Compared to the 1980s, in which the Postmodernist movement rejected the idea of

overriding truth and maintained that individual interpretation was the only thing that
mattered, the cultural world of the 1990s had a lot less drama. But it was still a period in
which the visual and performing arts, literature and architecture produced creative works
that reflected the sweeping changes occurring in the society around it.

In contrast to the 1980s art world, which painters created big, brash works and socialized
with celebrities, 1990s artists tended to create less ostentatious pieces that focused upon
ordinary people and everyday life. Sculptor Nari Ward, for example, built large installations,
utilizing various items found in his New York neighborhood, as a way of exploring social
issues such as poverty, race and consumer culture. The spread of the Internet and the global
connections that it fostered helped inspire a 1990s art movement, Relational Aesthetics, in
which artists created multimedia pieces that aimed to foster interactions among their
viewers.

On the live stage, 1990s playwrights grappled with important social issues. A prime example
was Tony Kushners Angels in America, which debuted on Broadway in 1993 and focused
upon the AIDS crisis. Another much-heralded play was Jonathan Larsens Rent, a 1996
musical inspired by Puccinis La Boheme, which explored the travails of struggling artists,
bohemians and drug users in contemporary New York.

Literature in the 1990s also tried to make sense of the seismic shifts that were taking place
in America. Douglas Couplands 1991 novel Generation X focused attention on the rising
generation born in the late 1960s and 1970s, and how their view of reality differed from the
older Baby Boomers. Elizabeth Wurtzels 1994 memoir Prozac Nation created a vivid and
disturbing picture of teenage girls struggle with depression. Chuck Palahniuks hyperbolic,
disturbing 1996 novel Fight Club explored the loneliness and disillusionment of the
corporate worker-consumer lifestyle, by imagining a secret club in which similarly lost souls
pummel one another to find a sense of belonging.

In architectural design, perhaps the most important development was the rise of Green
Architecture, a movement focused upon creating structures that had a minimal
environmental impact and blended into their surroundings.

The culture became immensely more vulgar, and young people were subjected to greater
pressure to conform to a youth culture invented and ruled over by middle-aged men and
women on both coasts. More than ever before, adolescents are bombarded with messages
instructing them to be hip, whatever that means, or else. And being hip in the 90s meant
many things, including smoking cigarettes!

The economy stumbled in the first half of the 1990s and American consumers moved
painfully from really nice stuff to the only stuff I can afford. Instead of trading in our cars
every three years, we let them get older. An estimated 60% of U.S. registered automobiles
were more than seven years old; 40% topped ten years in age. This was also the period
when leasing (which lets you get more car for the same monthly commitment) really began
to take off.
In the second half of the 90s, the nature of stuff in America changed again and we entered
the possibility paradox in consumerism, where the way we defined things made them
more affordable and less intimidating. Luxury car companies came to the realization that
you cant keep selling $70,000 cars and grow as a company, so they redefined the idea of
luxury and invented a new counterpart affordable luxury. Suddenly, Mercedes Benzes
came in a more compact size with a more compact price but they were still Benzes.
American car companies also created the luxury SUV, which is another way of saying very
expensive truck. So you could buy a truck with all the trimmings that cost about as much as
a luxury car.

The youth culture of the 1990s (Generation-X) tended to be characterized by cynicism,

skepticism, and a taste for irony. Today's youth culture (Millennial Generation) tends to be
much more optimistic and trusting of societal institutions.

In the 1990s, getting a driver's license was still considered an important rite of passage.
Today only about 28% of 16 year olds and about 60% of 18 year olds have driver's licenses
(see "Study Confirms Fewer Young People Getting Drivers Licenses" for statistics).

Homosexuals, bisexuals, and transgender people are much more accepted by young people
today. In the 1990s, young people who were strongly pro-gay rights were usually so because
they were close to somebody who was gay.

In the 1990s, skateboarders were almost exclusively male, and the primary reason for
skateboarding was to perform stunts. Today, skateboarding tends to be used as a form of
transportation, and many girls and young women are on skateboards.

In the 1990s, many new Internet users were discovering the Internet at universities (which
heavily promoted its use) or at work. Back then, many Internet users logged in from school
computer labs or from their offices. This was because home Internet access was slow, it tied
up the home phone line, and it tended to be pricey.

In the mid to late 1990s, self-identifying as a conservative was popular among young people.
In that era, conservatives were seen as the "renegades" because a Democrat was in the
White House.

In the early 1990s, sitcoms dominated network TV programming.

The most popular TV news sources were the major network evening newscasts and
CNN/CNN Headline news.

Popular radio news sources were typically commercial AM news/talk stations. Back then,
these stations carried more in-depth news programming than they do today.

