When we focus on the future, we usually look at the big things: Will the current crisis with North Korea be resolved peacefully? Is President Trump likely to face a big setback in the midterm elections? When will the next recession hit?

Our guest, political consultant Mark Penn, argues that the future is not shaped by broad forces, but by quiet changes-- Microtrends-- within narrow slices of the population.

We hear about "Techno-Luddites", the rise of internet marriages, the huge increase in the number of Americans living into their nineties, and why these and many other trends will have a profound impact on the future of jobs, society and politics.

Ten years ago, Mark showed how the behavior of one small group can exert a surprisingly large influence over the whole country. Now, in his latest book, Microtrends Squared, there are more fascinating examples.

Mark Penn is a pollster and political consultant. He worked for Bill and Hillary Clinton, as well as for Microsoft. In the ‘90s he identified the rise of the “Soccer Moms” who helped elect Bill Clinton. In 2007, he wrote the book Microtrends, detailing many similar trends.