Bold New World: The Essential Road Map to the Twenty-First Century [Paperback]

William Knoke (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1997

William Knoke, investment banker and visionary futurist, believes it is not the much-touted Information Age that best defines the new era, but rather what he names the Placeless Society. Revolutions in communications and transportation are ushering us into the Age of Everything-Everywhere, where people and goods often move instantaneously from one location to another. He shows us that because "near equals far", all the equations by which national power, corporate wealth, and personal influence have been calculated must be radically redrawn. Bold New World examines our rapidly changing society on the eve of the new millennium and foresees the world in the decades to come. Knoke doesn't just describe trends; he analyzes the dynamic forces that link them, which are creating chains of cause and effect already rippling out into the next century. In brief, imaginary episodes that open each chapter, Knoke illustrates how these trends will affect the everyday lives of people around the world, from CEOs to migrant workers. After sketching these lives, he returns to his ever-practical examination of the future, offering hands-on advice on how we may prepare ourselves for what lies ahead.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

As we approach the end of the millennium, prognosticators scramble with pen in hand to draw a picture of the future. Knoke draws the reader a picture of placelessness. According to Knoke, the limits of our dimension will melt away; time and place will lose relevance as we enter the age of Everything Everywhere. Globocorps will dwarf nation states with their money and power, while the gap between rich and poor will continue to widen. Time and space, if not completely conquered, will at least be manageable. At the beginning of every chapter, Knoke utilizes a series of vignettes that cleverly serve as scene-setters. The writing is engaging, at times reading more like a good sf novel than a glimpse into the future of world business. Despite some unsettling predictions about the loss of control and the fragility of our global web, Knoke remains positive about the future, seeing the coming century as a golden opportunity for humankind to capitalize on the promises of the 20th century. For public libraries.?Randy L. Abbott, Univ. of Evansville Libs., Ind.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

What Future Shock was for the 1970s and Megatrends for the 1980s, Bold New World aims to be for the late 1990s and beyond. Knoke, an economist and international investment banker, proposes that we are entering "the Age of Everything-Everywhere," wherein changes in communications and transportation will erase the difference between near and far. In this "Placeless Society," nation-states may grow obsolete, and new ways will be devised for dealing with capital, labor, raw materials, and other resources, as well as social, political, and economic institutions. Companies such as Levi Strauss and McDonald's are already positioned globally, though well adapted to local tastes. Each chapter starts with futuristic scenarios that reflect how specific changes will affect such everyday world citizens as graphic designers, sales reps, automobile customers, students, domestic workers, CEOs, politicians, and terrorists. Virtual shopping means that everything will be in your size and delivered to your home without the bother of malls. Knoke as a futurist believes that by anticipating trends taking shape now, we can begin preparations for the dramatic--and often gloomy--changes soon to happen. Jennifer Henderson --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Kodansha America (August 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1568361807
• ISBN-13: 978-1568361802
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,244,249 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Future Shock for the third millennium, January 8, 2000

By 

Thomas J. Donahue (Grand Haven, Michigan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bold New World: The Essential Road Map to the Twenty-First Century (Paperback)

I remember in the 1970's when Alvin Toeffler's "Future Shock" was on the best seller list. I devoured it and made it a central part of my "Weltanschauung". It swept the whole country. When a friend told me about "Bold New World", I read it and felt quite sure it would also make the best seller list and would sweep the country. I was really surprised when it didn't, even though it did go through more than one printing. Some of what Knoke predicted is already a fact of everyday life - five years later. I'm sure a new edition will eventually be printed, but this one is still current.

The book is aptly subtitled: "the essential road map to the twenty-first century". The central theme of the book is that we now live in a "placeless society" - a society that is being restructured in every way. How we communicate, how we learn, how we bank, how we fight wars, how we create wealth, how we govern and are governed are all in flux. The world is being restructured for the 21st century. The 20th century will be thought of as the last century when people do not routinely interact with machines.

"Place no longer matters". We live in the age of "Everything-Everywhere". He examines the environment, migration, telecommunications, ethics, computers, war, money and other topics. Each chapter starts with several vignettes that take place sometime in the future. A few of the vignettes are a little far-fetched, but most are interesting and thought provoking, even five years after they were written. He has thought provoking ideas in many areas about what the world in the next millennium will be like:

Financial Centers are less important. Lenders and borrowers do not have to meet face to face or even be in the same place. Banking can be done across state national boundaries. Paper isn't so important, and neither are middlepersons.

Warfare will be changed, since an enemy could attack your capital without ever setting foot on the border.

Terrorism will replace warfare as the biggest threat to our security.

Government will eventually become a world government. National governments may lose some of its control to multinational corporations.

Economy: The infinite global labor pool will cause the labor unions to lose their grip over industry. Robots will continue to displace humans in increasingly complex tasks. The world will not be "unemployed", but rather "redeployed". In the Stock Market "Merrill Lynch's neural network...immerses itself in historic stock market data and teaches itself to recognize patterns of behavior in pricing. ... The more information such systems digest, the more they develop an uncanny ability to anticipate future events." In capital intensive projects such as aircraft or spacecraft, the best technologies from all over the world will be melded together into one or two designs used worldwide. Multicurrency accounts will enable writing and cashing of checks in any currency.

Large Corporations will fragment.

Telepresence will be developed so sights, sounds and tactile feelings will be transmitted just as words are transmitted over the Internet now. Datasuits will enable people to visit with and touch one another when they are located in different parts of the world. The computer revolution is in its infancy. "The true computer revolution has yet to begin."

