The Third Wave  (English, Paperback, Toffler Alvin)

The Third Wave: The Classic Study Of Tomorrow Reissue Edition keeps to the primary objective of creating a view of the future. With a multidimensional perspective in place, the book expounds upon the Information Age and the transition involved from the Industrial Age. 

Summary Of The Book

According to Toffler, society can be divided on the premise of different waves. The newer wave pushes aside the older wave, comprising of the former societies and cultures. The Third Wave was written as a sequel to Future Shock. This book exerts all its energies on the post industrial age and the associated society and culture. Toffler maintains that through the early 1950’s most societies were transforming into the newer Third Wave society.

The Third Wave offers a number of theories and cites characteristics of this new society. His focus remains unaffected by the large cosmos of information wherein he offers his views on all relevant subjects pertaining to the Third Wave society. He explains the importance of information as a major influence in the distribution of power and wealth. Alternately he also discusses the role of cult in this new society.

The dynamic transition from one form of society to this newer form is elucidated upon by Toffler. He explores the avenues arising from the newer elevated position of information. Toffler goes on to examine the obsolescence of the nation state in the face of non-national entities such as multinational corporations and cartels. The new twenty first century is what Toffler examines and although he leaves important questions on democracy open ended, his investigation into the economics of the future is clairvoyant.

The focus of the economic condition, according to The Third Wave places the premium on knowledge processes and discounts standardization. The high technological advancements are discussed here. A more incisive examination is available in Future Shock. Toffler offered this enlightening expose that transforms the very premise of work, play and success as charted in the former age of industrialisation.

For a book published in 1980, The Third Wave is a weathered and trusty forecast that has stood the test of time even now. As an influential contemporary exploration and an insightful piece of literature, The Third Wave was received well across the world.

About Alvin Toffler

Alvin Toffler is a renowned American writer and futurist.

The Third Wave was written as part of a trilogy. The other two books are Future Shock and Powershift: Knowledge. Eco-Spasm Report, and Revolutionary Wealth are among his other well known books, the latter written as an expansion to The Third Wave.

Alvin Toffler was born in New York City in 1928. While at New York University as an English major he met his future wife, Heidi. They abandoned prospects of post graduation and instead married and worked as blue collar workers to study the industrial assembly lines. After gaining this experience, he became a White House correspondent covering Congress. Fortune magazine hired him as a labor columnist where he eventually rose to Associate Editorship. After leaving Fortune and some freelance research he conducted for IBM, Xerox and AT&T, he began working on his books. He set up the Toffler Associates consulting company in 1996. He currently lives in Bel Air, Los Angeles with his wife and partner, Heidi. He and his wife, Heidi Toffler co-wrote a number of books together. Their themes were primarily centred around themes of digital revolution, communication revolution and corporate revolution. Due to the innovative content, his written works are bestsellers still undergoing reprint.