I am sitting in my living room. Immediately to my right is my dining room. In my dining room are, variously, a box holding my wedding gown…from 1988, a box of stuffed animals and a 3 foot tall Tigger, a remote control car still in the box (these even though my youngest son is a senior in high school), the cat carrier, two rolling footstools and two Cannondale road bikes. Of course I also have a dining room table, china cabinet, and 6 chairs. There are also 3 stacks of boxes, a bookcase and a settee that belonged to my grandmother.  Although I’ve rarely been accused of being neat, I’m not usually living in such chaos. It’s just that I’ve recently moved, downsized to be precise, and I’m trying to fit more than 20 years of family stuff into a house no bigger than the one I moved to just after wearing that wedding dress all those years ago. 

I am among those who are reducing their lifestyle. Why? Well, it’s a cost savings obviously; a smaller place will cost me less money monthly to light and heat. My monthly payment is lower and the maintenance is significantly less on a smaller home, so it’s less work. I’m headed for an empty nest as my youngest son graduates from high school so we no longer need as much room as we used to come the fall, so there’s that as well.

It feels like there’s more to it though. After a lifetime of always feeling as though I needed to have just a little more than enough-just in case, everything from extra towels and sheets to a back up bottle of laundry detergent and a pound of butter in the freezer, I’m now running leaner. We have very little storage space now, no extra closets, no garage and so we’re operating on just having what’s necessary, I’m letting go.

Is it part of the new economy? Yes, that’s some of it, and I’m not alone. On a recent Zogby Interactive survey 29% of Americans report they are driving less as a result of the recession, 5% have downsized their home, 19% are bringing their lunch, 38% have reduced or eliminated going out to dinner, 19% are renting movies, and 34% have changed their travel plans.

So, yes, for myself and plenty others, that’s part of it, but there’s something else I’ve found, it’s freeing to have less. I have less to be responsible for. I donated, sold or gave away plenty, and threw out a fair amount of just plain junk that we’ve carried from house to house over the years. And the result is that I feel better. There’s less to be responsible for, fewer things to maintain, fewer moving parts, and fewer broken ones.

Will I continue to live a smaller life? Have less of a footprint here on earth? Yes, I think I will. Will you? Are you now? Did you always live a sparse lifestyle and you’re glad to see so many of us are catching up? Anyone want to buy a “vintage” wedding gown?

Karen Scott is Managing Editor and co-Director of Project Management at Zogby International. She has two sons, one is a sophomore at Pennsylvania State University (We Are-Penn State!) and one, as mentioned above is a senior in high school. Her life has been full of surprises, among them are the fact that her wedding dress (pictured here) lasted longer than the marriage did, and while she knew she was a (young)  Woodstocker, upon further examination, it seems as though she might have become a Secular Spiritualist while no one was looking.

ZogbyFeaturedContributor Uncategorized animals, economy, international, lifestyle, marriage, media, recession, travel, work, zogby

We are thrilled to welcome Maya Frost as a guest blogger on The Way We’ll Be. Maya is an internationally recognized expert on nontraditional and innovative paths through higher education. Maya is the author of The New Global Student, a primer for students and parents interested in global and unorthodox higher education while avoiding the anxiety and expense of traditional college. You can read more about Maya at her website and blog. Thanks Maya!

In his book, The Way We’ll Be, John Zogby describes the current generation of twenty-somethings (and a bit younger) as those who are more likely than any other age group to know someone who lives abroad, to consider going abroad, and to have knowledge of and interest in other parts of the world. He describes these young people as our First Global Citizens.

In my book, The New Global Student, I describe the young people who are broadening their perspective by actually spending meaningful and substantial periods of time abroad. These “New Globals” are a subset of the First Global Citizens in that they are the travelers who are sharing their experiences and first-hand knowledge with those who are seeking information about the world beyond our nation’s borders.

