Future Shock

Future Shock is a controversial book written by the sociologist and futurologist Alvin Toffler in 1970. It has sold over 6 million copies and has been widely translated.

Related Topics:
Controversial book - Sociologist - Futurologist - Alvin Toffler - 1970

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Future shock is also a term for certain psychological state of individuals and entire societies, introduced by Toffler in his book of the same name. Toffler's shortest definition of future shock is a personal perception of "too much change in too short a period of time." The concept of future shock was rediscovered in the early 21st century as "The Technological singularity".

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Toffler argues that society is undergoing an enormous structural change, a revolution from an industrial society to a "super-industrial society". This change will overwhelm people, the accelerated rate of technological and social change will leave them disconnected, suffering from "shattering stress and disorientation" - future shocked. Toffler stated that the majority of social problems were symptoms of the future shock. In his discussion of the components of such shock, he also coined the term "information overload."

Related Topics:
Industrial society - Super-industrial society - Information overload

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His analysis of that phenomenon is continued in his later publications, especially The Third Wave and Powershift.

Related Topics:
The Third Wave - Powershift

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Of special interest to Wikipedians is that Wikipedia and other Wikimedia are working examples of Toffler's concept of adhocracy, an ad hoc social governance by those who happen to be present.

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This book has been reprinted several times, ISBNs include:

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• ISBN 0394425863 (hardcover, Random House, 1970)
• ISBN 084880645X (hardcover, Amereon Ltd, 1970)
• ISBN 0553206265 (mass market paperback, 1981)
• ISBN 0553277375 (mass market paperback, 1984)
• ISBN 0553246496 (paperback, 1984)
• ISBN 553857651 (mass market paperback, 1991)
• ISBN 0808501526 (mass market paperback in library binding, 1999)
 
Future Shock: See also ►