Summary

 In this section of Toffler’s essay, he briefly touches upon what the future may hold for society, given the nature of his suggested powershift.  He uses the past as a template for the future, telling of what happened when the powershift of the Industrial Revolution came about.  He tells first about how agrarian societies made the switch to an industrial basis, turning farmland into urban complexes.  The idea of family was changed, as public institutions gained influence and responsibility for the younger people.  Toffler mentions a change in politics as well, with new forms replacing older forms that had collapsed upon themselves.  New people gained elite status such as the corporate leaders, bureaucrats, and media moguls.  Toffler suggests that the future will be just like the past, and that we are “at the edge of the deepest powershift in human history”(23).

Analysis

 It’s starting to sound like a broken record.  WHERE IS THE PROOF?  Again, in this section, Toffler makes many statements and makes numerous general examples that are very lacking in specific proof.  Granted, they are historically accurate, but it could make his argument so much stronger if he would simply include a sentence or two explaining what his exact thoughts are on a subject.  For example, Toffler states “monarchies collapsed or shriveled into tourist attractions” (23). Which monarchies collapsed and shriveled?  What were the broad factors behind the collapse?  What political form replaced the monarchy?  Perhaps the collapse of the monarchy was due in no part at all to a powershift.  It really can not be determined from Toffler's limited description.  Any or all of these details would supplement his argument very well.  It would put names with faces, if you will.  Now the reader would be able to draw upon the specific historical reference, instead of the general historical reference.  Besides, there is no guarantee that the reader would understand the general reference, but someone with no knowledge of history could get the main idea if Toffler would use the specific reference. Without the specific reference, Toffler becomes less convincing.

 Another factor that influences the quality of Toffler’s argument is his use of the past, present, and future.  Although he is trying to make a point of the future, Toffler continually focuses on the past.  There is both a positive and negative aspect to this approach.  First, it is helpful because people can relate to events of the past, and there is a certainty of their occurrence.  Even though he still relies on generalized events of the past, it gives the reader some sort of reference point to work from.  But the real focus is on the future.  Perhaps explaining why events of the past may occur again in the future, or how they will be built upon in the future would help his argument.

 This section of the essay is just another case of a good idea without the appropriate support.  Toffler plants the ideas of how society will change in all aspects, but doesn’t have the specific details to make his argument completely persuasive.  It’s very effective if the reader takes what he says and believes it, but when the reader begins to demand more proof, then the argument becomes weak.
 
 
 Take Me Back To The Map
 

Works Cited
        Toffler, Alvin.  "The Powershift Era"  Technology and the Future.  Ed. Albert H. Teich.  New York: St. Martin's Press, 1997.  Pg. 15-23.