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Alvin Toffler

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Future Shock Mass Market Paperback – June 1, 1984

by Alvin Toffler (Author)

4.6 763 ratings

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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The classic work that predicted the anxieties of a world upended by rapidly emerging technologies—and now provides a road map to solving many of our most pressing crises.

“Explosive . . . brilliantly formulated.” —The Wall Street Journal

Future Shock is the classic that changed our view of tomorrow. Its startling insights into accelerating change led a president to ask his advisers for a special report, inspired composers to write symphonies and rock music, gave a powerful new concept to social science, and added a phrase to our language. Published in over fifty countries, Future Shock is the most important study of change and adaptation in our time.

In many ways, Future Shock is about the present. It is about what is happening today to people and groups who are overwhelmed by change. Change affects our products, communities, organizations—even our patterns of friendship and love.

But Future Shock also illuminates the world of tomorrow by exploding countless clichés about today. It vividly describes the emerging global civilization: the rise of new businesses, subcultures, lifestyles, and human relationships—all of them temporary.

Future Shock will intrigue, provoke, frighten, encourage, and, above all, change everyone who reads it.

Print length

576 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Bantam
Publication date

June 1, 1984
Dimensions

4.15 x 0.91 x 6.84 inches
ISBN-10

9780553277371
ISBN-13

978-0553277371
Lexile measure

1290L
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From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Revealing, exciting, encouraging, brilliant.”—The Christian Science Monitor

“In the risky business of social and cultural criticism, there appears an occasional book that manages . . . to shape our perceptions of its times. Alvin Toffler’s immensely readable yet disquieting study may service the same purpose for our own increasingly volatile world.”—Newsweek

“Alvin Toffler has sent something of a shock-wave through Western society.”—Daily Express (London)

“To the elite . . . who often get committed to age-old institutions or material goals alone, let Toffler’s Future Shock be a lesson and a warning.”—The Time of India

About the Author

Alvin Toffler (1928–2016) was an American writer and futurist whose list of bestselling books includes Future Shock, The Third Wave, and Powershift. He was a cofounder of Toffler Associates, a consulting firm for companies and governments worldwide on advances in economics, technology, and social change. In France, where his work won the prestigious Prix du Meilleur Livre Étranger (Best Foreign Book Prize), Alvin was named an Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0553277375
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bantam; Reissue edition (June 1, 1984)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 576 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780553277371
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0553277371
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1290L
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.15 x 0.91 x 6.84 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #91,033 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #44 in Customs & Traditions Social Sciences
- #133 in Evolution (Books)
- #1,079 in Sociology (Books)

Customer Reviews:
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763 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and relevant. They find the writing quality well-researched and fast-paced. However, opinions differ on the material quality - some find it good and in good condition, while others report poor quality and blurry pages.

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Readability Relevance Writing quality Value for money Material quality

26 customers mention "Readability"26 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable and interesting. They describe it as a timeless work of literature, relevant, and better than expected.

"It was given as a gift that was well received. It is a great read...." Read more

"Interesting book. I remember my dad reading this book when I was little. I bought it at the recommendation of a colleague...." Read more

"This is a visionary work of literature, that was written in 1970...." Read more

"This book is timeless. What Toffler said will happen, DID happen and it is still unfolding to this day...." Read more

10 customers mention "Relevance"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book relevant and important. They say it raises critical and fundamental questions about social issues. The concepts are still applicable today, if not more so, than when the book first came out. Readers appreciate the intelligent and informative content, as well as the interesting theories and implications for the future. Overall, they describe it as an excellent book on the increasing change and with suggestions on what we can do to manage it.

"...understand the strange, fast-paced compression of modern life, this book is essential." Read more

"...This is an important book raising critical and fundamental questions about the social, economic, and political impacts of technologically-induced..." Read more

"...There are some interesting theories in the book, especially looking back to see how some of them played out...." Read more

"Very knowledgable about the times. Information and insights are still relevant today, but it’s a bit aged calling blacks Negros and the text is too..." Read more

5 customers mention "Writing quality"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the writing quality good. They say it's well-researched, fast-paced, and readable. Readers also mention it's prescient and representative of modern times.

