The following are excerpts from the "Future Shock" by the futurist Alvin Toffler. This book that came out in 1970 took the world by a storm. It was hailed as the definitive work of the decade on what the future may bring. My wife read the book but I have never read it until now (I am still reading it--only a few pages at a time, and only on days when I am on the treadmill). Despite being 35 years old, much of what it says still holds true today. If you have the chance, you should pick up a copy from your library and read it.
I picked a few paragraphs that have words and phrases relevant to the type of essays you have been writing or may have to write.
As forewarned, I am increasing the number of paragraph in the new instalments of my "selected readings."
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The following paragraphs are not in succession of one another.
Behind such prodigious economic facts lies that great, growling engine of change—technology. This is not to say that technology is the only source of change in a society. Social upheavals can be touched off by a change in the chemical composition of the atmosphere in climate, by changes in fertility, and many other factors. Yet technology is indisputably a major force behind the accelerative thrust.
To most people, the term technology conjures up images of (1) smoky steel mills or clanking machines. Perhaps the classic symbol of (2) technology is still the assembly line created by Henry Ford half a century ago and made into a potent social icon (3) by Charlie Chaplin in Modern Times.(4)
(1) Conjures up (an image)/images of : we have introduced that before. This is a useful phrase. E.g. every time I think of you, I conjure up an image of charm and loveliness. The news of the flooding in Southern China conjures up an unpleasant image of death and destruction.
(2) Note: "classic", not "classical" ( One of the frequent mistakes in Chinglish is the use of "classical" instead of "classic."
(3) Potent Social Icon: An Image/Figure/Representation of society that has a very powerful impact on us
(4) A famous Charlie Chaplin movie.
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Discovery. Application. Impact. Discovery. (5) We see here a chain reaction of change, a long, sharply rising curve of acceleration in human social development. This accelerative thrust has now reach a level at which (6) it can no longer, by any stretch of the imagination,(7) be regarded as “normal.” The normal institutions of industrial society can no longer contain it, and its impact is shaking up all our social institutions. Acceleration is one of the most important and least understood of all social forces.
(5) These are known as "one word" sentences. They are used for special literary effect.
(6) "At which", not "which." One of the problem area of student writing is the rampant misuse of "which" when, in many cases, it should be "at which", "in which", "from which"...(a preposition+which." Read: The Which Project: http://www.rainlane.com/dispbbs.asp?boardID=11&ID=17926&page=1
(7) "by any stretch of the imagination"= no matter how far you can try reasoning it out, it won't work. E.g. I cannot be, by any stretch of the imagination, considered as handsome. = I am not handsome no matter how you look at it.
This, however, is only half the story. For the speed up of a change is a psychological force as well. Although it has been totally ignored by psychology, the rising rate of change in the world around us disturbs our inner equilibrium, altering the very way in which we experience life. Acceleration without translates (8) into acceleration within.
This can be illustrated, though in a highly over-simplified fashion, if we think of an individual life and a great channel through which experience flows. This flow of experience consists—or is conceived of consisting—of innumerable “situations.” Acceleration of change in the surrounding society drastically alters the flow of situations through this channel.
(8) "Translate" does not mean "translating from one language to another." Translate is used to mean "becomes", "converted to", "yields", "give rise to" E.g. Working smart, instead of working hard, often translates to success. Smart investment translates into money in the bank.
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The idea of using a product once or for a brief period and then replacing it, runs counter to the grain (9) of societies or individuals steeped in a heritage of(10) poverty. Not long ago Uriel Rone, a market researcher for the French advertising agency Publicis, told me: ”The French housewife is not used to disposable products. She likes to keep things, even old things, rather then throw them away. We represented one company that wanted to introduce a kind of plastic throwaway curtain. We did a marketing study for them and found the resistance too strong.” This resistance, however, is dying all over(11) the developed world.
(9) Another way of saying this is: "Runs against the grain." It means "runs opposite to what is consider as the normal way of things."
(10) This can be adapted to a lot of situations. E.g. Chinese are steeped in the tradition of filial piety. China is steeped in the heritage of respect for the elderly.
(11) Disposable products are also known as "throw-away" products, not "once s_e_x" product--just a joke. Some irresponsible person have been translating "use only for once" by software and ended up with "once s+e+x". This is showing up in many product packaging.
(12) This can also be adapted for many situations. E.g. the tradition for frugalness is dying all over China. The respect for public properties is dying all over the world.
(Update: Corrected three mistakes. Thanks to the sharp eye of SDJ at Rainlane.)