Transportation Hypersonic flight, supertrains, and highly specialized fleets of cargo ships will transform our world. the expense of shipping overnight packages across the country is no more than shipping them across the street. Distances will still exist, but they will no longer so powerfully determine how society will be organized.

Demographics People will no longer have to live where they work. They will no longer be place bound. Population centers may shift, and may become less important as some people move away from more populous areas.

Schools and Learning will be uncoupled. Schools no longer need buildings (library, classrooms, auditoriums...). Lifelong learning will be required in lieu of or in place of degrees. Learning will be done in a body suit -- in a simulated environment that responds with artificial intelligence. Education will be redesigned to mimic reality. The student will be free to explore. "Countries that thrive in the twenty-first century will be those adapting their educational systems to the Placeless Society."

Religion is likely to have a resurgence as people strive to cope with rapid change.

Knoke covers a whole series of challenges the world faces that result from the changing foundations of society: Terrorism, xenophobia, detached labor force, pollution, radioactivity, environmental degradation, social class and a host of other problems.

Knoke is an investment banker, business consultant, and futurist. He has written a book that's thought provoking and well worth reading.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well worth reading, October 11, 1998

By 

Thomas J. Donahue (Grand Haven, Michigan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bold New World: The Essential Guide to Surviving and Prospering in the Twenty-First Century (Hardcover)

I remember in the 1970's when Future Shock was on the best seller list. I devoured it and made it a central part of my Weltanschauung. It swept the whole country. When a friend told me about Bold New World, I read it and felt quite sure it would also make the best seller list and would sweep the country. I was really surprised when it didn't. Some of what Knoke predicted is already a fact of everyday life - five years later.

The book is aptly subtitled: the essential road map to the twenty-first century. The central theme of the book is that we now live in a placeless society - a society that is being restructured in every way. How we communicate, how we learn, how we bank, how we fight wars, how we create wealth, how we govern and are governed are all in flux. The world is being restructured for the 21st century. The 20th century will be thought of as the last century when people do not routinely interact with machines.

Place no longer matters. We live in the age of Everything-Everywhere. He examines the environment, migration, telecommunications, ethics, computers, war, money and other topics. Each chapter starts with several vignettes that take place sometime in the future. A few of the vignettes are a little far-fetched, but most are interesting and thought provoking, even five years after they were written. He has thought provoking ideas in many areas about what the world in the next millennium will be like:

FINANCIAL CENTERS are less important. Lenders and borrowers do not have to meet face to face or even be in the same place. Banking can be done across state national boundaries. Paper isn't so important, and neither are middlepersons.

WARFARE will be changed, since an enemy could attack your capital without ever setting foot on the border.

TERRORISM will replace warfare as the biggest threat to our security. Government will eventually become a world government. National governments may lose some of its control to multinational corporations.

ECONOMY The infinite global labor pool will cause the labor unions to lose their grip over industry. Robots will continue to displace humans in increasingly complex tasks. The world will not be unemployed, but rather redeployed. In the Stock Market "Merrill Lynch's neural network...immerses itself in historic stock market data and teaches itself to recognize patterns of behavior in pricing. ... The more information such systems digest, the more they develop an uncanny ability to anticipate future events." In capital intensive projects such as aircraft or spacecraft, the best technologies from all over the world will be melded together into one or two designs used worldwide. Multicurrency accounts will enable writing and cashing of checks in any currency.

LARGE CORPORATIONS will fragment.

TELEPRESENCE will be developed so sights, sounds and tactile feelings will be transmitted just as words are transmitted over the Internet now. Datasuits will enable people to visit with and touch one another when they are located in different parts of the world. The computer revolution is in its infancy. "The true computer revolution has yet to begin."

TRANSPORTATION Hypersonic flight, supertrains, and highly specialized fleets of cargo ships will transform our world. the expense of shipping overnight packages across the country is no more than shipping them across the street. Distances will still exist, but they will no longer so powerfully determine how society will be organized.

DEMOGRAPHICS People will no longer have to live where they work. They will no longer be place bound. Population centers may shift, and may become less important as some people move away from more populous areas.

SCHOOLS AND LEARNING will be uncoupled. Schools no longer need buildings (library, classrooms,auditoriums...). Lifelong learning will be required in lieu of or in place of degrees. Learning will be done in a body suit -- in a simulated environment that responds with artificial intelligence. Education will be redesigned to mimic reality. The student will be free to explore. "Countries that thrive in the twenty-first century will be those adapting their educational systems to the Placeless Society."

RELIGION is likely to have a resurgence as people strive to cope with rapid change.

Knoke covers a whole series of challenges the world faces that result from the changing foundations of society: Terrorism, xenophobia, detached labor force, pollution, radioactivity, environmental degradation, social class and a host of other problems.

Knoke is an investment banker, business consultant, and futurist. He has written a book that's thought provoking and well worth reading.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For anyone seeking to understand our chaotic world today., November 3, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: Bold New World: The Essential Guide to Surviving and Prospering in the Twenty-First Century (Hardcover)

A business consultant, William Knoke sought to understand the underlying causes for all the chaotic change taking place in the world today. His explanation is simple, and for that reason, brilliant: we have entered the "Age of Everything Everywhere". Due to improvements in communications and transportation, place no longer matters. Yet, "place" has been a fundamental assumption of every one of our major institutions. Take away that assumption, and things are bound to change -- dramatically! Knoke than goes on to explain how this "Age of Everything Everywhere" impacts our work lives, our families, our nations. His book is a comprehensive explanation of our chaotic world as we approach the 21st century, and how to prepare ourselves. Not since Alvin Tofler's "Power Shift" has anyone brought together such seemingly diverse problems into a single viewpoint.