(2004-04-22) Karlgaard Age Of Meaning

Rich Karlgaard says we're going beyond the Attention Economy to the Meaning Economy (actually he calls it the Age Of Meaning). The quality revolution was won in the 1990s--it's a safe bet that the worst television sets or automobiles made today will last longer than the best television sets or cars made in the 1970s. The cheap revolution is being won as we live and breathe. Three hundred million Chinese will have cell phones and Internet access by 2006. So what's left? Meaning. Purpose. Deep life experience. Use whatever word or phrase you like, but know that consumer desire for these qualities is on the rise. Remember your Abraham Maslow and your Viktor Frankl. Bet your business on it. (Authentic Happiness, Evolution?)