What Shock?. Review on Future Shock - Alvin Toffler

It did not take me long to conclude that Future Shock is one excellent modern trash. The hidden theme is: ''Let us return to the caves!''

The reader should not be misguided or disoriented by the fact that Mr.Toffler is a scientific writer, and that his books appear quite convincing. In this book, he raised the issue of ''change,'' and how it affects us.

He has borrowed a vast array of opinions from many doubtful scholars just to give a scientific touch to his thesis. But the plain, homegrown manure fact is that his theory does not explain the meaning of change at all, let alone the problems created by change.

His basic and perhaps his only structure of argument is that humans have made a sudden, swift jump to technological innovations, which in turn has crept into every spheres of our lives, creating havoc and confusion. (Later he inserted a paragraph saying change is purely psychological and not technological, thus contradicting his own theme!)

He says we must slow the pace of development (which means we must stop thinking). He says people in the past lived a simpler, more peaceful life than we live today. Quite true. But he suppressed and ignored the fact that they lived in a technology-less society, where due to this absence, human beings died unnecessarily in untold numbers and believed in demons.

Change, according to him, is purely a technological result (what about behavioral change in religious extremist groups?). This means, to save ourselves from change, we must deliberately and intentionally slow technological advance (but the only way to do this is by killing the brain; or how about throwing away our cell phones to slow our pace of living; or how about banning the use of Internet because it makes life go damn fast, eh!)

He bombarded his book with countless ridiculous examples to confuse readers, thus leaving them handicapped and opinion-less. He scares readers by shouting,''Look! I am a Ph.D. How can you be so sure that I am wrong?''

The pages of Future Shock smell of burnt plastic.

I think change is something that we must face. Whether related to technology or not, it does not matter. And change in reality is largely an attribute of human nature, but entirely not of pig-iron machines.

To fall prey to change is a common personality trait of drunkards, drug abusers, lunatics, and all those who have discarded their mind. My final advise to the good reader is, he or she must approach this book using a first-hand judgment. Succumbing to some tall claims made by a posturing science man is not a healthy decision for those who love literature and life as well.