ST. ALOYSIUS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, INC.

Information Sheet no. 1 Trends

Subject
Trends, Networks and Critical Thinking in the 21 st Century Culture

Topic Trends
Grade level Grade 12
Performanc The learner will be able to derive an idea from instances and present this
e Standard idea through a 100-word essay, artwork, and other graphic
representations.
Most 1. Differentiate a trend from a fad.
Essential 2. Explain the process on how to spot a
Learning trend.
Competency 3. Point out the elements that make up a
trend.
4. Describe the different characteristics of a
trend.
Formerly: ORMOC INTERNATIONAL POLYTECHNIC ACADEMY, INC.)
Cinemar Bldg., Osmeña Street, Ormoc City. School ID: 407352
The lesson deals with theMobile
study of Trend and Fads.
No. 0917-77-30-502.Email address: aloysiusinstitutetech@gmail.com

What will you learn?

Specific learning outcomes:

After reading the information sheet you should be able to:
1. Define a trend.
2. Explain the process on how to spot a trend
3. Differentiate ta trend from a fad.
4. Describe the different characteristics of a trend.
5. Identify parts of a whole.

The 21st century is a deluge of overwhelming demands from a digital society; hence,
enormous trends have emerged. Global trends have been increasingly given attention and
anchored to socio-cultural, economic, and political dimensions. Unconsciously,
individuals like you do not realize that they have been into certain trends.

Defining a Trend
Trend is something that covers almost all of human activities such as but not
limited to politics, beliefs, economics, lifestyle, social life and the like whether the
individuals or groups of people are aware of it or not. It is defined in various ways
depending on the orientation of these individuals or groups. In the fields of arts, fashion
and music for example, it is a prevailing style or preference such as realism movement in
art, emergence of the miniskirt, and popularity of certain genre of music like jazz, classical
and rock. Many of you must have had an experience of listening or watching Video-
Karaoke singers during festivities or celebrations. You would notice that song selections
are dependent of the singers. Older singers tend to opt for older songs while younger
singers opt for newer songs. Why do you think so? Well, it is because their song selection
was dependent on the most prevailing genre of songs during their respective era or
generation. The trend toward portable music players, is another example which started
with the invention of big, heavy, portable “boom boxes” and transformed into personal CD
players– continuing to grow and change into the MP3 portable music player phenomenon
that we see today.
In the sphere of economics, trends may come as a general movement registering
statistical changes for a long period such as the increasing cost of living and rate of
unemployment. A typical example of this is the long prevailing capitalistic mentality of
people all throughout the world which in one way or another dictates their economic
movement. Why do you still pursue your studies despite the difficulties brought about by
the current pandemic? Well, most of you if not all would say, “because I have a dream to
fulfill. I want a good life, a good and stable job, a career, etc.”
In politics, trends refer to a tendency, drift, or bend toward a certain stance,
thought, or policy as when democratic Southeast Asian countries favored authoritarian
governments at a certain point in their histories. Well, this will also remind us of our own
history when there was a point in our time when people felt that their freedom and liberty
were disregarded which brought them to a struggle to regain it – the 1986 Edsa People
Power Revolution, which eventually became a kindling reminder of how the true spirit of
democracy works. Other areas also exhibit prevailing preference such as in sports
(wearable devices that monitor training performance), food (rise of oatmeal products,
inclusion of moringa or malunggay in food products), medicine (stem cell treatment),
cosmetics (whitening supplements), travel (paperless tickets and online check-in),
manufacturing (3-D printing), environmental management (home solar electric system).
To sum up, a trend is a pattern of behavior demonstrated by a big number of people
within a particular period.

Here are some examples of trend:

• gadgets
• teleserye
• social networking sites
• social advocacies
• drone technology
• denim jeans
• business process outsourcing
• online ticketing
• cashless transactions

Fad
Trending ngayon sa YouTube ang… Trending sa Twitter ang… Trending ngayon sa
Facebook ang… You might get confused at these headlines from the News and ask, “how
can these be considered as trends based on the above discussion?” This part now discusses
fads and how it differs from trends.
A Fad is something, such as an interest or fashion, that is very popular for a short
time (Merriam– Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary). A fad is a product that has little, if any,
utility but is characterized by a quick rise in sales and popularity followed by a quick
decline in sales and popularity. This quick up and down in sales is because fad products
usually do not satisfy a strong consumer need. Nevertheless, fads seldom completely die
out with some diehard followers remaining loyal. Now, if we will look back at the first
paragraph above, you will now see that those things which are advertised as “trending” in
YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or any popular social media platforms are not
actually trends but are merely fads.
Here are some classic examples of fad.
• hula hoop • pet rock
• yo-yo • Friendster
• virtual pets • troll doll
• Frisbee • bucket challenge
• Pokémon Go • mannequin
• Hello Kitty challenge
• Loomband • “Gangnam Style”
• Candy Crush App song
• iPod • Tamagochi pets
• kalyeserye • hoverboards
• fidget spinner
A fad is
an intense but short-lived fashion. It is a widely– shared enthusiasm for something,
especially one that is short-lived. It is a temporary fashion, a craze, interest, or activity
that people follow enthusiastically, but lasts for a short period of time.

