups and environments grow out of the circumstances of individualization and separation: for example, on the model of shared experience ("Safari-goers’ holiday club") or a common interest in sport or social service ("the voluntary sector"). One’s own life is still formed and managed on the basis of cultural and religious values, but this no longer follows standardized and existing models. Instead it is done "à la carte", in a selective and individualistic way: a bit of Buddhism, a bit of "New Age", a chapter from the New Testament and a course in oriental meditation. The problem of postmodern times is not the absence of religion, but the mixing of different elements from various religions and the rapid "consumption" of those elements, almost like "fast food". Here it is quickly apparent that in such a context, our Church, with her choices of how to manage one’s life, no longer has a monopoly.