As 2011 stumbles toward the finish line, both hope and fear lie ahead on the horizon.

It's been a rough, but interesting, year for "99-percenters" across the globe, to say the least. There is political upheaval in the Middle East, an evolving global Occupy movement, Europe's struggle to avoid economic catastrophe and signs that the dark tide of the U.S. recession may finally be receding.

Whew! And the year isn't even quite over yet.

If there is one thing we learned in 2011, it's that rose-colored glasses may be out of style, but we can still work together to make a better world.

Let's take a look at what we can expect in 2012 -- the good, the bad, and the just plain ugly.

2012 Trend No. 5: 'Selling Out' On A Whole New Level >>