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Powershift: Knowledge, Wealth, and Power at the Edge of the 21st Century
Alvin Toffler’s Future Shock and The Third Wave are among the most influential books of our time. Now, in Powershift, he brings to a climax the ideas set forth in his previous works to offer a stunning vision of the future that will change your life.
In Powershift, Toffler argues that while headlines focus on shifts of power at the global level, equally significant shifts are taking place in the everyday world we all inhabit—the world of supermarkets and hospitals, banks and business offices, television and telephones, politics and personal life. The very nature of power is changing under our eyes.
Powershift maps the “info-wars” of tomorrow and outlines a new system of wealth creation based on individualism, innovation, and information. As old political antagonisms fade, Toffler identifies where the next, far more important world division will arise—not between East and West or North and South, but between the “fast” and the “slow.”
In Powershift, Alvin Toffler has formulated the deepest, most comprehensive synthesis yet written about the civilization of the twenty-first century. It is one of the most important books you will ever read.
Praise for Powershift
“[A] sweeping synthesis . . . by placing the accelerated changes of our current information age in the larger perspective of history, Mr. Toffler helps us to face the future with less wariness and more understanding.”—The New York Times Book Review
“An insightful guide to a bewildering present and a frightening future . . . thought-provoking on every page.”—Newsday
In Powershift, Toffler argues that while headlines focus on shifts of power at the global level, equally significant shifts are taking place in the everyday world we all inhabit—the world of supermarkets and hospitals, banks and business offices, television and telephones, politics and personal life. The very nature of power is changing under our eyes.
Powershift maps the “info-wars” of tomorrow and outlines a new system of wealth creation based on individualism, innovation, and information. As old political antagonisms fade, Toffler identifies where the next, far more important world division will arise—not between East and West or North and South, but between the “fast” and the “slow.”
In Powershift, Alvin Toffler has formulated the deepest, most comprehensive synthesis yet written about the civilization of the twenty-first century. It is one of the most important books you will ever read.
Praise for Powershift
“[A] sweeping synthesis . . . by placing the accelerated changes of our current information age in the larger perspective of history, Mr. Toffler helps us to face the future with less wariness and more understanding.”—The New York Times Book Review
“An insightful guide to a bewildering present and a frightening future . . . thought-provoking on every page.”—Newsday
639 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1990
122 people are currently reading
2405 people want to read
About the author
Alvin Toffler
55 books693 followersAlvin Eugene Toffler was an American writer, futurist, and businessman known for his works discussing modern technologies, including the digital revolution and the communication revolution, with emphasis on their effects on cultures worldwide. He is regarded as one of the world's outstanding futurists.
Toffler was an associate editor of Fortune magazine. In his early works he focused on technology and its impact, which he termed "information overload". In 1970, his first major book about the future, Future Shock, became a worldwide best-seller and has sold over 6 million copies.
He and his wife Heidi Toffler (1929–2019), who collaborated with him for most of his writings, moved on to examining the reaction to changes in society with another best-selling book, The Third Wave, in 1980. In it, he foresaw such technological advances as cloning, personal computers, the Internet, cable television and mobile communication. His later focus, via their other best-seller, Powershift, (1990), was on the increasing power of 21st-century military hardware and the proliferation of new technologies.
He founded Toffler Associates, a management consulting company, and was a visiting scholar at the Russell Sage Foundation, visiting professor at Cornell University, faculty member of the New School for Social Research, a White House correspondent, and a business consultant. Toffler's ideas and writings were a significant influence on the thinking of business and government leaders worldwide, including China's Zhao Ziyang, and AOL founder Steve Case.
Toffler was an associate editor of Fortune magazine. In his early works he focused on technology and its impact, which he termed "information overload". In 1970, his first major book about the future, Future Shock, became a worldwide best-seller and has sold over 6 million copies.
He and his wife Heidi Toffler (1929–2019), who collaborated with him for most of his writings, moved on to examining the reaction to changes in society with another best-selling book, The Third Wave, in 1980. In it, he foresaw such technological advances as cloning, personal computers, the Internet, cable television and mobile communication. His later focus, via their other best-seller, Powershift, (1990), was on the increasing power of 21st-century military hardware and the proliferation of new technologies.
