You've probably heard pundits point to various attributes of each presidential candidate, Obama's likeability or Romney's stance on the economy, for instance, as explanations of why they appeal with different demographics, or to explain rises and falls in the polls. But it could turn out that none of these factors make much of a difference.

2011 was a year in flux. The Arab Spring, Occupy Wall Street, the ongoing financial crisis, the turmoil in the European Union brought the world to the brink of major changes. The old rules no longer apply, and the world finds itself in a period of extended transition. Heading into the new year, the question on everyone's mind is, "What comes next?"