More family focus again.
German citizens are changing their lifestyles.

In turbulent times, the desire for peace and security increases. A comparison of the last three years reveals that Germans are adapting to a new middle-class lifestyle. Is the Biedermeier era making a comeback? More and more Germans are focusing on family and their own homes: "Spending time with family" is increasingly becoming the focus of everyday life (1999: 44% – 2000: 47% – 2001: 51%). DIY projects and gardening are also becoming more popular again. This trend toward a renewed focus on home is evident in the recently published annual "Leisure Monitor 2001," in which the Leisure Research Institute of British American Tobacco has been surveying a representative sample of 3,000 people aged 14 and over in Germany about their leisure, consumption, and lifestyle habits since 1995.
""People want to make peace with the world and are searching for inner peace," says Prof. Dr. Horst W. Opaschowski, the institute's director. "This can involve retreating into family life and also rediscovering what is constant and gives life meaning." Alongside domestic activities, there is an increasing tendency to "talk about important things" in private circles (1999: 26% – 2000: 30% – 2001: 34%). The younger generation, aged 14 to 29, even shows more interest in this serious discussion of important life questions (34%) than the older generation, those over 50 (31%).
More seriousness than superficiality, more tranquility than busyness – private life is becoming important again. "Finding peace, being left in peace, and taking care of oneself in peace indicate a shift in attitudes that is placing housing and the living environment more firmly at the center of personal quality of life," says Professor Opaschowski.

Renaissance of old values.
Compulsory values are in demand again among the younger generation.

German reunification has fundamentally altered the landscape of values in Germany, fostering a diverse mix of values. The more conservative values of East Germans have noticeably slowed the self-realization trend among West Germans. Conversely, the more hedonistic lifestyle of West Germans has also influenced the lifestyles of citizens in the former East Germany. The result is a synthesis of values on both sides.
It is therefore not surprising that a renaissance of traditional values is currently emerging among the younger generation. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, there has been a shift in values among 14- to 29-year-olds. Traditional values of duty and acceptance are finding greater resonance with young people again (obedience: +6 percentage points/ fulfilling one's duty: +5/politeness: +1/diligence: +1), while values of self-development are losing considerable importance (ability to accept criticism: -12/speech skills: -10/spontaneity: -10/openness: -7). While values of self-development remain important in life, they are losing their overwhelming dominance.
The younger generation is seeking a balanced life. Opaschowski: "For them, achievement and enjoyment of life are no longer opposites; both are losing their confrontational character." A balance between material and immaterial life goals is being sought – a new ethic of equilibrium. The so-called secondary virtues are by no means secondary for today's 14- to 29-year-olds. For them, fulfilling one's duty (66%) is more important than spontaneity (52%). And courtesy (66%) has also regained its firm place in life.
The younger generation is confidently emerging from the shadow of the 1968 value revolution. They no longer need to prove their rebellious stance to themselves or others. They are searching for the "right" balance between old and new values and want to live in a harmonious equilibrium between achievement, enjoyment, and social responsibility. They place particular importance on accomplishing something in life and enjoying it. And they are also willing – in return – to help others. More than any previous war and postwar generation, they are seeking a balance between prosperity and well-being.

Looking back: "Marriage – no thanks?" A trend reversal is possible
A forecast by the BAT Leisure Research Institute dated June 7, 1999

The social developments of recent years initially do not suggest a trend reversal at the turn of the millennium: fewer and fewer marriages, fewer and fewer children, fewer and fewer families in Germany. Will this trend soon reverse? A comparison of the 1980s and 1990s reveals the first signs of a change in this trend.
For a decade, young people aged 14 to 29 behaved like "hegoists"—that is, they were both hedonists and egoists. They wanted to be free and independent, have plenty of time "for themselves," and simply live happily without having to think about marriage and family. The conviction spread: "Friends, sports, hobbies, and vacations are more important to me than marriage and starting a family" (1985: 46% – 1988: 49% – 1994: 54%). Shortly before the turn of the millennium, the beginnings of a shift in sentiment became apparent. A change in the trend is possible, even though roughly half (1999: 53%) still voted for enjoying life without regard for family.
The new comprehensive data volume "Leisure Monitor 2001" contains – listed according to socio-demographic characteristics such as gender, age, education, income, life phase, etc. – detailed information on 59 different leisure activities, from television and PC to museum and theatre, to voluntary work in church, party, trade union or association.
The representative survey of 3,000 people aged 14 and over was conducted between August 23 and September 14, 2001.

