Future Shock - Definition and Overview

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.

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 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.

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

This book has been reprinted several times: ISBN's include: ISBN 0553277375 (mass market paperback, 1984); ISBN 0553246496 (paperback, 1984); ISBN 084880645X (hardcover, Amereon Ltd, 1970); ISBN 553857651 (mass market paperback, 1991); ISBN 0808501526 (mass market paperback in library binding, 1999); ISBN 0394425863 (hardcover, Random House, 1970); ISBN 0553206265 (mass market paperback, 1981)

See also

• adhocracy
• culture shock

External links

• Future Shock Levels idea by Eliezer S. Yudkowsky (http://yudkowsky.net/sing/shocklevels.html)
• Expansion of the Yudkowsky Analysis (http://www.acceleratingfuture.com/michael/works/shocklevelanalysis.htm)