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With all of the above in mind, the younglives research would predict that the first ten years of the new century will be characterised in the West by a gentle revolution in which individuals increasingly prioritise their 'quality of life in terms of emotional satisfaction'. To this end, the 'all-round development of oneself' will become the most popular raison d'etre - a culture whose icon will be the person exploring and developing in positive and enjoyable ways all aspects of their physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual life-experience.

The most pioneering individuals will increasingly reassess their whole approach to life, weighing-up their 'standard of living' by how much they feel that they are fulfilling their most profoundly meaningful goals - meaningful by their own standards, not by anyone else's. Consequently, they will pay less attention to the qualifications, badges, income and status-goals that have held sway for so long.

This emphasis on 'quality of life' will not manifest itself in a drug-fuelled naive free-for-all. The recreational drug culture has largely arisen out of despair at how life feels, and will fast lose its appeal when confronted by more enduringly satisfying alternatives. Individuals won't lose their determination to achieve, they will simply personalise and broaden their ambitions. People will more and more want to enjoy the journey to their goals; and an enjoyable journey will be acknowledged as a worthy end in itself.

This emerging culture of all-round personal development will benefit those who are students, or those who are looking for, but have not yet found, paid employment. This is because it emphasises the personal control that each individual can exercise over their own quality of life-experience, and acknowledges that there are many sources of satisfaction other than those derived from the confines of academic performance or a pay-packet.

It is possible that if Britain's economy enjoys a high boom over the next two years, perhaps fuelled by the new communications industries, the most avant-garde young adults might be persuaded to postpone their 'all-round personal development' if they think they can make a fortune by working flat out in one direction for five years. But these same individuals are on a short fuse, not least because they've essentially been frontline young executives with their foot to the floor since they were 11 years old. Given half a chance, they would like to embark on a whole new adventure: designing and living their own lives.

There have been several decades of aggressive materialism which have not brought the increase in pleasure from life that had been anticipated. Moreover, the traditional social prizes of wealth, beauty, status and fame have been widely deglamorised by the media's ever more searing exposés, and this will spur individuals to consider more profound and durable alternatives.

The work markets will increasingly require individuals to be self-responsible for managing their own work and leisure lives, inevitably leading us to pay more attention to how we invest our time. Moreover, the internet and other information technologies will allow us to develop our personal and professional lives at our own pace.

Leading companies are increasingly recognising the need for 'well rounded personalities' among their young intake. This will encourage employers to offer attractive 'life-style concessions' to the most sought-after young adults, and this substantial change in requirements will fast effect the values and culture of the more receptive Universities and Secondary Schools.

Star individuals and major brands are increasingly willing and able to completely reinvent themselves, and this 'license to transform yourself' is equally useful to adventurous individuals in any walk of life.

Trail-blazer brands are explicitly urging young adults to reclaim themselves - which is what younglives.com is all about: helping us to become who and what we want to be, no matter where we are at the moment.

Lester may be a 42 year old Advertising Executive, but many of his self-criticisms are sentiments that individuals half his age or younger would fear were equally applicable to themselves: "It's okay. I wouldn't remember me either." "I feel like I've been in a coma for about 20 years, and I'm just now waking up."

Unsurprisingly in respect of this, an underlying theme of the film seems to be 'wanting to have our youth again, and this time to get it right'…which is a thought that goes as much for the 16 and 18 year olds as for Lester and his Estate-Agent wife.

When considering the value of material possessions, Lester observes "It's-just-a-couch! This isn't life, this is just stuff. And it's become more important to you than living. Well, honey, that's just nuts." But from the catalogue of recriminations, emerges a powerful sense of hope: "It's never too late to get it back." The Pontiac Firebird that Lester always wanted since he was a boy and finally buys for himself, isn't a show of materialism, it's the emotional realisation of a lifelong dream, it's a declaration of his need for beauty and joy. And once he starts treating himself right, he starts treating other people right as well. Rather than having sex with the 16 year old apple of his eye, Lester makes her a sandwich; and this same young women reciprocates his compassion by asking him 'How are you?' - and she means it, too.

Lester is right: "It's a great thing when you realise you still have the ability to surprise yourself."