What distinguishes these young travelers from their backpacking-through-Europe-in-the-seventies parents is that are using the internet to design their individual dreams. And while their peers may be signing up for group tours, “submarine” programs (immersed in a bubble along with other Americans abroad) or expensive university study abroad options, the New Globals are choosing to:
1) create the terms of their stay (destination, cost, length of time, activities, type of housing, etc.)
2) connect directly with locals who can help them learn more about the people and places that intrigue them
3) collaborate with others to share ideas about ventures that allow them to spend more time in their chosen destination in ways that support and encourage the community.

In general, the New Globals are following three bold rules when it comes to traveling: go solo, go long, and go deep. This isn’t the Cancun-for-spring-break crowd or the shopping-and-cappuccino-in-Rome-with-my-girlfriends crowd—it’s the hey-I’m-thinking-of-heading-to-Bogotá-next solo traveler who speaks Spanish (thanks to, say, a few months as a journalism intern in Argentina after a summer volunteering in Guatemala), has an abiding interest in Latin American culture and has friends (new and old) waiting for him when he arrives. New Globals are more likely to pick off-the-beaten-path places that require less money but a greater sense of adventure. They use Facebook and CouchSurfing to meet others and find endless opportunities for work and cultural engagement wherever they go.

While the First Global Citizens will be making a tremendous impact on our culture in the next few years, keep your eye on the ones they’re watching: the New Globals. Their stories will inspire others to stretch their wings and discover more about the world and their possibilities for making it a better place.

ZogbyFeaturedContributor Uncategorized culture, education, international, internet, John Zogby, shopping, summer, The Way We'll Be, travel, volunteering, work, zogby

A recent article in the New York Times discusses the phenomenon of American college students attending college abroad. While the percentage of students who choose to study abroad for a semester or a year has been increasing for several years, the article notes that American students choosing to spend their entire college career abroad is a relatively new phenomenon. Reasons listed for studying abroad include things such as international experience, prestige, less selectivity than some U.S. colleges and universities, and a “cost well below the tuition at a top private university in the United States” (though the article also notes that many foreign universities consider American students “cash cows” who pay less than their in-country students).

We’ve frequently written on this blog about the generation between 18 and 29, which we at Zogby call First Globals. Our data show that First Globals are the most likely generation to have a valid passport, the most likely to plan to travel overseas in the next five years, the most likely to have friends and family living overseas, and the most likely to have previously travelled abroad on service or educational visits. Do you think that First Globals’ willingness to attend college or university in another country is just another manifestation of this same globalness, or is it somehow different (maybe a response to high college costs here in the U.S.)? How much did location and price matter when you were choosing to go (or not go) to college? Would you do anything differently if you could make this decision again?

Katy Uncategorized education, first globals, international, travel, zogby

According to Zogby’s most recent interactive survey results, President Barack Obama’s job approval rating has dropped to a record low of 45% among likely voters nationwide. About 51% of the respondents disapprove of his job as president.

Groups that are more likely to approve of his job as president are Democrats (84%), females (54%), African Americans (84%), liberals (94%), 18-to-29 year olds (57%), respondents who do NOT consider themselves members of the investor class (54%), and those who never shop at Wal-Mart (67%).

Groups that are more likely to disapprove of his job as president are Republicans (91%), males (60%), conservatives (95%), respondents who are married (59%), members of the investor class (65%), those who attend religious services at least once a week (63%), and those who shop at Wal-Mart every month (61%).

In another question, where respondents were asked “how would you rate Barack Obama’s job as president — excellent, good, fair or poor?”, 16% of the sample chose “Excellent”, 27% “Good”,11% “Fair” and 45% “Poor”. Within Democrats, 80% chose “Excellent” or “Good”, compared to only 7% of Republicans. Among those unaffiliated to either of the major parties, 35% rated the President’s job performance as “Excellent” or “Good”.