He founded Toffler Associates, a management consulting company, and was a visiting scholar at the Russell Sage Foundation, visiting professor at Cornell University, faculty member of the New School for Social Research, a White House correspondent, and a business consultant. Toffler's ideas and writings were a significant influence on the thinking of business and government leaders worldwide, including China's Zhao Ziyang, and AOL founder Steve Case.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
April 28, 2021
The core argument of Toffler is about the idea that knowledge is becoming the key currency of a new super-symbolic economy, thereby leaving behind the overall materiality of the Industrial Age.
The book in itself is a visionary lens on how political, social and economic powers are changing in the Information Age. Knowledge or lack of it holds power and determines worth nowadays more than ever. Topics like networked knowledge, the role of intuition and the value of adding context have made their place in the world.
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The book in itself is a visionary lens on how political, social and economic powers are changing in the Information Age. Knowledge or lack of it holds power and determines worth nowadays more than ever. Topics like networked knowledge, the role of intuition and the value of adding context have made their place in the world.
Blog | YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn
May 4, 2010
Power comes from muscle, money, and mind (violence, wealth, knowledge). Change is occurring at hyper-speeds today. Facts become obsolete faster than ever before as new knowledge supplants old facts. Older forms of power are now dependent on knowledge (weapons developed using sophisticated technologies based on exponentially accelerating technological advances); wealth turning into electronic blips that circulate the globe at the speed of light and vanish in an economic meltdown. Radical change is underway as knowledge may becoming the currency of the future. Those who understand this powershift will be in a position to help guide the future amazing technological unfolding and merger of man and machine.
October 9, 2021
We usually see the many revolutions brought by technology/politician regime shift, which is like a re-shuffling of the socioeconomic classes. This book gives the reader a perspective to look at this.
1) Three sources of power: violence (the least flexible), wealth (intermediate flexible), knowledge (the most flexible, and penetrating).
2) Whenever a new technology emerges, the power structure evolves around it. Old structures are replaced gradually. Solutions:
(a) Structure our organizations flexibly (e.g., by modularize many components) so that when new changes come, we can restructure faster than others.
(b) Curate an eye to see future changes, e.g., an exercise question can be whether quantum computing will happen; if so, how to invest our time and external collaboration on this.
(c) When our domain is in its peak time (e.g., computer science, artificial intelligence), cherish it, maximize our efforts, and don't expect it to be permanent. Prepare for new changes.
---
More resources:
- Audiobook in Chinese: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8lnn...
- Text to Speech: https://www.textfromtospeech.com/en/t...
https://www.naturalreaders.com/online/
1) Three sources of power: violence (the least flexible), wealth (intermediate flexible), knowledge (the most flexible, and penetrating).
2) Whenever a new technology emerges, the power structure evolves around it. Old structures are replaced gradually. Solutions:
(a) Structure our organizations flexibly (e.g., by modularize many components) so that when new changes come, we can restructure faster than others.
(b) Curate an eye to see future changes, e.g., an exercise question can be whether quantum computing will happen; if so, how to invest our time and external collaboration on this.
(c) When our domain is in its peak time (e.g., computer science, artificial intelligence), cherish it, maximize our efforts, and don't expect it to be permanent. Prepare for new changes.
---
More resources:
- Audiobook in Chinese: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8lnn...
- Text to Speech: https://www.textfromtospeech.com/en/t...
https://www.naturalreaders.com/online/
April 9, 2007
I still reference this book in my writings. Even back in 1991, Toffler could see the transformation that was taking place as we shifted our epistemology from the assembly line to information.
February 12, 2015
This has been the Toffler book for me that has been the most prescient about the early 21st Century. From the extrapolations of futurism that hint at the exact financial problems and the shifts in economic impact, Toffler was clearly on target.
Violence as a theme of 'the future' we are now in has been uncannily forecast as a component of the geo-political/economic reality.