How does a trend differ from a fad? To simply put it, a fad has a definite

beginning and a definite end while a trend though has a certain beginning at a
certain point in time or history but, it evolves and changes as it continues to grow. Every
generation has its own set of fads. Do you now realize what are those? Can you now
recall some stories of what fads came and went during your time? It will surely yield a
very interesting list.

The table below summarizes the distinction between a fad and a trend according to
Arzadon et.al. (2018).
CATEGORIES FAD TREND
Notions of • the new things that we • the way we do things
Change currently do fade when the
perception of novelty is
gone
Behavior • intense • sustained behavior that turns into
lifestyle, mindset, and
values
Effects • coolness • meets needs, solves problems and
• me-too mentality issues
• starts with technology
Time and • appears suddenly • appears suddenly
Nature of • enormously popular • enormously popular
Growth • suddenly disappears • does not disappear
• unexplainable growth • gets stronger over time
• sticks around
Scope and • stays within one company • can across over many companies
Limitations • single brand/limited • encompasses entire areas of
brands technologies

Spotting a Trend
Someone or something starts or causes a trend. A person who starts a trend is
called trendsetter. The individual’s act or the event has attracted attention, earned
acceptance, and created strong interest and influence on people whose number keeps
increasing as
days go by. The act or event is something different from what is currently going on and it
becomes “the next big thing”. It demonstrates an accelerated spread among various
sectors and areas and creates a deep and wide scope of influence on people, sectors, and
the environment. It leads to change. (Urgel, 2017)
Let us put it this way, in 1986, the Philippines became very popular to the world
because of the Edsa People Power Revolution which, as described by historians, a perfect
example of a successful peaceful revolution. However, if we will still go a few more
decades back, similar peaceful revolution has also become very popular in India by the
leadership of Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi which eventually brought India’s
independence in 1947. What could have been that trend which developed and evolved
overtime? Well, obviously those are freedom and democracy in which we may consider
Gandhi as the trendsetter in India, while the 1986 Edsa People Power may be attributed
to the assassination of the late Benigno Aquino Jr.
According to futurists (a futurist is one who studies and predicts the future,
especially based on current trends.) Rehn and Lindkvist (2013), trendspotting refers to
the study of trends and the way they develop and affect society. According to them, this
should be differentiated from cool- hunting which is a hunt for those things that will
become popular before they are popular. Trend analysis is based on trendspotting but it
extends this into developing future scenarios and so they say that to follow a trend, one
must not only be conscious of what is currently happening but be wise enough to predict
the future. (Urgel, 2017)

Elements of a Trends

Characteristics of a Trends
Trends are difficult to study and analyze. Studying them is like predicting the future
and determining what changes may possibly last and thus have wide effects on society and
the people. Just like predicting an incoming rain or storm, it is quite difficult to measure
its impending aftermath. It may yield a good outcome for the farmers especially when they
are in great need of water for their crops, but at the same time it can also yield damages to
other areas. Rehn and Lindkvist (2013) mentioned a so-called hierarchy of trends, which
explains why trends seem to have varying reach, effects, and influences on people. This
hierarchy is a representation of the scale of the development of a trend. To better explain
this, here is the tabular representation of these characteristics with some examples.
Characteristics Microtrends Macrotrends Megatrends Gigatrends
These are These are These are These are
“little things “aggregated macrotrends “trends that are
that happen all microtrends that have grown so general
around us all or more up and moved that they affect
the time, the sweeping out. They are most areas of
tiny shifts that changes that big, bold and human life─ or,
occur in are affecting affect the lives at least, more
everything from of great swathes than one aspect
society.”
of the human
Descriptions clothes we wear They provide of life or more
race.” They can
and Features and the snacks major changes than one
last for decades
we eat to the that are industry.”
and are “so
way we work, perceptible They are
pervasive as to
play, and love.” in the be generally usually identified
These trends societal level for known.” They to define an era
 happen right a longer period have become
now and are the prevailing
outright condition that
observable. has become too
normal.
Example/s Smartphone Varying Smartphones Internet or the
Apps/Games Smartphone which are World Wide Web
which are brands (iPhones dependent on which may
dependent on vs. the internet. be considered as
the capabilities android phones) Smartphones the soul of almost
of a smartphone Battle for are widely used all
(these popularity of by almost all technology.
apps/games these people in the
smartphones world.
oftentimes
lose their
popularity
overtime).

Besides the above example, trends can also refer to movements, ideologies,
concepts, beliefs, and more. The important thing in studying trends is to observe them
closely for subtle and sudden shifts that ultimately affect people, cultures, and societies in
general. In the next module, you will be provided with a more in-depth study of the
characteristics/ hierarchy of trends.

You did a great job finishing this

module!
I hope you enjoyed learning the
topics what is Trends vs. Fads.

Be ready for the next one!

Prepared by:
GLAIDEL V. ASIS
asisglaidel@gmail.com
References

Arzadon, M., Romerosa, P. and Zarate, M., 2018. Trends, Networks, and Critical
Thinking. 1st ed. Quezon City, Manila: Vibal Group, Inc., p.7.
Urgel, Elizabeth. 2017. Trends, Networks, and Critical Thinking in the 21st Century
Culture. 1st ed. Makati City, Philippines: DIWA Learning Systems Inc.

DepEd (2020). K to 12 Most Essential Learning Competencies