Welcome to the club and it is a growing one at that. According to anthropologist Paul Ray there is a new group in town - The Cultural Creatives. This group has no established leaders, no professed ideology and no cohesive sense of community. Its members loosely adhere to humanistic/spiritual ideals and life-styles that are eco-friendly. He believes he has identified at least 50 million in the United States and another 50 million in Europe.

And right now you are quite likely sighing oh, no not another bloody stereotype this may be because cultural creatives hate to be put in to boxes. While wanting to refrain from doing this there are some fascinating facts that we feel duty bound to tell you about. We disagree with some of what Mr. Ray is saying as we find people with the interests proported to be of cultural creatives are often politically active - this political with the small p - concerned with their community, with environmental destruction, with globalisation - what cultural creatives are not are new age hippies.

Although they cannot be discerned from any particular demographic group - Cultural Creatives come from all walks of life from accountants to acupuncturists, supermarket buyers to computer consultants and lawyers and doctors to midwives and gardeners - the overriding factor is that they tend to be involved in, or care intensely, about environmentalism, globalisation, peace, social justice, holistic health, civil rights and new spirituality.

Many cultural creatives have dabbled in or are committed to self-development and growth; many would like nothing else but to leave the rat race to lead a more sustainable life. While they may not be lucky enough to do this they want to make difference in what they do right now.

Ray, identified three main subcultures (by examining their core believes and values), of which the Cultural Creative is one, the others are Tradionalists and Moderns.

What distinguishes Cultural Creatives?

Interested in Ecological Sustainability

Concerned with global ecology

Concerned with Women's Issues

Interested in or use alternative health care

Have a social conscience

Are interested in a spiritual dimension

Are often information junkies - prefer print and radio to television

Ethical and careful consumers making value based purchases

Moderns represent the dominant subculture of the 21st century. These are the control freaks -the politicians, the higher echelons of law, the civil service and multinationals. They firmly believe all progress is good and, this often, leads to them dismissing other values and cultures as inferior. Their values include making money, climbing the career ladder, having lots of consumer choice. They support economic and technological process whether this is gene splicing or cloning and reject the values and concerns of other groups.

The simplest way to understand todays Moderns is to see that they are the people who accept the commercialised urban-industrial world as the obvious right way to live. They're not looking for alternatives, says Ray.

The Traditionalists, as many of us may recognise as reminiscent of older family members, are more conservative (with a small c) while they set great store by supporting the environment and berating the destruction reaped by big business they also believe in traditional family values - feminism is a dirty word, their values are often anti-extramarital sex, anti porn, anti-teenage sex and anti abortion, they can be racist or at least hostile to anyone not of their own colour and background.

Obviously these are sweeping generalisations and we may all recognise some of ourselves in the odd one or two of the Modern and Tradionalist values, however what distinguishes us nice Cultural Creative types are the following values and tendencies. Cultural Creatives want to invest ethically, they work hard to make their lives less dependent on unsustainable and unethical systems - to simplify their lives. They are often unhappy with the party political systems seeing flaws in both the left and the right while being politically active. Surprisingly, given their informed worldview they are often optimistic about the future while distrustful of the media. They often have finances and spending under control and are not concerned about overspending, disdaining advertising and can be fanatical recyclers. They tend to eat organic foods and use alternative medicine.

Ultimately Cultural Creatives want to be involved in creating a new and better way of life for themselves, their dear ones and the world and at the same time work on self knowledge and increasing wisdom.