super-industrial-society
A new stage of economic and social development characterized by the decline of agriculture and manual labor and the rise of service and knowledge-based occupations.
2 chapters across 1 book
Future Shock (1970)Alvin Toffler
Chapter 1 of Future Shock introduces the concept of 'future shock,' a psychological condition caused by the rapid acceleration of societal change that overwhelms individuals and societies alike. Toffler compares this phenomenon to culture shock but emphasizes its greater severity due to the constant and irreversible nature of change within one's own society. The chapter also situates this rapid change within a historical context, arguing that the current era represents a profound break from the past, comparable to the invention of agriculture or the industrial revolution, marking the emergence of a super-industrial society.
Chapter 5 of Future Shock explores the dramatic increase in human mobility and its cultural, psychological, and economic implications in advanced technological societies. It details the rise of new nomads who regularly commute long distances or relocate frequently, highlighting the decline of traditional attachments to place. The chapter contrasts mobility patterns in the United States with those in Europe and other regions, emphasizing how super-industrial society fosters unprecedented geographic and social mobility.