The Future Shock

Author: (USA) Theodore Roszak
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: The Shock of the Future is Roszak's seminal work that established his reputation, and its publication also marked the entry of futurology into the mainstream of American culture. Under the backdrop of societal upheaval, fleeting information constantly disturbs human senses, novel things continuously human cognitive abilities, and diverse choices constantly disrupt human judgment. When humans fail to adapt to these three converging stimuli of change, it leads to the "disease of change": the shock of the future. The storm of the shock of the future has long swept through some developed countries, and many people turn pale at the mere mention of "the future." They suffer from "fear of the future," begin to avoid the future, and blindly retreat into the past. Under the onslaught of the future, they start to withdraw, refusing to engage with society. Hippies retreat to wilderness, isolate themselves on remote islands, refuse to live in the "real world," and prefer a life of "simplicity and ignorance." They start smoking marijuana because, after numbing their nerves, they no longer think about the future. They pursue ecstatic peak experiences because such experiences allow them to forget themselves. They turn to mysticism because it enables them to return to the distant past. As we read this book, we might reflect on whether we too are susceptible to the shock of the future. The crises faced by developed countries today are a result of the past's blind, one-sided development of technology. Therefore, if we can draw lessons from this, and develop a comprehensive and harmonious society in a planned manner, not only can we reduce many of the crises Western countries have previously encountered, but even when our economy takes off and reaches an advanced stage, we can overcome many crises of the shock of the future.