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Book Review "Powershift" by Alvin Toffler By Kelly Ward 9.01.03 9:55PM CST I was in an airport bookstore browsing for some reading material for the long flight from Korea to Austin when I ran across Powershift by Alvin Toffler of Future Shock and The Third Wave fame. From the moment the plane took off from Seoul, I could not put this 464-page book down until it was finished. Here's why. Published in 1990, Powershift is the final chapter in Toffler's trilogy to attempt to explain why the sun is setting on Industrial Revolution, "smokestack" economies and a new dawn is emerging in the form of the Information Age. Toffler argues that the new coin of the realm in terms of wealth creation will be based on individualism, innovation and information dubbed the "super-symbolic economy" and will have important political ramifications as this new system challenges entrenched elites of the "Second Wave". Power in the 21st century will still rely on the age old methods of coercion - chiefly violence, wealth and knowledge. However, as the world changes to a knowledge-based economy, old -style authority in the halls of government, business and daily life are being dramatically altered and reflect not just a transfer of power from one cohort of elites to another, but an entire transformation of the way we conceive of power. By the time I made my connection in Dallas, I understood what exactly is meant by much bandied about but often misunderstood terms like "globalization", "Information Age", and "digital divide". I could now place everything from cell phones to the current global war on terrorism within the context of the radical changes in assumptions occurring daily as the information-based economy takes shape. Most importantly, my own previous insights and observations over the past decade that were based only on my own anecdotal experiences finally seemed to make some sense as I read chapter after chapter about mass media, military, intelligence, finance and the role of technology. It is this aspect of the book that will most likely widen the eyes of the reader as all of us probably have at one time or another reached one of his conclusions but just couldn't find a way to articulate it. Consider it "articulated" in Powershift. By the time I landed in Austin, a 26-hour trip, I walked off that plane with a more nuanced outlook on the world and everything about me seemed to make more sense. There are some aspects of the book that will seem dated, especially Toffler's over enthusiasm for the eventual dominance of the Japanese economy, but overall this book is less about "predictions" than it is a prescient explanation of future (now present) trends. Powershift is a must read for everyone, regardless of career path, to best understand the how and why of the New Economy. Just make sure you've got 24 straight hours to devote to changing your life…you did it for Harry Potter, time to do it for the global economy. |
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