We need to understand that all this stuff about cyberspace is part of an even larger explosion on the planet, which is the shift from an industrial to a post-industrial or Third Wave world. That involves a lot of issues. It involves issues of power. It involves issues of conflict. It involves issues of what’s happening in other countries, involves issues of dislocations and how do we deal with that.
Predictor: Toffler, Alvin
Prediction, in context:In a 1995 article in Denver’s major daily newspaper, the Rocky Mountain News, an unknown writer outlined a meeting of the nation’s top technology minds – Aspen Summit: Cyberspace and the American Dream II. The goal of the conference organizers – the Progress & Freedom Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based economic think tank – according to the author, was to “create a set of principles that will guide government, industry and society through the evolution of Information Age to Knowledge Age.” Quoting futurist Alvin Toffler, the reporter writes: ”What the Aspen Summit produced was a remarkable and occasionally scratchy exchange of ideas between some remarkable minds. ‘I think the sum is going to be one of many more attempts to grapple with the absolutely, in some cases unimaginable, consequences of this cyberspace explosion,’ said Alvin Toffler … ‘But we need to understand that all this stuff about cyberspace is part of an even larger explosion on the planet, which is the shift from an industrial to a post-industrial or Third Wave world. That involves a lot of issues. It involves issues of power. It involves issues of conflict. It involves issues of what’s happening in other countries, involves issues of dislocations and how do we deal with that.”
Biography:Alvin Toffler was a futurist and best-selling author in the 1990s. He teamed up with his wife, Heidi, to write the bestsellers “Future Shock,” “The Third Wave” and “War and Anti-War.” (Futurist/Consultant.)
Date of prediction: January 1, 1995
Topic of prediction: General, Overarching Remarks
Subtopic: General
Name of publication: Rocky Mountain News
Title, headline, chapter name: Conflict Certain in Cyberspace
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
Business Page 78A
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Anderson, Janna Quitney