Non-fiction
Book Review
Future Shock, The Third Wave, Powershift
A
Trilogy by Alvin Toffler
When Alvin
Toffler first
published Future
Shock in 1970, he established himself as one of the
best thinkers to emerge in the second half of the twentieth
century. With publication of The
Third Wave in 1980, he enhanced his reputation even
more. By the time Powershift, the third book of his trilogy, hit the bookstores
in 1990, there could be no doubt in anyone's mind. Toffler possesses
a keen intellect and a knack for making sense out of apparent
chaos.
Is
Alvin Toffler a modern-day Nostradamus? No doubt, there are
those who would squelch that notion on the premise that it's
too early to tell. Personally, I think it's already been told.
It's up to you to decide for yourself. If you haven't already
read Mr. Toffler's trilogy, I urge you to do so, if for no other
reason than to keep yourself from being blindsided by forces
you don't yet understand. If "forewarned is forearmed"
has any meaning, it certainly applies here.
Although
each book in the trilogy stands on its own merits and can be
read independently of the others, the entire works offer a greater
depth of information and, therefore, understanding. Here, then,
are brief descriptions of each book's contents, to help you
decide if the information contained therein is something you
need.
Future
Shock focuses on the accelerating
changes in social, economic and political relationships brought
about by a collision between present and future. The process
of change careens out of anyone's control and, because the changes
occur with amazing rapidity, many people find themselves bewildered
and unable to cope. In effect, they suffer from future shock.
Future Shock takes a probing look at the processes involved
in change and reveals how changes affect people and their cherished
institutions.
The
Third Wave documents the three
great transforming changes that have occurred throughout human
history, and puts each of these changes in historical perspective.
It also gives some insights into the high-tech industries that
make up the backbone of our new economy.
Powershift explores the nature and
sources of wealth and power and examines social, economic and
political changes. It also introduces a new paradigm for personal,
social, economic and political power (out with the old, in with
the new). You can't afford to ignore this one. Of the three
books, this one, I think, ranks above the others in terms of
importance
Meticulously
researched, Alvin Toffler's trilogy synthesizes information
from a huge list of bibliographic resources. It identifies,
distills, categorizes and defines the global social, economic
and political changes now taking place and, through interpretation
of past events and analysis of present trends, arrives at various
projections and predictions for future changes.
Toffler
is at least ten years ahead of the next-best thinkers and light
years ahead of the rest of us. You ignore his message at your
own peril. What you don't know can, and probably will, hurt
you.
The
changes now transforming society have only just begun, but there's
still time. Use the knowledge Alvin Toffler thoughtfully provides
to better position yourself to weather the storm of transformations
now in progress.
Review
by Phil Hanson
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Copyright
© 2003 — 2005 by Phil Hanson
All rights reserved.