My opinion and 'rating' of this will undoubtedly evolve, like the future, but here nearing a decade in this new century, this I feel is Toffler best realized futurism writing.
Read again in 2015. Finished February 11
Violence as a theme of 'the future' we are now in has been uncannily forecast as a component of the geo-political/economic reality.
My opinion and 'rating' of this will undoubtedly evolve, like the future, but here nearing a decade in this new century, this I feel is Toffler best realized futurism writing.
Read again in 2015. Finished February 11
June 5, 2011
Brilliant book, the examples may be old but the ideas are not.
May 24, 2025
جابجایی در قدرت (PowerShift) دومین کتاب از سهگانه تافلر است؛ جایی که «قدرت» از دل تاریخ بیرون کشیده میشود تا دوباره در آینده متولد شود. تافلر در اینجا دیگر صرفاً یک نظریهپرداز تمدن نیست، بلکه میشود گفت نوعی شَمّ سیاسی-اجتماعی از خودش بروز میدهد؛ همان قدرتی که نه در آمارهاست و نه در اخبار، بلکه در پیوندهای پنهان بین دانش، خشونت و ثروت شکل میگیرد.
تافلر نشان میدهد که در گذشته، قدرت بیشتر بر «زور» استوار بود (قدرت نظامی و جسمی)، سپس به «پول» منتقل شد (قدرت اقتصادی و سرمایهدارانه)، و حالا، آرامآرام در حال حرکت بهسوی «دانش» است. اما این دانش، نه دانش خالص آکادمیک است، نه تجربه عارفانه، بلکه دانش بهمثابه داده، اطلاعات، رمزگذاری و تسلط بر جریان خبر.
او میگوید: در عصر جدید، کسی که اطلاعات را کنترل میکند، قدرت را کنترل میکند. و این یعنی تغییراتی عمیقتر از آنچه در انقلاب صنعتی رخ داد. ما در آستانهٔ جابجایی قدرت از دولتها به شرکتها، از ارتشها به رسانهها، و از ساختارهای متمرکز به شبکههای نامرئی هستیم.
از منظر اجتماعی، جابجایی در قدرت زنگ خطریست برای دولت-ملتهای سنتی، برای بروکراسیها، و برای جوامعی که هنوز گمان میکنند قدرت، یعنی نیروی پلیس یا بودجه نفت. تافلر نشان میدهد که در جهان آینده، هیچ چیز سختی وجود ندارد که نتواند با چیزی نرم، تضعیف شود: توپخانه را اطلاعات، کارخانه را الگوریتم، و دیوارها را جریان داده فرو میریزد.
این کتاب، آینهٔ ترسناک جهانیست که در آن زندگی میکنیم؛ جایی که دیگر «دشمن» قابل تشخیص نیست، چون نه لباس نظامی دارد و نه کارخانهای مشخص. دشمن، شاید تنها یک هوش مصنوعی باشد که اخبار را چینش میکند یا یک شرکت دادهکاو که ذهن جمعی را بازآفرینی میکند.
جابجایی در قدرت شاید سیاسیترین و تیرهبینترین کتاب تافلر باشد؛ او اینبار نه در قامت یک آیندهپژوه، بلکه همچون شاعری پنهانکار، از زوال قدرت قدیم و تولد قدرت جدید حرف میزند. و این انتقال، بیدرد نخواهد بود. مثل همیشه، آنکه نادان بماند، بازیچه خواهد شد؛ و آنکه اطلاعات را بفهمد، بازیگردان.
تافلر نشان میدهد که در گذشته، قدرت بیشتر بر «زور» استوار بود (قدرت نظامی و جسمی)، سپس به «پول» منتقل شد (قدرت اقتصادی و سرمایهدارانه)، و حالا، آرامآرام در حال حرکت بهسوی «دانش» است. اما این دانش، نه دانش خالص آکادمیک است، نه تجربه عارفانه، بلکه دانش بهمثابه داده، اطلاعات، رمزگذاری و تسلط بر جریان خبر.
