future shock

noun

1. physical and psychological disturbance caused by a person's inability to cope with very rapid social and technological change.
2. any overload of a person's or an organization's capacity for adaptation or decision-making.

future shock

1. A sense of insecurity and disorientation often felt by people whose societies are undergoing rapid change.

Word History and Origins

Origin of future shock¹

On the model of culture shock; popularized by a book of the same title (1970) by Alvin Toffler (1928–2016), U.S. journalist

Example Sentences

Establishing universal healthcare systems and comprehensive social protection programmes will improve the resilience of societies to future shocks.

From No Straight News