#31. Solutions for Soaring “Future Shock”
“Future Shock” was a book authored by Alvin Toffler in 1970. It’s a psychological condition that happens when: we are not able to adapt fast enough to keep up with the changes dictated by accelerated - technological, economic, and social - changes. The rate of technological change in the ‘70’s was mild compared to now. Hello: AI, self-driving trucks, warehouse robotics, living affordability, etc.
How Big and Growing is Future Shock Today?
A number of surveys in the first half of ’26 have measured how broadly and rapidly stress is rising for Americans. To zero in on the sources of stress and their stats go to Google (Gemini) to ask:
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Survey results on Americans being stressed
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Survey results on Americans' concerns about AI
How To Cope with Future Shock: Personally and Within a Company?
Again, AI to the rescue. Go to Google and ask:
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What are solutions to Future Shock? (for personal recommendations)
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What should HR do to reduce employee stress due to future shock?
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What are bad practices for coping with future shock?
Good suggestions, but….
What About Closing the Expanding Know-How, But Can’t-Do Gap?
Most individuals and companies already know how to be a lot better than they are doing, but mastering new capabilities to a level of effortless excellence is tough. And, the Know-Do Gap is growing. Thanks to free-online advice (like this blog and site?), the ability to know – what, why and how -to do better (at about anything) continues to grow. But, is the Can-Do capability remaining flat to perhaps declining as more young adults opt for “quiet quitting”?
Toffler advised that: the future belongs to those who can continuously – learn, unlearn, and relearn. Companies, to help their employees, are trending towards “targeted reskilling”. As new technology replaces existing job activities, what new skills might be needed to use the same technology in new ways.
By example, Amazon offers to train warehouse item-pickers to maintain the robots that are taking over an increasing amount of the item-picking. Unfortunately, few of the pickers can master the new skills. And, the picking jobs are disappearing faster than the robot maintenance jobs are growing. More future shock concerns!
The Ultimate Meta-Skill? Mastering the Process of Mastery!
Anyone who has worked hard at mastering two or more skills senses that there are common aspects to the mastery process that underlie excelling at any subsequent, chosen skills. Wouldn’t it be great if schools taught the meta-skills of: “learning how to learn on your own for life”; and, “the art and science of mastering the can-do part of a skills” to an ever-better level? (e.g. Are you a black-belt, second degree at “effective listening”.)
Since schools seem blind to these future-shock-proof skills, then what are – parents, coaches, HR and you – all doing to close the Know-How, Can-Do gap?
For more on mastering the process of mastery, stay tuned to this site.