او میگوید: در عصر جدید، کسی که اطلاعات را کنترل میکند، قدرت را کنترل میکند. و این یعنی تغییراتی عمیقتر از آنچه در انقلاب صنعتی رخ داد. ما در آستانهٔ جابجایی قدرت از دولتها به شرکتها، از ارتشها به رسانهها، و از ساختارهای متمرکز به شبکههای نامرئی هستیم.
از منظر اجتماعی، جابجایی در قدرت زنگ خطریست برای دولت-ملتهای سنتی، برای بروکراسیها، و برای جوامعی که هنوز گمان میکنند قدرت، یعنی نیروی پلیس یا بودجه نفت. تافلر نشان میدهد که در جهان آینده، هیچ چیز سختی وجود ندارد که نتواند با چیزی نرم، تضعیف شود: توپخانه را اطلاعات، کارخانه را الگوریتم، و دیوارها را جریان داده فرو میریزد.
این کتاب، آینهٔ ترسناک جهانیست که در آن زندگی میکنیم؛ جایی که دیگر «دشمن» قابل تشخیص نیست، چون نه لباس نظامی دارد و نه کارخانهای مشخص. دشمن، شاید تنها یک هوش مصنوعی باشد که اخبار را چینش میکند یا یک شرکت دادهکاو که ذهن جمعی را بازآفرینی میکند.
جابجایی در قدرت شاید سیاسیترین و تیرهبینترین کتاب تافلر باشد؛ او اینبار نه در قامت یک آیندهپژوه، بلکه همچون شاعری پنهانکار، از زوال قدرت قدیم و تولد قدرت جدید حرف میزند. و این انتقال، بیدرد نخواهد بود. مثل همیشه، آنکه نادان بماند، بازیچه خواهد شد؛ و آنکه اطلاعات را بفهمد، بازیگردان.
March 25, 2023
"Powershift" is a book written by Alvin Toffler, first published in 1990, that explores the changing distribution of power in society and the implications of this shift for individuals, businesses, and governments.
Toffler argues that power is no longer concentrated in traditional centers of authority, such as governments and large corporations, but is instead diffused throughout society. He identifies a number of different forces that are contributing to this shift, including technological change, the rise of the knowledge economy, and the emergence of new forms of social organization.
Toffler also explores the ways in which power is being wielded in this new environment, and he suggests that it is becoming increasingly decentralized and diverse. He identifies a number of different "power centers" that are emerging, including non-governmental organizations, citizen groups, and networked communities.
Overall, "Powershift" is a comprehensive and wide-ranging exploration of the changing dynamics of power in modern society. The book has been widely praised for its insights into the new forms of power and influence that are emerging in the Information Age, and it continues to be regarded as an important work on the subject of social and technological change.
GPT
Toffler argues that power is no longer concentrated in traditional centers of authority, such as governments and large corporations, but is instead diffused throughout society. He identifies a number of different forces that are contributing to this shift, including technological change, the rise of the knowledge economy, and the emergence of new forms of social organization.
Toffler also explores the ways in which power is being wielded in this new environment, and he suggests that it is becoming increasingly decentralized and diverse. He identifies a number of different "power centers" that are emerging, including non-governmental organizations, citizen groups, and networked communities.
Overall, "Powershift" is a comprehensive and wide-ranging exploration of the changing dynamics of power in modern society. The book has been widely praised for its insights into the new forms of power and influence that are emerging in the Information Age, and it continues to be regarded as an important work on the subject of social and technological change.
GPT
December 8, 2017
One of the most informative books I have ever read. The author covered a complex topic with such an eloquence just matchless. A prophetic view on future almost 27 years ago is just mind-boggling. I will recommend this book for everyone just to change your view on the global politics and the game of power control.
April 5, 2021
Toffler eternally alive.
Powershift was issued in 1990. It appears that the description, the movement of tectonic plates of power in corporations, social structures and the global order of the late twentieth century, it will be a sufficient argument, that the book is not worth reading.
Mistake. Toffler describes the trends that still exist, and in some cases their existence is felt today more than a quarter century ago.
I think some parts of the Powershift should be mandatory reading for all politicians.
