Toffler, Alvin (1928-)

Alvin Toffler, American author and futurologist, is noted for his contributions to the analysis of social change and the human condition. Taking a psychological and sociological approach to the impact of technology, Toffler presents a unique perspective on the dynamics of the human condition as society rapidly progresses from industrialism to a quasi-Marxist state. Although not concerned directly with time as such, he does concentrate on the rate of change that is relative to previous periods of history and the effects that are seen today. Toffler is known for his major works Future Shock (1970), The Third Wave (1980), and Powershift (1990).

Toffler depicts the dynamics of human life and the development and restructuring of societies. As humankind expanded its intellectual horizon and implemented newly developed technologies, the rate of change increased dramatically within a social framework. Increases in population (dispersion), extent or degree of individualism, social relationships, and economic development and restructuring (e.g., the decline of industrialism and technocracy) are critical points in the attempt to create a new society. In times of shifting power, corporate downsizing, and multitasking, individual longevity and identity are depicted as being psychologically transferred and expressed in social relationships; for example, modular relationships and maladaptive actions and reactions. from clearly defined economic (employment) and social (family) structures to the development of a continual transient state found at all levels, humankind is depicted as grappling with and attempting to adapt to this new environment. When vast changes within a short time created stress and distortion beyond the adaptive capabilities of our species, Toffler acknowledged the phenomena with his term future shock. Essentially, it is almost a Twilight Zone scenario: surreal perceptions of dynamic change with real consequences.

The affluence and materialistic nature of modern society is well documented. This fact regarding modern society, along with Toffler's conception of future shock, can push humankind's physiological and psychological resources to the limits. In response to this condition, Toffler identified maladaptive psychological conditions seen in the attempt to adjust. This adjustment entails forms of denial, specialization, obsessive reversion, and super-simplification. Although Toffler does not offer direct solutions for this predicament, he does hold that education and educational environments may have a critical and essential place in directing the future of society. Education, for Toffler, must be dynamic and ever-changing to meet the expectations found in the evolution of modern society. Education must keep pace and mimic in structure the concepts and rates of change seen within society. This open-ended process of changing the mind-sets of youth, via individual focus, can be seen as a unique adaptation to prepare for the future.

Toffler's account of social problems, along with the theoretical underpinnings, exposes the serious problems that are seen within modern societies. Rapid technological advancements, changing complexion of family structures, changes in business strategies and structures, and political and social upheaval all denote the rapid changes experienced in society. Future shock, similar to Marx's concept of alienation, depicts the experience of disconnection that individuals experience directly from the mode of production, for example, as seen in both Future Shock and Powershift, and its perceived reflection of the individual's identity and self-worth. In the attempt to offset the implications of radical change, no single individual can correctly predict or solidify the future of humankind. The rate of change, similar to the behaviors of individuals, is beyond the control of a preplanned structured society. In the endeavor to construct the future, to adapt at the very least, humankind must guard itself from pseudoscience, hidden political agendas, and the rising tide of fundamentalism. Change, as seen in both biological and cultural evolution, is an integral and constituted part of our species and its related humanity. Toffler's works expose the difficulty experienced during periods of [Page 1371]rapid change and the effects it has on society. How successfully our species will adapt to the future remains to be seen.

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