“None of these numbers looks counter-intuitive to me. Gallup, NBC, and Pew all have Obama at record lows. Rasmussen also shows low approval. Things are volatile out there and news travels fast. There is a lot of anxiety over healthcare,” said Zogby International President and CEO John Zogby. “The President let it get away from him and voters are scared right now. They are experiencing sacrifice overload and feel more threatened than empowered. The President is being forced to play defense and he is much better when he is in possession of the ball. But do not underestimate Obama. Last August he was toast.”

For Zogby’s latest press release on the survey results, please visit: http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.cfm?ID=1734

Grace John Zogby, politics health, international, John Zogby, Obama, travel, Wal-Mart, zogby

Large numbers of U.S. adults have cut back on driving, eating at restaurants, going to the movies and traveling. It’s no surprise that this type of discretionary spending has taken a hit, but these trends are not just the result of a 20-month recession.

To be sure, the recession has added to the count of people who are cutting back. But many Americans had already decided to live with less before the bottom fell out of the economy. That has been an ongoing trend, as more Americans move away from material frivolities and take pleasure in a simpler lifestyle. Now that a recession is forcing many others to also live within limits, how many will discover that they never really needed all those material things to be happy in the first place? That thought should worry consumer-oriented businesses, and encourage those who believe the nation and world are on an unsustainable course.

Read the rest of John Zogby’s column at Forbes.com and more about this survey here.

Paul culture, economics economy, John Zogby, lifestyle, recession, travel, zogby

For the generation born from 1945-1964, the Vietnam War was the tumultuous event which divided this group more than any other.  And while many were appalled before, and especially after the results of Woodstock, the three-day music festival was the one event during this era which best captured the zeitgeist of this time- rebellion- and whether boomers agreed with the war or not, many could relate to that on some level.  However, the aftermath of the festival still revealed a stark divide amongst this age cohort.

Naturally I ponder similar questions for my generation born from 1979-1990; what is our definitive era, what is the big day that had a profound impact, and did it divide us or unite us?
For First Globals™, our era is no doubt defined by the telecommunications revolution that started in the 1980s and advanced into the 1990s so that a near majority of homes had cell phones, internet, or both. 

But unlike the Vietnam War for our parents generation, the T.C. revolution brought us closer to each other both within our regions and to some degree around our country (think chat rooms for special interests, instant messaging- thus the greater possibility to network outside of our high schools and cities).  And it was this era of networking and keeping in touch which many of us spent much of our teenage years engaging in, that prepared us for the day that shook us just like our parents had been shaken by various shocking events of the 1960s and early 1970s- that day for us was 9/11.

In fact 9/11 was an existential moment for many of us.  Some of us started attending church services and looking inward, while many did the exact opposite and found meaning by looking outward- hence the explosion in college students majoring in International Studies, East Asian Studies, Middle Eastern studies, and traveling abroad.

In short, 9/11 was the event in our short-lived history that ultimately defined us as a Global Generation because it allowed us to apply our networking and ultra-inclusive communicative skills learned through texting, instant messaging, and chat rooms, and apply them on an internationally practical level.  This is why we see countless members of the First Global™ generation who have made friends abroad and maintained through various social networking sites. 

Furthermore, 9/11 was the event that ultimately put the final nail in our parochial coffin and helped usher many of us to be more active in something more powerful than we had previously ever known- the global exchange of ideas.

While many Baby Boomers get much slack for continuing their indulgent behavior into their mature adult years; what are the behavioral tendencies of the Global Generation and are they likely to tarnish their image down the line, or have they already?

Jeremy first globals communication, evolution, first globals, history, international, internet, middle east, music, travel, war, work

Welcome to this week’s edition of Top Question Tuesday. Last week’s winning question asked about how you feel about the statement “there’s no such thing as a free lunch”. We’ll put this question on an upcoming interactive survey and blog about the results soon.

This week’s user-submitted survey questions are below. The questions are shortened to save space on our blog post, but these are the basic ideas. Take a look though and then vote for which question you’d most like to see on the next Zogby Interactive survey. As a reminder, if you’d like to submit a question to be considered for a Zogby survey, use the “contact us” box on the right of the page. And if you’d like to join Zogby’s interactive panel to answer questions similar to these, click here.