Powershift was issued in 1990. It appears that the description, the movement of tectonic plates of power in corporations, social structures and the global order of the late twentieth century, it will be a sufficient argument, that the book is not worth reading.
Mistake. Toffler describes the trends that still exist, and in some cases their existence is felt today more than a quarter century ago.
I think some parts of the Powershift should be mandatory reading for all politicians.
December 22, 2014
هل تصدق التنبؤات؟! نعم مع توفلر ! قراءته للمستقبل عجيبه،اقتصادياً وسياسياً.
كتاب ذكي إن صح الوصف
كتاب ذكي إن صح الوصف
April 15, 2022
Eye opening and a must read. The power struggle will always persist among humans. You might wonder what would power be based on on the future?
January 31, 2024
The Third Wave and Power Shift are not as powerful as Future Shock, still, both are very good books and very interesting reading. Power Shift deals more with the problems of the nineties, an attack on nationalism and more regressive views, they were not considering Islam a problem to the West, and questioning immigration as a possible issue, only bigotry. Also some interesting reflections on the Geopolitics. The book does not have a rosy view of the future and it is stated in its title "Knowledge, Wealth and Violence", so the book focuses on information and the act of concealing information and misinformation, the use of violence as a resource for intimidation, and social engineering to keep wealth in the hands of the few, and the fear of lack of central control, that would make society impossible to progress.
Read
May 27, 2020Toffler remains remarkably prescient in this 1990 book about how the information age shifts power. The book remains useful, even 30 years later, to orient the reader to the changing winds of the times.
I particularly appreciated his insight about the evolving importance of possessions, wealth, and knowledge (each dominant in its own era), and the implications of basing one's value to the world on one's knowledge (particularly the increasingly short lifetime of a fact).
I admit I didn't read the last part of the book, as it shifted into geopolitical prognostications that I'm sure are valid but are too far outside my locus of control.
I particularly appreciated his insight about the evolving importance of possessions, wealth, and knowledge (each dominant in its own era), and the implications of basing one's value to the world on one's knowledge (particularly the increasingly short lifetime of a fact).
I admit I didn't read the last part of the book, as it shifted into geopolitical prognostications that I'm sure are valid but are too far outside my locus of control.
January 16, 2022
This book is a must-read for any futurist. Alvin does a great job of interrogating the past and present to predict the future of power and authority. He - and his wife - looked deeply into the structure of power in history: violence, wealth, and knowledge to conclude logically that it is the knowledge that will define power in the future. This will change the structure of human societies, work, and organizations.
Alvin died in 2016
Alvin died in 2016
February 2, 2018
Very insightful even from hindsight. Many of his projections did come to fruition, while others have turned out different. Nonetheless, the underlying thought process that led to his conclusions are interesting to read even from hindsight.
February 19, 2020
very good book, it's like an insight into geopolitical space, and how it may look in the future if you interested in the in such topics. What Alvin has mentioned in this book is actually happening, i will give a better review when i get the time
February 18, 2018
A great book to understand how interpersonal power works, and how it is changing with the new technology
August 20, 2019
Not completed, found the book very dated!
June 18, 2020
A lot more detail that I want to wade through but he has interesting points and ideas.
January 11, 2021
Visionary book about current and future trends.
March 11, 2021
fue un libro para mi, en los comienzos de los 90, con el que supe comprender los cambios que ocurrieron, y siguen ocurriendo
Want to read
March 23, 2021Powershift. Puterea in miscare
Cunoasterea, bogatia si violenta in pragul secolului XXI
Editura: Antet
1995
Cunoasterea, bogatia si violenta in pragul secolului XXI
Editura: Antet
1995
April 3, 2022
Dommage que je ne l'ai pas lu lors de sa sortie en 1990 car ce qu'il écrit est pas mal ce qui s'est passé depuis.
August 7, 2022
For a book written in 1990, remarkably prescient.
