BOOK REVIEW:-- FUTURE SHOCK BY ALVIN TOFFLER
tran·sient
Pronunciation: -sh(E-)&nt, -zE-&nt, -sE-; -zh&nt, -j&nt
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin transeunt-, transiens, present participle of transire to go across, pass, from trans- + ire to go.
1a.passing especially quickly into and out of existence.
1b.affecting something or producing results beyond itself.
-: Webster Dictionary
This is the word which best describes "Future Shock”. Future shock is centered on this word and its synonyms. This book by Alvin Toffler was written during 1970's commenting on what the future will be. Many things he predicted did not pan out, but an astonishing number of them did come true. Multiplayer online games being an often missed but important example. The core of this book is change, how it affects an individual. How it affects society. Mr. Toffler says society is in midst of change from a post-industrial to a super-industrial phase, and these changes are occurring so fast that an individual is failing to comprehend and intercept, what is coming at him. The changes coming on our way are so fast and with so much information that the present structures of our society are incapable of utilizing them beneficially and positively. Thus to take on these changes we must make changes in our education system, political system, health and other system which give structure and form pillar of our society. Also individual have to bring about changes in themselves. Then only we will be able to manage "Future Shock”. This book is divided into six parts and 20 chapters. Except three or four chapters most of the chapters are worth reading. Chapter 18 "education in future tense" for our times (2005) is the most important chapter. It is full of ideas as is the whole book. One good point of this book is that it has not been written by the author in seclusion or under any spell of inspiration, but it is product of interactions which author had with hundreds of people. This book has 487 pages. This book does it boring sometimes, but overall a great read. Reading this book is an intellectual experience. This book will reshape your thinking. I will give this book 4.2/5.
Pronunciation: -sh(E-)&nt, -zE-&nt, -sE-; -zh&nt, -j&nt
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin transeunt-, transiens, present participle of transire to go across, pass, from trans- + ire to go.
1a.passing especially quickly into and out of existence.
1b.affecting something or producing results beyond itself.
-: Webster Dictionary
This is the word which best describes "Future Shock”. Future shock is centered on this word and its synonyms. This book by Alvin Toffler was written during 1970's commenting on what the future will be. Many things he predicted did not pan out, but an astonishing number of them did come true. Multiplayer online games being an often missed but important example. The core of this book is change, how it affects an individual. How it affects society. Mr. Toffler says society is in midst of change from a post-industrial to a super-industrial phase, and these changes are occurring so fast that an individual is failing to comprehend and intercept, what is coming at him. The changes coming on our way are so fast and with so much information that the present structures of our society are incapable of utilizing them beneficially and positively. Thus to take on these changes we must make changes in our education system, political system, health and other system which give structure and form pillar of our society. Also individual have to bring about changes in themselves. Then only we will be able to manage "Future Shock”. This book is divided into six parts and 20 chapters. Except three or four chapters most of the chapters are worth reading. Chapter 18 "education in future tense" for our times (2005) is the most important chapter. It is full of ideas as is the whole book. One good point of this book is that it has not been written by the author in seclusion or under any spell of inspiration, but it is product of interactions which author had with hundreds of people. This book has 487 pages. This book does it boring sometimes, but overall a great read. Reading this book is an intellectual experience. This book will reshape your thinking. I will give this book 4.2/5.
posted by xiphoid at 4:38 PM
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