Whicker's World

Alan Whicker observes six trends in the American Lifestyle, six cults which have not reached Britain - yet. This week he looks at Americans who are questioning the inevitability of death, and ways to cheat it.

Where have all the American children gone? The pre-teens, the seven-to-elevens you'd think are entitled to be childish, have grown into the first Micro Media generation - mature moppets who make movies instead of playing games and are completely at home with computers and crime, the stockmarket and sex.

There is a new economic force in America today, privileged and envied: the swinging, 24 million unabashed and unwed adults with few inhibitions about their marital status. In the third of his journey into the new transatlantic lifestyles, Alan Whicker found them courted not only by each other, but by big business.

Continuing his series looking at modern American trends, Alan Whicker visits "The Greenhouse" in Texas, where American women pay up to $110 per day for treatments to make them slimmer and younger-looking.

Business executives, America's leading heroes, enjoy the greatest prestige and the greatest rewards. The President of General Motors collects £330,000 a year and others pick up £125,000. In return, Society demands nothing from the top executive - except his entire life!

In the last part of his series examining modern American trends, Alan Whicker looks at the problems faced by retired people who are fit and active.