- Long version -

More family focus again.
German citizens are changing their lifestyles.

In turbulent times, the desire for peace and security increases. A comparison of the last three years reveals that people are adapting to a new way of living at home. Is the Biedermeier era making a comeback? More and more people are rediscovering family and their own four walls as havens of stability: "Spending time with family" is increasingly becoming the focus of everyday life (1999: 44% – 2000: 47% – 2001: 51%). And DIY projects and gardening are also becoming more popular again.

People want to make peace with the world and are searching for inner peace. This can involve retreating into family life and also rediscovering the enduring values that give life meaning. Alongside domestic activities, there is a growing tendency to "talk about important things" in private circles (1999: 26% – 2000: 30% – 2001: 34%). The younger generation, aged 14 to 29, even shows more interest in this serious discussion of important life questions (34%) than the older generation, those over 50 (31%). More seriousness than superficiality, more tranquility than busyness – private life is regaining importance. Finding peace, being left in peace, and taking care of oneself in peace indicate a shift in attitudes that places housing and the living environment more firmly at the center of personal quality of life.

How might the desire for a more family-oriented approach change everyday life if the crisis continues?

• The family then becomes the social center of life again. People consciously seek out togetherness and living together within and with their families. They take more time for each other.
• Talking and discussing things together, entertaining and telling stories, as well as serious conversations and discussions, are gaining in importance – in the small circle of family and friends. The "pleasant evenings" count; private invitations and visits are increasing.
• Relaxation becomes a central need in life. Evenings and weekends are experienced safely and undisturbed, stress-free and peacefully, and listening to music and reading are rediscovered as calming activities.
• Walking amidst nature and beautiful scenery provides the necessary balance between rest and exercise.
• The apartment conveys a feeling of closeness, of being nestled and at home: "This is where I belong" and "here I feel safe and secure." Emphasis is placed on coziness and a comfortable atmosphere – quite clearly as a counter-movement and contrast to lifestyle, mainstream, and postmodernism. The apartment can be both a pit stop and a retreat, shielding oneself from the stress and noise of everyday life.
• Retreating into private life also has its social downsides. If the home, as an anchor for the individual and a recreational area for the family, overemphasizes the need for retreat and separation and becomes an isolation cell, communication with the outside world and the social environment suffers.
• Family orientation and a pleasant living environment are increasingly replacing prestige and status symbols. The focus is shifting towards personal well-being, encompassing wellness and comfort: relaxing weekends and beauty treatments, wellness programs and health tourism.
• Consumption isn't decreasing, but changing. Hopes that people would forgo shopping trips with family and friends in favor of online orders are not being fulfilled. The senses and social interaction continue to play a role in consumption. Spending on housing, food, drink, and comfort—from bathrobes and cookbooks to toys—is by no means being reduced.
• Purpose-oriented activities will be in greater demand. This is also supported by the fact that there are currently more churchgoers (16%) than spectators at sporting events (12%), and that involvement in civic initiatives (7%) is more sought after than active participation in political parties and trade unions (2%).

Renaissance of old values.
Compulsory values are in demand again among the younger generation

German reunification has fundamentally altered the landscape of values in Germany, fostering a diverse mix of values. The more conservative values of East Germans have noticeably slowed the self-realization trend among West Germans. Conversely, the more hedonistic lifestyle of West Germans has also influenced the lifestyles of citizens in the former East Germany. The result is a synthesis of values on both sides.

