The clash of cultures today signifies a new cultural shift. This is not merely owing to the change of the millennium, which after all, is only the accident of a particular calendar. It is owing to a change in the nature of civilization from the modern to the post-modern era. In the past few decades the term modern was defined mainly in terms of the post-war and industrial era. But that world exists no more. The Cold War is over. Communism has fallen or is in retreat everywhere. The industrial revolution has given way to the high tech age and the old industries are now becoming relics of the past.

Some thinkers therefore speak of the post-modern age. What used to be called modern in the post-war era is already old and out of date. Western dominance of the world through Europe and America is being challenged by a resurgent Asia. Great European powers like England, that not long ago dominated the world, are now only small countries. Certain aspects of Western and modern culture are ceasing to be modern or progressive. Western missionary religions now appear medieval. Twentieth century industrialism is now appearing backward, polluting and destructive. Even Western commercial culture is coming to be equated with an unenlightened and unprogressive force of global exploitation. Meanwhile certain aspects of ancient and Eastern culture are becoming regarded as more progressive, with their Earth positive and consciousness seeking values.

The age of materialistic science is fading in favor of a new science of consciousness, with relativity and quantum physics expanding our cosmic horizon beyond time, space and matter. 

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