Once there was a period of time in a certain region of the world that became known as The Renaissance. It is defined by Wikipedia as "a cultural movement, it encompassed a flowering of literature, science, art, religion, and politics, and a resurgence of learning based on classical sources, the development of linear perspective in painting, and gradual but widespread educational reform."
While that is the summary from a historical point of view, I believe a large, cumulative change like this happens due to a less obvious change in the overall mentality of people. Thus I believe looking back at the past decade and the next, we will look back on this period of time as "The Great Awakening". A relatively fast change in human affairs compared to the Renaissance. The speed of this change is due to the speed of the internet. The internet does not just transmit images and words fast, it transmits ideas fast as well. Yet because it knows no international boundaries it will be a change in mentality for all of humanity. I say humanity because it can be seen spreading from country to country, from continent to continent. To quote a Forbes Magazine article:
"Civilizations have clashed in an unexpected way this year, as ordinary people using Facebook and Twitter knocked down dictators in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya—and are threatening absolute rule in Syria. A so-called Arab spring brought waves of liberation to a long-oppressed region. Something similar is happening in more democratic countries. In Spain throngs of young people, known as “the indignant ones,” occupied public plazas nationwide, protesting unemployment and exclusionary politics. In Israel ordinary citizens from both right and left united in massive demonstrations against high housing prices. And in India one man’s campaign against corruption went viral, bringing thousands to the streets in support."The Forbes article only defines this change in economic terms as "the relative empowerment of the individual over the company". This makes sense due to the magazine's focus, of course. My definition is more of an overall historical and philosophical point of view but without in-depth analysis. I believe The Great Awakening will be the radical change in how each human being sees himself/herself with respect to his/her society, an overall change in how s/he views nature and humanity regardless of international boundaries. Naturally this change will affect the same things the Renaissance changed. I would like a historian and/or philosopher to trace back all these changes and put it in a book(s) perhaps. All I know is that it is here, the winds of change are blowing very hard. I think you can sense it too. Just hang in there and enjoy the ride.
Good luck! :-)