Mobile phones were still considered a luxury item, primarily intended for business use.

Multiple ear piercings were very popular, but colored hair was still avant-garde (generally,
only arts people could pull off this look), and tattoos were just starting to catch on. Today,
tattoos are considered fairly normal amongst Millennials, and colored hair seems to be
pretty widespread (although it is still taboo in white collar professional circles).
Consumer behavior in 1990s
MANY DIFFERING CONSUMERS OF THE 1990S

The 1990s saw changes in consumer behaviour and levels of engagement between consumers and
businesses shift. On the socio-demographic front, western economies prepared to face the
consequences of an ageing population.

The ageing baby boomers and the rise of immigration to western countries from the developing
economies saw a rapid transition in the dynamics of consumer behaviour. Marketers also saw a new,
potentially affluent segment of consumers within this ageing group. In the UK for example, the
spending power of the pensioners (the power of the 'grey pound') was seen as a business
opportunity, and services tailored specifically to meet the requirements of this portion of the
population became a way forward in an otherwise shrinking market. However, this was more of a
niche phenomenon.

The 'baby-boomers' born in the post World War II era would be at the peak of their careers by the
1990s, holding professional qualifications and stable corporate jobs. While on the one hand there
was an ageing population, the market also witnessed the growth of a corporate culture with
profound implications for lifestyle and attitude change amongst consumers. Increasing, job stability
and rising job opportunities meant there was security in meeting the basic needs in life - at which
point the quality of life rather than material goods became a priority. Enjoyment of the finer aspects
of life (outside of the normal work environment) became a source of satisfaction. Consumer demand
was no longer limited to products and services. According to Ken Dychtwald and Greg Gable (5) of
communications, marketing and consulting firm Age Wave, increasingly there was a need for the
'experience' that came with buying and consuming products and services. Consumers became more
introspective and focused on the family. Househusbands became more common, and husbands also
recognised the advantages of having a working wife. Dual income families became commonplace,
household chores and purchasing goods and services became more of a collective decision. Women
and children began to play a bigger role in the purchase decision making process.

In addition to these developments, an entirely new segment of immigrant consumers entered the
markets of western countries, especially in the US and the UK. The influence came primarily from
the Southeast Asian and South Asian immigrants. They took with them their cultural values and
living style, and contributed further to the changing socio-demographics in these western cultures.
Within these immigrant communities, three generations would often live together - it was a
cohesive group and major decisions were taken jointly. This was also reflected in their shopping
behaviour, which placed emphasis on collective decision making.

In North America, there was also a decline in the individual purchasing power of consumers and
purchase decision making became more of a collective effort. The changing decision making patterns
together with reduced purchasing power had its impact on the existing retailing structure in the
western economies. Bulk purchasing and category purchasing to realise economies of scale became
a common phenomenon. Retailers who were quick to react began to tailor their formats, and there
was a rise of hypermarkets, discount stores and supermarkets. The concept of convenience took on
a different meaning as it was no longer limited to finding the right product in the right place - it was
about finding all the products in one place to minimise time and effort. As cost of living went up,
consumers found it cheaper to move to suburbs: Retailers followed suit and this saw the beginning
of out-of-town and edge-of-town retailing in western markets.

The business, marketing and retail, the implications of the changing consumer profile of the 1990s
were manifold. Businesses began to proclaim themselves as being customer-centric. The shifting
customer base meant constant innovation in product, and service strategy became a source of
competitive advantage. Customers had more and more to choose from - but the decision-making
process became complex as the number of decision makers spread over a wider spectrum of age,
gender and culture. Businesses also recognised the value of retaining consumers and appreciating
the lifetime value of consumers. Customer relationship management became the new business
'mantra' and the ability to acquire and retain existing customers became the most talked (and
written) about topic for management academics and practitioners.

Differentiation, personalisation and management of customer portfolios became familiar terms, and
customers realised that businesses would be competing for their custom. Consequently, consumers
began to demand high standards of service quality. Managing expectations, gaining customer
feedback and dealing with customer complaints became integral to good business practice. With an
increasing emphasis on satisfying consumers, in-store ambience, atmospherics, decor, ease and
comfort of shopping became significant in defining the entire shopping experience. The intangible
element in any interaction between the buyer and seller became a crucial element in designing
business strategies. Marketing and selling of services were thrust to the forefront of business
processes.

Pakistani Culture in 1990s

Pajero a status symbol

Introduction of fast food international franchises

1992 world cup more inclined towards sports esp cricket.