1. Does media coverage of airline disasters make you more likely to fly in the future, less likely to fly in the future, or have no impact on your future airline travel?

2. Do you believe that Supreme Court justices should serve for specified periods of time only, or do you believe that Supreme Court justices should continue to be appointed for life?

3. Would you consider buying a car from a company you knew to be in financial trouble or bankruptcy, or would you only consider buying a car from a company you believed was financially stable?

Katy methodology future, media, Top Question Tuesday, travel, zogby

If you’ve been reading our blog regularly, you’ll know that we frequently write about First Globals. We’ve discovered through our surveys and research that this generation of people between the ages of 18 and 30 are the most likely to have traveled or lived abroad, the most likely to keep in contact with friends and family living abroad, and hold political opinions that differ significantly from older Americans.

A new blog post in the Chronicle of Higher Education reports on a speech John Zogby gave at that organization’s Leadership Forum. Discussing First Globals, Zogby says that today’s college students are “the most diverse, multicultural generation yet produced” and that they are ” as likely to say they are citizens of the planet Earth as they are to say they are citizens of the United States.” Furthermore, these First Globals are more likely to seek a spiritually fulfilling life than a materialistic and status-driven life.

How do you think the global orientation of this younger generation will affect politics and life in this country in the future? If you are a First Global, does this description accurately represent you?

Katy John Zogby, first globals, global issues education, first globals, future, John Zogby, politics, polls, travel, war, zogby

When President Barack Obama announced new auto fuel standards on Tuesday requiring new cars and light trucks to get on average 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016, almost 40% more fuel-efficient than current requirements,  makers of electric cars had to be happy.

The Chevy Volt, which the company calls an “extended-range electric vehicle” that travel its first 40 miles on electricity before burning any gas, is supposed to launch next year.  On May 6, Ford said it would put up hundreds of billions to convert an SUV plant into one that would roll out battery-electric versions of the Focus. Mitsubishi has a 2012 U.S. release date for plans its electric i-MiEV.  Toyota plans to sell an electric Prius by 2012. Nissan hopes to beat Volt to the U.S. market with its own electric vehicle.

Saving the environment will have its costs. The Obama Administration estimates the added cost of the new standards per vehicle will be $600, added to the estimated $700 per vehicle attributed to the current CAFE program. It is also saying that the extra cost will be offset by fuel savings, but that obviously depends on how much and where you drive.

Then there is the cost of electric vehicles. GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said on CBS’ Late Night with David Letterman that the Volt will cost about $32,500 after rebates. (Sticker price $40,000.)

Will you be ready to buy an electric car? How about other consumers?

Paul environment, future, technology environment, media, Obama, travel

That seems to be the attitude of a majority of people as it regards the flu.
Zogby Interactive completed a survey on May 6 for the University of Texas that looked at attitudes and behaviors on that topic.

Here is some of what we found:
* 36% of adults polled say they received an influenza vaccine for the current flu season.
* 30% say they would get a special vaccine for the swine flu if one was made available.
* 38% are unvaccinated, not practicing good hygiene, and not restricting travel or mall shopping.
* 18% of respondents nationwide rate the swine flu as being a severe threat.

“People know the symptoms of flu, but most do not realize vaccination, treatment, and hygiene save lives,” said Dr Ward Casscells, the John Edward Tyson Distinguished Professor in Cardiology at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and a Senior Scholar and Special Advisor to the President, Texas Heart Institute. “A new strategy is needed to educate and motivate the skeptical, cavalier, and defiant ‘Killer Karls’.”

Do you get flu shots? Is the threat of swine flu overblown? Or are people taking a “it can’t happen to me” attitude?

Paul Uncategorized, health, lifestyles, psychology health, shopping, travel, war, zogby