Future Shock

Future Shock is a book written by the sociologist and futurist Alvin Toffler in 1970. It grew out of an article The Future as a Way of Life in Horizon magazine, Summer 1965 issue. The book has sold over 6 million copies and has been widely translated. In the book, Toffler defines the term future shock as a certain psychological state of individuals and entire societies. His shortest definition for the term is a personal perception of too much change in too short a period of time . This documentary film based on the book was released in 1972 with Orson Welles as on-screen narrator. -- 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 leaving them disconnected and 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 popularized the term information overload. His analysis of that phenomenon is continued in his later publications, especially The Third Wave and Powershift. -- The film, darkly dystopian and oozing techno-paranoia, is a valuable reminder that societies have always feared new technology but ultimately adapted to it. Or, better yet, adapted it to their needs. Future Shock is an excellent companion to contemporary books tackling the same issue, such as Kevin Kelly’s What Technology Wants, putting our modern fears in perspective and grounding our present techno-paranoia in its proper historical context.