KAUAI, HAWAII, May 24, 2019 (HPI): Way back in 1992 Hinduism Today developed a list of 12 Megatrends (and 8 Minitrends) (“source” above) focusing on the continuing evolution of Sanatana Dharma. Megatrends is a term coined by futurologist John Naisbett in 1982 to name the major underlying forces that are transforming society and shaping the future.
This list, formulated at the time with input from many Hindu leaders, is outdated and wasn’t perfectly accurate in predicting what is now our future, so we are preparing an upgrade for the new millennium.
We’re seeking creative and savvy input that will make the 2020 edition even more insightful. Please help us update this list! Comments for additions, changes, deletions, may be sent to our Editor in Chief here: sadasivanatha@hindu.org.
For the full list of mega and mini trends, click “source” above.
In summary, the twelve megatrends in 1992 were:
1) A replacement of historical timidness with a new-found pride and determination to preserve dharma, aka the Hindu Renaissance.
2) Rebirth of ritual and emphasis on devotion over philosophy.
3) An intensification of the influence of Hindu dharma in the West, including environmental groups, the health and vegetarian movement, the ecumenical movement, the yoga movement, new age movement and more
4) The emergence of women at all levels of Hindu religion, and their refusal to tolerate unfairness in forced marriages, spouse abuse or economic disadvantage:
5) The reversal of centuries of decline in temple emphasis, reflected in the remarkable flood of temples being constructed, especially outside of India.
6) A tendency to be more extroverted, to creatively reach out to help and serve others.
7) Once-scarce Hindu resources are becoming abundant including children’s courses, Hindu schools and academies for art, dance and music, the rise of Sanskrit studies and more university courses focusing on Asian studies.
8) India’s emergence as the world’s newest superpower, a fact made more momentous by the 1992 demise of communism
9) The dizzy change from an agricultural era to one of technology, nuclear power, space exploration and communications.
10) Key setbacks are seen in the difficulty in preserving the culture and tradition, failure to teach Hinduism to a whole generation of children, abandoning the vegetarian ethic, etc.
11) Increased academic honesty. Hindus (and most non-Christians, including American Indians, Jews, Hawaiians and Pagans) have endured the abuse flung their way by scholars of the past, but there is a new intellectual balance among scholars toward non-Christian matters.
12) A movement away from village life and consciousness to a global presence.
The eight minitrends included corporate protectionism and trademarking of terms such as Siddha Yoga, a louder cry for justice for the oppressed; a growing collaboration with kindred spirits among the indigenous peoples of the world; a questionable trend to less strict morals, seen for example in the acceptance of married swamis; a tendency by some to define Hinduism as “fundamentalist,” and something negative offset by an equal trend to proudly claim one’s Hindu identity; a trend outside of India toward burial instead of cremation, caused by local restrictions; development of Disneyland like theme parks like TM’s Veda Land; and a growing grasp of how to decolonize the Indian mind.