"Hard to believe this was written 45 years ago. It was phenomenally prescient, and it still feels representative of the modern era and well-..." Read more

"...He is very nearly prescient...." Read more

"...It is well written and easy to follow." Read more

"Toffler's style is easy reading and his research is very thouough. A should read and a reference keeper." Read more

3 customers mention "Value for money"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book a good value for money. They say it's worth reading and better than described.

"...It was worth the money and the time spent on reading it all again...." Read more

"Excellent seller. Item better than described. Toffler one of the foremost "Futurist" authors." Read more

"This is still an interesting read after all these years, and well worth a look. I'm happy with this purchase." Read more

9 customers mention "Material quality"6 positive3 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the material quality. Some find it good and in good condition, while others mention it's blurry due to cheap paper and printed on gray recycled paper.

"Forty-five years later (Bantam 1971), it was prophetic then; and, a strong, well rounded, perspective reminder now...." Read more

"They were pages missing and the print is very blurry because they use cheap paper" Read more

"The paperback book was in new condition. Very Satisfied with finding a copy of a book I read in the 1970's." Read more

"Too old and difficult to handle with allergy sensitivities. Material great we just wanted a copy to reference." Read more

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Abner Rosenweig

Great commentary, eminently readable

Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2015

Verified Purchase

Hard to believe this was written 45 years ago. It was phenomenally prescient, and it still feels representative of the modern era and well-positioned to predict the future. Toffler's premise that the accelerating rate of social change (including ever-greater transcience, novelty, and diversity) is outpacing man's ability to cope comes with a dour imperative: adapt or die.

We, as individuals and as a civilization, need to understand "the accelerative thrust triggered by man has become the key to the entire evolutionary process on the planet," and Toffler suggests we need to seize control over the rapid waves of change headed our way before they overtake us. Sadly, society does not yet seem to have heeded Toffler's calls to action, and much of our lives are filled with idle, ephemeral distraction while the ground shifts beneath our feet. Climate change science was not as abundant or conclusive in the early 1970s as it is today, so while they're no mention of it in the book (it's also a natural phenomenon, while Toffler focuses on the accelerative thrust of tech), it is a perfect example of how humans need to be more future-oriented and prepared for massive change.

Toffler's writing is well-researched and fast-paced. It reads almost like an action thriller. His descriptions of the accelerative wave of change sweeping through society actually made me anxious as I read--today the force of change is almost tangible; you can feel its pressure everywhere you turn, with all of the complex decisions we're faced with and the new information we're required to process on a daily basis. I'm sure Toffler would find it ironic that I was speed-reading his book--with so much to keep up with, I feel there's no time to read at a leisurely pace anymore.

I appreciated Toffler's self-criticism throughout. He acknowledges that no single idea is "omni-insightful" and that, while some of his suggestions for solutions may appear naive, such as transforming our economy to pay more attention to social and environmental welfare, they are also critical to the survival of the human race.

Do not underestimate Future Shock. Its message is clearly a driving force behind Ray Kurzweil's "The Singularity Is Near"; billionaire Carlos Slim identified it as a key resource that helped him anticipate the future.

If you're fascinated by culture and want to understand the strange, fast-paced compression of modern life, this book is essential.

61 people found this helpful

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Thrifty Shopper

Given as a gift !

Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2023

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It was given as a gift that was well received. It is a great read. It reveals much of what we are witnessing today, which was a prediction for the future years ago

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Barron Laycock

Must Reading For Any Concerned Citizen!

Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2000

Verified Purchase

It is a pleasant surprise to see that this book has been reissued as a hardcover. In the thrity years since its original publication, the basic truths and awesome prognositications have largely come to pass. Of course, in the process Mr. Toffler has become something of a cottage industry himself, since publishing several sequels (The Third Wave, Power Shift, etc.). Yet nothing surpasses the sheer magnitude of the argument forwarded here. Toffler marshalls a virtual mountain of evidence illustrating his claim of a rising flood of techniological, social, and economic change, largely emanating from the increasing influence of science and technology into every area of contemporary life.
Toffler's main concern is with the recognition that while a human being's capacity to adjust physically, psychologically, and socially to this torrent of change is finite and quite limited, the pace of change is increasing and expanding into more and more areas of individuals' lives. Moreover, no one is asking for these profound and endless changes; they stem more from the economic impulses of the marketplace than from any kind of consumer demand, and perhaps we should be asking to what extent this flood of innovations actually enhances our lives, and personal convenience associated with all these innovations and technological improvements are worth the social, economic, and political change that follows in its wake.
The term "future shock" refers to what happens when people are no longer able to cope with the pace of change. All sorts of symptoms and maladies results, ranging from depression to bizarre behavior to increases in susceptability to disease to absolute emotional breakdown. Thus, Toffler accurately anticipated many of the sorts of psychological, social, and economic maldies and turbulence of the last thirty years. Yet, to date literally no one seems to pay much heed to his thesis, or to ask what it means for the quality of life in our own futures. This is an important book raising critical and fundamental questions about the social, economic, and political impacts of technologically-induced innovations within contemporary society and the way they are flooding uncontested and unhampered into our social environment. This is a must-read for any serious student of social science.

210 people found this helpful

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David J. Mulholland

Interesting - but not sure the shock really ever happened

Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2016

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Interesting book. I remember my dad reading this book when I was little. I bought it at the recommendation of a colleague. There are some interesting theories in the book, especially looking back to see how some of them played out. I am not sure that the "shock, distress, and overload" that Toffler predicted has come about. His theory that there will be immense changes based on technological and other advancements was not a far reach. However, his prediction that society will ultimately not be able to adapt to, process, or manage al the new capabilities and the changes that they bring may not be wholly accurate. The shock seems to be more on the older generation (for example, not understanding how the younger generation will communicate by text rather than spoke word, even within direct proximity to each other) and the overload also seems to be on the older generation (watching some seniors try to program a GPS can be interesting), but the younger generation seems to be processing and adopting very well. In my generation, one was hard pressed to get to typing 60 words per minute in a typing class, focusing on one paragraph within one single subject - yet the technology of today has taught small children to type just as quickly while managing multiple conversations at one time. There are some good lessons to consider in this book, so it's not a waste of time to read.

7 people found this helpful

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Chad Burden

Stunningly relevent

Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2024

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A must read for today's democratic citizen. It makes sense of our works like it was written this year. Part sociology, anthropology, technology, psychology, economics, education, political....wow.

3 people found this helpful

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Don

Great read

Reviewed in Canada on November 17, 2024

Verified Purchase

Everyone should read this book...very enlightening!!

NikeX

Das Limit der Anpassung und Aufnahme

Reviewed in Germany on March 14, 2020

Verified Purchase

Wenn die Augen sich weiten, das Hören besser wird, weil eine Gefahr droht, dann müssen wir entscheiden. Kampf oder Flucht. Das Gehirn, das ZNS, die sogenannte Psyche, das Individuum, die Bevölkerung, sie reagieren auf Reize, sie versuchen sich anzupassen. Wenn zu viele dieser Schocks aufeinanderfolgen, bleibt keine Zeit, oder eine Fehlanpassung vollzieht sich.
Lethargie, Lähmung, Ausblenden, Vereinfachen oder blinde Gewalt sind die Folge / Strategien. Entscheidungsstress und Distress macht Handeln unmöglich. Schizophrene Personen handeln ebenso, wie eine Gesellschaft, auf welche zu viele Änderungen einwirken.
Wir versuchen immer stets gleich zu handeln, entwickeln ein Schema, einen Rhythmus für den Alltag. Wird dies zerstört, bauen wir neu auf, aber wenn es nie zu einem Aufbau kommen kann?
FUTURE SHOCK.

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Jean-paul Lacharme

Excès d'optimisme dans une société optimiste

Reviewed in France on August 29, 2019

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Le travail du futurologue est toujours risqué. La confrontation entre le futur prédit et le présent accompli peut être dévastatrice. Pour autant, cet ouvrage d’Alvin Toffler demeure encore lisible 50 ans après sa publication.
L’auteur le rédige à l’apogée de la civilisation américaine. Le rêve américain brille alors comme un soleil. La saga lunaire a fait oublier les horreurs du Vietnam, le dollar est encore accroché à l’or et les trente glorieuses en ont pour trois ans à vivre. La Chine est un grand pays sous-développé ravagé par la révolution culturelle, l’URSS est rongée par le cancer bureaucratique.
Toffler caractérise la société d’alors par trois facteurs : précarité (non pérennité), nouveauté, diversité. Les premiers chapitres du livre (3/5) dépeignent le rôle de ces facteurs dans tous les domaines : la famille, le milieu professionnel, la mobilité géographique, la production de biens consommables, l’éducation, les relations humaines, les structures, les modes de vie, la guerre, etc. Même les religions sont bousculées. Rien n’échappe à ce mouvement turbulent. Pour l’auteur, c’est signe d’une société libre et évoluée qui s’oppose à la société archaïque paternaliste cyclique et rigide. C’est un bien absolu.

