The 3rd Wave

We are presently undergoing the greatest transition in the 
history of humanity.  It is a shift that will end poverty, racial division, 
starvation, war and virtually all of our present social problems.  
-- Barry Carter, WinWinWorld.net

In many ways, today's society is experiencing a period of profound change. Just like electricity and the automobile drastically changed our agricultural society into a modern one, computers and the Internet are changing our current society into something that's quite different from what exists today. 

This time around, change will be driven by the declining traditions of the Industrial society, as they are slowly replaced by the evolving traditions of the Information one. But just like the previous transition took decades, so too will this one. Such a long time, in fact, that it is often difficult to recognize the changes as they are happening.

"We are nowhere near the information age. 
We are at the beginning of an age of transition, 
which will lead us to an information age." 
-- Newt Gingrich

The Industrial Devolution

In each of the previous waves, the transition to the new order was accompanied by a corresponding decline in the old one.  So using history as a guide, not only will this transition to the Information society take decades, but it will also include the decline of the institutions of the Industrial society.  And we are already seeing the signs ...