It is therefore not surprising that a renaissance of traditional values is currently emerging among the younger generation. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, there has been a shift in values among 14- to 29-year-olds. Traditional values of duty and acceptance are finding greater resonance with young people again (obedience: +6 percentage points/ fulfilling one's duty: +5/politeness: +1/diligence: +1), while values of self-development are losing considerable importance (ability to accept criticism: -12/speech skills: -10/spontaneity: -10/openness: -7). Values of self-development remain important in life, but are losing their overwhelming dominance. The debate on values and education initiated by Doris Schröder-Köpf in May 2001 certainly reflects the reality of values in Germany. A renaissance of traditional values means revitalization and revival, not a return to the 1950s.

The younger generation seeks a balanced life: achievement and enjoyment are no longer opposites for them; both are losing their confrontational character. A balance between material and immaterial life goals is sought – a new ethic of equilibrium. The so-called secondary virtues are by no means secondary for today's 14- to 29-year-olds. For them, fulfilling one's duty (66%) is more important than spontaneity (52%). And courtesy (66%) has also regained its firm place in life.

The 1968 generation and its values are no longer an adequate description of today's youth's attitude towards life. For example, when Rudi Dutschke and Daniel Cohn-Bendit were asked in a Viennese television studio in 1978 what they had carried over socially and politically from the 1970s into the next decade, they both answered unanimously: 1. the change in work ethic, 2. the aversion to achievement, and 3. the enjoyment of leisure. This is outdated today. Performance and leisure orientation are once again in balance. And work ethic is based on the two pillars of enjoyment and meaning.

The younger generation is confidently emerging from the shadow of the 1968 value revolution. They no longer need to prove their rebellious stance to themselves or others. They are searching for the "right" balance between old and new values and want to live in a harmonious equilibrium between achievement, enjoyment, and social responsibility. They place particular importance on accomplishing something in life and enjoying it. And they are also willing – in return – to help others. More than any war and postwar generation before them, they are seeking a balance between prosperity and well-being.

Abandonment of substitute religions.
""Resource: Meaning" sought

People are yearning for a new sense of purpose, one that brings stability, permanence, and a sense of essentials to life. Religiosity as a way of life is once again in demand. The problem with Western consumer culture has not been the decline of religion itself, but rather the inflation of life with substitute religions from advertising, media, and fashion. Modern trend researchers and agencies, in particular, have been playing God, operating under the motto: "Posthuman: Destiny becomes a commodity" (6th German Trend Day, May 10, 2001, in Hamburg). They have encouraged consumers to naively believe in cult marketing. The old religions were to be supplanted by the new gods of the market, and brand names were to serve as a substitute for the missing system of meaning.

Trend researchers like Matthias Horx and Peter Wippermann made the audacious claim of replacing real war with the "war of brands." "Instead of the swastika," the Coca-Cola emblem was to begin shining over Germany, and "the cult-like desire for McDonald's and Sony" was to replace communism. Their message, sharply worded: "Where there isn't enough consumption, war will break out sooner or later" (Horx/Wippermann: Brand Cult. How Goods Become Icons, Düsseldorf 1995, p. 17). Excessive. Boundless. Unscrupulous. Brands were traded—and sold—like genuine religions. Love from a power outlet and fulfillment in life from the supermarket shelf? A misguided path and self-deception all at once.

When the philosopher Jürgen Habermas, in his speech accepting the Peace Prize in Frankfurt's Paulskirche on October 14, 2001, spoke of September 11th having "struck a religious chord deep within society," he certainly did not mean a return to religion. Rather, this should be interpreted as an admission that the meaning and sustainability of religious offerings had not been more critically examined, and that churches had not been more strongly challenged as providers of moral meaning. The resource of meaning is in greater demand than it has been for a long time.

In recent years of prosperity, we have forgotten how to trust one another. The principle of trust has been largely replaced by the principle of individuality. Instead of continuing to glorify freedom, leisure, and friends as individual ideals, we should look for shared values. What is truly important and valuable today and in the future, what gives life stability and support, and what holds society together as social glue, is helpfulness (57%), human warmth (54%), and social justice (51%). We should shape our future according to this widely accepted set of values, thus bidding farewell to the age of individualistic, piecemeal existences and helping an age of communal living to take hold.

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