As Umno tries to remain relevant to the Malays in Malaysia, I was reminded of the book The Cultural Creatives: How 50 million people are changing the world by Paul H Ray and Sherry Ruth Anderson.

They argue that there are three major streams in American culture at this time. The predominant stream is made up of people called the Moderns. The Moderns believe in progress and have shaped Western civilisation over the last 500 years. Science and technology will provide the solutions to all human problems.

There have always been people who have resisted the change brought upon society by the Moderns. This stream often believes that things were better in the past and calls on society to keep or return to more traditional ways.

Although those who oppose progress are often called 'Luddites' - people who oppose technological change - according to Ray and Anderson there is a third stream. They have called people in that stream the Cultural Creatives. They also oppose modernism, but rather than looking to return to the past they want to create a better future - one where social justice, care of the Earth, and spirituality are valued.

According to Ray and Anderson, Moderns make up about 50 percent of American society, Traditionals 25 percent and Cultural Creatives 25 percent. These forces are battling to dominate their land. Both the Moderns and Traditionals are well organised, but since Cultural Creatives are suspicious of authority and emphasise self-actualisation, they are not as visible a political force. Many do not realise the extent to which others share their values.

Although Ray and Anderson have only looked at American society, I suggest that these forces also exist in developing countries, including Malaysia. The great development dream of the 1950s and 1960s that accompanied the independence movement in the former European colonies was based on the modern worldview. These people see development in the form of high-speed trains, multilane highways, and tall glass towers.

There are strong traditional forces in developing countries, and in some countries, these are dominant. Less of a political force are the Cultural Creatives. Will they help shape the future in the same way as Ray and Anderson believe they will shape American (and thus Western culture) in the 21st century?

My hope for Malaysia (and other countries) is that Cultural Creatives will succeed in creating a new and better society for all.