May 19, 2021
Ну и написал одно и тоже много раз но интересно в целом
Молодец
Молодец
September 10, 2016
This book was recommended to me by a co-worker and reading it now, some 20 plus years after it was first published, it was fairly prophetic. What stood out to me the most was how people often resist change and as a result miss opportunities that the future holds or cannot see the possibilities and dismiss ideas contrary to old school thought. In both cases predictive analysis cannot be employed.
The premise of this book hinges, of course, on Power Shifts (aptly titled) as it relates to politics, wealth and knowledge. Putting forth the idea that knowledge will be the most important. Knowledge has and will always be the most important factor, but I love how Toffler saw the knowledge shift coming along the lines of technological innovation and the sharing of data, or as we call it today "big data" or the Internet of things.
Even though I believe (perhaps an old school idea I should set aside as it is blinding me to future ideas) the economies that are most profitable are those that are most productive, Toffler suggests otherwise. We have, most decidedly, moved beyond the "second wave," or industrial revolution. Probably a time when countries are most productive. There is no argument that we now live in a service sector economy, a time, as Toffler states, when products and increasingly specialized to the individual. However, the history nerd in me suggests that this is a inherent danger to an economy. As it is well known that one of the reasons Rome fell was because it placed increased emphasis on services and entertainment. And I believe wholeheartedly that the past repeats itself. Toffler sees the transition to what he calls a super or hyper symbolic era as a good thing, however. It does really all depend on how information is used to influence an economy.
There is now a plethora of knowledge available to us. So much in fact, that at times it can be overwhelming. And as Toffler states, success depends on how that information is shared and ultimately controlled. Perhaps most telling or prophetic for the modern economic times we live in, is that the economy is overly influenced and controlled by central powers, which will be the ultimate downfall and not because we live in a service sector economy with increased emphasis on entertainment.
The premise of this book hinges, of course, on Power Shifts (aptly titled) as it relates to politics, wealth and knowledge. Putting forth the idea that knowledge will be the most important. Knowledge has and will always be the most important factor, but I love how Toffler saw the knowledge shift coming along the lines of technological innovation and the sharing of data, or as we call it today "big data" or the Internet of things.
Even though I believe (perhaps an old school idea I should set aside as it is blinding me to future ideas) the economies that are most profitable are those that are most productive, Toffler suggests otherwise. We have, most decidedly, moved beyond the "second wave," or industrial revolution. Probably a time when countries are most productive. There is no argument that we now live in a service sector economy, a time, as Toffler states, when products and increasingly specialized to the individual. However, the history nerd in me suggests that this is a inherent danger to an economy. As it is well known that one of the reasons Rome fell was because it placed increased emphasis on services and entertainment. And I believe wholeheartedly that the past repeats itself. Toffler sees the transition to what he calls a super or hyper symbolic era as a good thing, however. It does really all depend on how information is used to influence an economy.
There is now a plethora of knowledge available to us. So much in fact, that at times it can be overwhelming. And as Toffler states, success depends on how that information is shared and ultimately controlled. Perhaps most telling or prophetic for the modern economic times we live in, is that the economy is overly influenced and controlled by central powers, which will be the ultimate downfall and not because we live in a service sector economy with increased emphasis on entertainment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2020
There are 3 pillars of power; violence (force), money and knowledge. As this was written back in the 80s, Toffler was already able to identify how knowledge itself will expand, and overtake the previous 2 pillars of power. His narrative was this will pillar will overtake and the previous 2, though need to work in together for greater influence and control over world events. Information and knowledge, like how power and money, is not distributed equally, and thus creates a new disparity and inequality of life. The key difference, force and money are finite and have limitations, while knowledge is infinite. Thus, he who has knowledge, controls the rest.
"control the quality, quantity and distribution of knowledge within their domains". This line speaks so much and depending on how I wish to take it, it can either be scary or bring me to greater awareness of my situation. Being here in Singapore, I can say I have access to a lot of information, and restriction is low, comparing to other countries. In the past, without improved technology, or maybe a lack of understanding of it, I thought that the internet would be the gateway to unlimited and open information. How that has changed, as witnessing how certain sites and information can be made unavailable to different regions, all under the discretion of the those in charge. Would one be able to gather all critical information freely? Unlikely, and would be reserve for a small selected few only.