More liberal entertainment (friends tv show)

Society

PAKISTANI SOCIETY IS ETHNICALLY DIVERSE yet overwhelmingly Muslim. It is largely rural yet beset
by the problems of hyperurbanization. Since its independence in 1947, Pakistan has enjoyed a robust
and expanding economy--the average per capita income in the mid-1990s approached the transition
line separating low-income from middle-income countries--but wealth is poorly distributed. A
middle-class is emerging, but a narrow stratum of elite families maintains extremely
disproportionate control over the nation's wealth, and almost one-third of all Pakistanis live in
poverty. It is a male-dominated society in which social development has lagged considerably behind
economic change, as revealed by such critical indicators as sanitation, access to health care, and
literacy, especially among females. Increasing population pressure on limited resources, together
with this pattern of social and economic inequity, was causing increased disquietude within the
society in the early 1990s.

Pakistan was created in 1947, as a homeland for Muslims in South Asia, and about 97 percent of
Pakistanis are Muslim. The founders of Pakistan hoped that religion would provide a coherent focus
for national identity, a focus that would supersede the country's considerable ethnic and linguistic
variations. Although this aspiration has not been completely fulfilled, Islam has been a pervasive
presence in Pakistani society, and debate continues about its appropriate role in national civic life.
During the 1990s, Islamic discourse has been less prominent in political controversy, but the role
that Islamic law should play in the country's affairs and governance remains an important issue.

There is immense regional diversity in Pakistan. Pakhtuns, Baloch, Punjabis, and Sindhis are all
Muslim, yet they have diverse cultural traditions and speak different languages. Ethnic, regional,
and--above all--family loyalties figure far more prominently for the average individual than do
national loyalties. Punjabis, the most numerous ethnic group, predominate in the central
government and the military. Baloch, Pakhtuns, and Sindhis find the Punjabi preponderance at odds
with their own aspirations for provincial autonomy. Ethnic mixing within each province further
complicates social and political relations.

Expectations had been raised by the return of democracy to Pakistan in 1988 after the death of
Mohammad Zia ul-Haq, by the continued economic expansion in the 1990s, and by some observable
improvement in the volatile relations among ethnic groups that had so divided the country in years
past. Also in the early 1990s, previously peripheralized social movements, particularly those
concerning women and the environment, assumed a more central role in public life. As bilateral and
multilateral development assistance has dwindled, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)
committed to economic and social development have emerged and begun to take on important
responsibilities. Nonetheless, the problems that confront Pakistan pose a significant threat to its
cohesion and future.

Sociologists speak of a loss of a sense of social contract among Pakistanis that has adversely affected
the country's infrastructure: the economy, the education system, the government bureaucracy, and
even the arts. As population pressure increases, the failure of the populace to develop a sense of
publicly committed citizenship becomes more and more significant. The self-centeredness about
which educator Ishtiaq Husain Qureshi complained soon after independence is increasingly
noticeable in many areas of social life. Although many people once imagined that economic
development would by itself improve the quality of life, few any longer believe this to be true.

Family or personal interest and status take precedence over public good in Pakistan. Thus traffic
laws are often enforced solely according to a person's political clout rather than due process, and
admission to school depends more upon connections or wealth than on ability. Salaries, as
compared with bribes, are so inconsequential a privilege of employment that people sometimes
plead to be given appointments without pay.

Failure to develop civic-minded citizenship is also evident in public administration and imbalanced
government spending. For example, military expenditures vastly exceed combined expenditures on
health and education. The bureaucracy, a legacy of the British colonial period, has not modernized
sufficiently to incorporate new technologies and innovations despite efforts by the government staff
colleges.

Although in the mid-1980s the World Bank forecast the advancement of Pakistan to the ranks of
middle-income countries, the nation had not quite achieved this transition in the mid-1990s. Many
blame this fact on Pakistan's failure to make significant progress in human development despite
consistently high rates of economic growth. The annual population growth rate, which hovered
between 3.1 and 3.3 percent in the mid-1990s, threatens to precipitate increased social unrest as
greater numbers of people scurry after diminishing resources.

An anonymous Pakistani writer has said that three things symbolized Pakistan's material culture in
the 1990s: videocassette recorders (for playing Hindi films), locally manufactured Japanese Suzuki
cars, and Kalashnikov rifles. Although the majority of the people still reside in villages, they
increasingly take social cues from cities. Videocassette tapes can be rented in many small villages,
where residents also watch Cable News Network (CNN)--censored through Islamabad--on televisions
that are as numerous as radios were in the 1970s. The cities are more crowded than ever; parts of
Karachi and Lahore are more densely populated even than Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. In many
areas, tiny Suzuki automobiles have replaced the bicycles and motorcycles that were in great
demand merely a decade earlier. Whereas urban violence was traditionally related to blood feuds, it
has become more random and has escalated dramatically.