Toffler est cependant lucide qu’une mutation générant un volume important de stimuli chez les individus peut être pathogène. Jugements et décisions ne doivent subir aucun délais. Les problèmes environnementaux sont effleurés pour être oubliés. C’est ce qu’il appelle le choc du futur. Cette partie de l’ouvrage n’est pas particulièrement futuriste : l’auteur anticipe simplement que les choses vont continuer ainsi en s’accélérant. Il préconise ou prévoit que pour se maintenir, la société devra mettre en place d’une part des lieux protégés de ce changement (comme le territoire des Amish), sortes de chambres de décompression, et d’autre part des structures éducatives préparant intensément la population à un futur qui devra être systématiquement magnifié par rapport au passé. Trente ans plus tard Internet ne bousculera pas trop ce schéma.

On atteint ici les limites de la perspicacité et de la lucidité de l’auteur. Il ne nous a pas expliqué d’où venait le caractère précaire, novateur et diversifié de la société américaine, le mot ‘capitalisme’ est d’ailleurs presque absent dans son vocabulaire. Ses préconisations permettant d’adoucir le choc de ce futur n’ont jamais été mises en place. Le système évolue par sa dynamique propre quoi qu'on fasse : seule une catastrophe pourra l'arrêter.
Depuis 1973, la dette -privée et publique- gonfle partout comme un cancer, les inégalités croissantes paupérisent une partie des classes moyennes alors que la Chine fait sortir des centaines de millions de gens de la pauvreté selon un schéma différent, enfin et surtout, à moyen terme, les enjeux climatiques laissent prévoir un arrêt définitif à tout développement exponentiel de la production de biens matériels. La croissance mondiale réelle ralentit de façon drastique. Le système bancaire est sous perfusion. ‘Game Over’ ! Toffler qui n’a pas anticipé cette inflexion bien marquée a péché par un excès d’optimisme exprimé dans une époque optimiste. En outre, sa vision du temps est incomplète : ainsi, par exemple, la lecture de son livre demandera toujours entre 14 et 18 heures (1,5 à 2 min par page). La pertinence de son modèle touche à sa fin sans qu’on voit encore ce qui pourra le remplacer.

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Ashok Srinivaspur

Given the big changes like Automation, Globalization and Global warming we are going ...

Reviewed in India on September 2, 2017

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This book was written in 1970 and author writes about the future possibilities. Book stresses the importance of anticipating future realities and the society growing the knowledge to face the future. If the rate of changes is high beyond the the capability of society to deal with the change, this is the "Future Shock".

Given the big changes like Automation, Globalization and Global warming we are going through, this book is very relevant. These big changes can completly change the way we live, and put stress which is hard for the society to deal with.

Edward B. Crutchley

A book of a lifetime

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 13, 2017

Verified Purchase

It’s easy to forget how much the sixties were seen at the time to be an era of rapidly accelerating change. The throw-away, transient world of short-span attention and slackening of morals had arrived. There was an explosion of mass media, of scientific and technological innovation, of job mobility and migration, first signs of over-choice and a super-industrial ephemeral society. The author takes no prisoners as he inundates his arguments with gee whiz facts, most of which would by themselves make good conversation pieces. Several predictions may have proved to be off the mark, but the raw fact is that the rate of acceleration has dramatically increased ever since. So when the author talks of a left-behind segment of society, people overwhelmed by the rate of change to become Deniers and Revisionists, this is even more relevant today. The resurgence of populist politics, the Tea Party, Brexit, and all the other current reactionary movements seem to have been predicted. This is a book of a lifetime, even better after nearly 50 years.

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