The world is breaking out of its mold. Uneventfully carrying out a single role in the world is a value of the past. Today’s world embraces equality for all and encompasses diversity of the individual.

Everyone’s World

Long-withstanding boundaries of various territories are crumbling down by the hands of the new generation. It has become increasingly irrelevant to distinguish between concepts and notions that were once striking opposites of each other, such as male and female,

occupation and hobby, or digital and analog. It is now a norm to not discriminate or define an individual based on gender, profession, or age. Colorful and unique individuals are now filling in the diverse spaces of this borderless world.
For Millennials, true style is about expressing their principles to a wide audience and creating new possibilities by tearing down conventional formalities. Behind the recent trends of the utility look lies the idea of ‘appreciating the lives of those who wear these clothes rather than focusing on the outer beauty of the clothing itself.’ The genderless trend is another apt example. We now live in an age where men wearing extravagant clothes and women donning oversized coats are welcomed on the runway.

Like clothing, occupation is also no longer used to define an individual. There are more and more people who have multiple professions and even those who exhibit a greater expertise in their hobbies than their jobs. The world is gradually moving away from a dichotomous perspective.

Overlapping and Combining

When different worlds cross their confines and overlap, a completely new world may emerge. The relationship between the fine sensitivities of analog and the remarkable efficiency of digital is a prime example. When regarding Instagram, a massively popular social media among Millennials, some would say there is a fundamentally analog nature at its core.

“From the blurred images to the saturated filters, randomly placed shots, and even the practice of sharing your images online in social networks, the vernacular of modern smartphone photography (especially Instagram) is almost a textbook adoption of Lomography's ten principles.”1 When we transcend between different worlds and take what’s best from each realm, a familiar yet brand-new possibility unravels.

₁ The Revenge of Analog: Real Things and Why They Matter, David Sax, Hachette UK

The world today puts focus on the individual. Those who boldly express themselves can raise awareness for issues that were once kept in the dark, and can even become a form of media that draw people in.

Everyone Becomes Media

People these days tend to pay greater attention to an individual’s story rather than traditional media. They feel a sense of intimacy with those who engage in a candid form of two-way communication that touches on relatable everyday matters. These individual

storytellers, now being called ‘influencers’ based on the remarkable influence they have on others, are having more and more of a stronger impact each day. They can make products become sold-out in a blink of an eye with their recommendations and spread goodness in societies with positive messages. Makrae Park (Korea Grandma), who became a social media sensation at the age of 72, is living proof that ‘opportunities in life can come unexpectedly’ and her example has sent a powerful message to the world. The Korea Grandma channel, which shares snippets of Makrae Park’s everyday life, has more than 900,000 subscribers. The CEOs of YouTube and Google picked her channel as the ‘most inspirational channel’ and even requested to meet her.

Makrae Park has since published an autobiography, and recently shared her thoughts on life in an interview. “Don’t try to make a model of yourself—you can follow trends in fashion or you can do it your own way, like an alien.” ₂

₂ YouTube Sensation “Korea Grandma” on Why She’s Loved Shopping Since the Day She Was Born, Vogue

A Life of Brilliant Self-expression

We are living in an era in which our actions define our identities. Keeping account of your life is more important than ever to maintain a personal branding of who you are and what you do.
Nowadays, people constantly record and disclose their everyday inspirations, personal works, and opinions regarding their fields of interest. The realm of hobbies is not an exception either. People post messages and photos on social media to express their unique life styles and preferences. When the number of followers you have signifies the level of attention you gather from the world and becomes a source of influence and competitive power, having distinctive taste can serve as an attraction that gathers people.

The new generation has to roll up their sleeves and make the effort to convey their individuality, and to do so, must explore and establish their own working method. Your opportunity to shine must be made by the sweat of your own hands.

The growing trend of placing value in meaningful causes is prevalent throughout, regardless of field or area of interest. The long-standing proposition to protect the environment has never been more important than it is now. The world of today is constantly moving onward to a better place.

The World as a Greater Cause

Based on a recent study, CNN speculates that there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans of our world by 2050₃. Millennials, who have a strong desire to change the world, feel responsible for this issue. Environmental problems are no longer a particular person’s ‘ideology.’

₃ The amount of plastic in the ocean is a lot worse than we thought, study says, CNN

It has emerged as a serious problem that can drastically affect our ‘future,’ and is gradually becoming a voluntary aspect of the lifestyles of people who cohabit this planet.
The most noticeable change is in our consumer patterns. There are more and more consumers who prefer products that represent sustainable values rather than simple aesthetics or competitive pricing. One clothing brand in the United States proactively publicized their use of environment-friendly materials and ethical manufacturing processes, gaining massive support from Millennials. Cosmetic brands that are persistent about using vegetable-based raw materials and restaurants that exclusively use ethically grown ingredients are part of this movement as well.

Daily life patterns are not an exception either. People regularly participate in activities for the environment. Every year on the last Saturday of March, a worldwide movement known as Earth Hour is held to encourage communities and businesses to turn off non-essential electric lights for an hour. Plogging, which is a combination of ‘jogging’ and ‘picking up’ litter along the way, is spreading to countless countries in the world. In today’s world, we value meaning over convenience and the sustainability of the world over our personal profit.