INTO THE DARK FOREST
A Trend Briefing by Dion Chang
The annual Flux Trend flagship trend briefing – The State We’re In – is a highly anticipated executive summary of where the world is, and where it’s heading. Using the acronym T.R.E.N.D.S. – representing six key trend pillars – the briefing identifies disruptive undercurrents that businesses should be watching, as they signal shifts in how we live, work and play. This year’s theme is:
NAVIGATING
THE DARK FOREST
“The Dark Forest” is a metaphor for the internet as a hostile environment where “digital predators” (bots, trolls, surveillance technologies, etc) lurk. What started out as a human-centric, public web to enable discovery, connection and community growth has turned into a toxic digital arena. The fact that the “dead internet theory” has become reality is forcing users and communities to retreat into private spaces to eliminate the risk of being ambushed, or simply to speak freely.
It is an unusual form of suppression. The dark forest may seem quiet and devoid of activity but simply by making your presence known, now invites risk. Silence or concealment is fast becoming a form of self-preservation and ironically a new luxury and status symbol.
This is a significant swing of the pendulum, specifically for social media and it’s commercial arms where calling attention to oneself was not only expected but key to online business models. What happens when the loud, performative demands of mainstream digital platforms go silent? The ripple effect will affect, not only retail, but shift the social cultural lens, which in turn will have a knock-on effect on civic engagement.
At Flux Trends we believe that, “to change the world, you first need to understand it”. To help you understand what is unfolding, we encourage you to book our flagship trend briefing 2026, presented by Flux Trends Founder, Dion Chang.
In this briefing, we will explore 6 trend “pillars”, each a critical puzzle piece to understanding the present and the future:
- TECHNOLOGY: The Dead Internet Theory Comes to Life
- RETAIL & MARKETING: Learning to Speak to AI
- ECONOMY: Slippery Slopes
- NATURAL WORLD: Pre-Empting Extreme Weather Disasters
- DIPLOMACY: Digital Sovereignty
- SOCIO-CULTURAL: The Shift to Analogue and Privacy
If you want to understand – and change – our world, book this trend briefing and let us unpack the six key trend pillars that illuminate where 2026 is headed.
The State We’re In Trend Briefing is designed for:
- Leaders and managers
- Executives navigating change and uncertainty
- Team leaders and project managers
- Coaches and consultants
- Interested and interesting individuals
This trend briefing will help you confidently enter into the void of uncertainty and complexity. It will help you to see change, however disruptive, as an opportunity for growth and transformation.
Email Bethea at connected@fluxtrends.co.za to book this trend briefing for you and your team.
