The Tofflers explained that Future Shock kicks in when the world changes faster than we’re ready for. We react instead of respond, and often shut down in the face of too much of the new.
When our world changes (and it always does, more now than ever) we have four choices. And only one of them is helpful.
DENY: We can pretend that the world isn’t changing, that nothing is different and angrily push back on any evidence to the contrary. We can see the change as a personal affront, and insist that it’s not real or doesn’t matter.
GIVE UP: The contrary position is seductive as well. We can embrace our perceived powerlessness and simply stop trying.
CONTROL: While some understate their power, others overstate it. We can attempt to institute draconian measures, shortcut existing systems and demand that things go the way we want them to. You can hold back the ocean for a little while, but it always finds a way. It’s hard to make the tide against the law.
RESPOND: And this path is the resilient one, the one that not only makes it more likely we’ll achieve something but also engages us in productive work. Responders see and acknowledge the situation, then use their resources to make an impact. It never works out exactly the way we hope, but it usually works out better than any of the other paths.