As the main pillar of power shifts from force to money (industrial) to knowledge, the ones that holds the power changes as well. Without the ability to change, thinking that the old forms still rules (which many nations and people still behave and believe as such), one will get left behind in the trails of the exponential growth of the pillar of knowledge. When looking at this trinity of pillar, who has them today? The definition and those who occupy the seats of global "superpowers" is / have changed. It's not to be complacent, for again, knowledge changes everything, and knowledge can be easily shared and transferrable.
"control the quality, quantity and distribution of knowledge within their domains". This line speaks so much and depending on how I wish to take it, it can either be scary or bring me to greater awareness of my situation. Being here in Singapore, I can say I have access to a lot of information, and restriction is low, comparing to other countries. In the past, without improved technology, or maybe a lack of understanding of it, I thought that the internet would be the gateway to unlimited and open information. How that has changed, as witnessing how certain sites and information can be made unavailable to different regions, all under the discretion of the those in charge. Would one be able to gather all critical information freely? Unlikely, and would be reserve for a small selected few only.
As the main pillar of power shifts from force to money (industrial) to knowledge, the ones that holds the power changes as well. Without the ability to change, thinking that the old forms still rules (which many nations and people still behave and believe as such), one will get left behind in the trails of the exponential growth of the pillar of knowledge. When looking at this trinity of pillar, who has them today? The definition and those who occupy the seats of global "superpowers" is / have changed. It's not to be complacent, for again, knowledge changes everything, and knowledge can be easily shared and transferrable.
August 5, 2013
Не смотря на то, что книга описывает события в мире на момент примерно 1990 года, она не сомненно, покрывает гораздо большее время за счёт развития идей и тенденций происходивших в мире на тот момент.
Мир открывается для меня по новому - теперь мне более ясны точки приложения усилий различных стран и мотивы.
Что я вынес для себя? Да собственно то, что мне говорили родители: "Знание - сила". Да, не обладая государственной властью вкупе с военной силой и силой денег, можно по-прежнему уверенно себя чувствовать, обладая знанием.
Более того, знанием нужно не просто обладать, но и управлять и понимать, как им управляют другие.
Знание более не является оторванным от власти силы и денег, оно не только дополняет их, но порой и приводит к ним, а иногда может действовать независимо.
Хотелось бы такого же подробного разбора событий по новейшей истории.
Мир открывается для меня по новому - теперь мне более ясны точки приложения усилий различных стран и мотивы.
Что я вынес для себя? Да собственно то, что мне говорили родители: "Знание - сила". Да, не обладая государственной властью вкупе с военной силой и силой денег, можно по-прежнему уверенно себя чувствовать, обладая знанием.
Более того, знанием нужно не просто обладать, но и управлять и понимать, как им управляют другие.
Знание более не является оторванным от власти силы и денег, оно не только дополняет их, но порой и приводит к ним, а иногда может действовать независимо.
Хотелось бы такого же подробного разбора событий по новейшей истории.
April 23, 2007
U must read this b4 having or telling or discussing any Opinion about anything around your world!
it gives u a glass to see!
best sociology book ever!
if u r by any chance a part of the world between 1960-260
u Have 2 read these aalvin tofler series!
1970...future shock
smthing is gonna change,it will change in the fastest way it could!
here he discuss the effect that the rate may cause,& leave
the tehem of the "change" 4 his next book to discuss!
1980...third wave
he define us the chaneg we r facing or going to face in future decades in details
1990...power shift
this change "third wave" will affect the basics of distribution of the meaning of the "power" in society!
it gives u a glass to see!
best sociology book ever!
if u r by any chance a part of the world between 1960-260
u Have 2 read these aalvin tofler series!
1970...future shock
smthing is gonna change,it will change in the fastest way it could!
here he discuss the effect that the rate may cause,& leave
the tehem of the "change" 4 his next book to discuss!
1980...third wave
he define us the chaneg we r facing or going to face in future decades in details
1990...power shift
this change "third wave" will affect the basics of distribution of the meaning of the "power" in society!
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