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Rating: 
Summary: For anyone seeking to understand our chaotic world today.
Review: A business consultant, William Knoke sought to understand
the underlying causes for all the chaotic change taking place
in the world today. His explanation is simple, and for that
reason, brilliant: we have entered the "Age of Everything
Everywhere". Due to improvements in communications and
transportation, place no longer matters. Yet, "place" has
been a fundamental assumption of every one of our major
institutions. Take away that assumption, and things are bound to change -- dramatically! Knoke than goes on to explain how this "Age of Everything Everywhere" impacts our work lives, our families, our nations. His book is a
comprehensive explanation of our chaotic world as we approach
the 21st century, and how to prepare ourselves. Not since
Alvin Tofler's "Power Shift" has anyone brought together such
seemingly diverse problems into a single viewpoint.
Rating: 
Summary: Like sitting on a cast iron toilet seat in Bone, ID at - 30.
Review: Everything causes cancer. Right? Well, this book has thatsentiment beat. According to Knocke's theory, everything in today'ssociety causes people to become "placeless." The author would have you believe that if you aren't connected to a "community" you just might blow up a Federal building, or the World Trade Center, or drop chemical agents in a crowded subway, or believe there is an alien spaceship behind the nearest comet. But, who would do those things? I couldn't put this book down. It was like ripping the ski mask off my neighbor's face and really seeing him for the first time. I kept thinking that the author must be a little off. After all, who is going to believe that Boeing and McDonald Douglas will merge? Yep, he writes about it way before it happened -- AND he tells you why it happened! The placeless society is so unnerving that you shouldn't read it alone. Buy two; give one to a dear friend who likes to talk things over. This book definitely has a "place" on the keeper shelf in my house.
Rating:
Summary: Like sitting on a cast iron toilet seat in Bone, ID at - 30.
Review: Everything causes cancer. Right? Well, this book has thatsentiment beat. According to Knocke's theory, everything in today'ssociety causes people to become "placeless." The author would have you believe that if you aren't connected to a "community" you just might blow up a Federal building, or the World Trade Center, or drop chemical agents in a crowded subway, or believe there is an alien spaceship behind the nearest comet. But, who would do those things? I couldn't put this book down. It was like ripping the ski mask off my neighbor's face and really seeing him for the first time. I kept thinking that the author must be a little off. After all, who is going to believe that Boeing and McDonald Douglas will merge? Yep, he writes about it way before it happened -- AND he tells you why it happened! The placeless society is so unnerving that you shouldn't read it alone. Buy two; give one to a dear friend who likes to talk things over. This book definitely has a "place" on the keeper shelf in my house.
Rating:
Summary: Future Shock for the third millennium
Review: I remember in the 1970's when Alvin Toeffler's "Future Shock" was on the best seller list. I devoured it and made it a central part of my "Weltanschauung". It swept the whole country. When a friend told me about "Bold New World", I read it and felt quite sure it would also make the best seller list and would sweep the country. I was really surprised when it didn't, even though it did go through more than one printing. Some of what Knoke predicted is already a fact of everyday life - five years later. I'm sure a new edition will eventually be printed, but this one is still current.The book is aptly subtitled: "the essential road map to the twenty-first century". The central theme of the book is that we now live in a "placeless society" - a society that is being restructured in every way. How we communicate, how we learn, how we bank, how we fight wars, how we create wealth, how we govern and are governed are all in flux. The world is being restructured for the 21st century. The 20th century will be thought of as the last century when people do not routinely interact with machines. "Place no longer matters". We live in the age of "Everything-Everywhere". He examines the environment, migration, telecommunications, ethics, computers, war, money and other topics. Each chapter starts with several vignettes that take place sometime in the future. A few of the vignettes are a little far-fetched, but most are interesting and thought provoking, even five years after they were written. He has thought provoking ideas in many areas about what the world in the next millennium will be like: Financial Centers are less important. Lenders and borrowers do not have to meet face to face or even be in the same place. Banking can be done across state national boundaries. Paper isn't so important, and neither are middlepersons. Warfare will be changed, since an enemy could attack your capital without ever setting foot on the border. Terrorism will replace warfare as the biggest threat to our security. Government will eventually become a world government. National governments may lose some of its control to multinational corporations. Economy: The infinite global labor pool will cause the labor unions to lose their grip over industry. Robots will continue to displace humans in increasingly complex tasks. The world will not be "unemployed", but rather "redeployed". In the Stock Market "Merrill Lynch's neural network...immerses itself in historic stock market data and teaches itself to recognize patterns of behavior in pricing. ... The more information such systems digest, the more they develop an uncanny ability to anticipate future events." In capital intensive projects such as aircraft or spacecraft, the best technologies from all over the world will be melded together into one or two designs used worldwide. Multicurrency accounts will enable writing and cashing of checks in any currency. Large Corporations will fragment. Telepresence will be developed so sights, sounds and tactile feelings will be transmitted just as words are transmitted over the Internet now. Datasuits will enable people to visit with and touch one another when they are located in different parts of the world. The computer revolution is in its infancy. "The true computer revolution has yet to begin." Transportation Hypersonic flight, supertrains, and highly specialized fleets of cargo ships will transform our world. the expense of shipping overnight packages across the country is no more than shipping them across the street. Distances will still exist, but they will no longer so powerfully determine how society will be organized. Demographics People will no longer have to live where they work. They will no longer be place bound. Population centers may shift, and may become less important as some people move away from more populous areas. Schools and Learning will be uncoupled. Schools no longer need buildings (library, classrooms, auditoriums...). Lifelong learning will be required in lieu of or in place of degrees. Learning will be done in a body suit -- in a simulated environment that responds with artificial intelligence. Education will be redesigned to mimic reality. The student will be free to explore. "Countries that thrive in the twenty-first century will be those adapting their educational systems to the Placeless Society." Religion is likely to have a resurgence as people strive to cope with rapid change. Knoke covers a whole series of challenges the world faces that result from the changing foundations of society: Terrorism, xenophobia, detached labor force, pollution, radioactivity, environmental degradation, social class and a host of other problems. Knoke is an investment banker, business consultant, and futurist. He has written a book that's thought provoking and well worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: Future Shock for the third millennium
Review: I remember in the 1970's when Alvin Toeffler's "Future Shock" was on the best seller list. I devoured it and made it a central part of my "Weltanschauung". It swept the whole country. When a friend told me about "Bold New World", I read it and felt quite sure it would also make the best seller list and would sweep the country. I was really surprised when it didn't, even though it did go through more than one printing. Some of what Knoke predicted is already a fact of everyday life - five years later. I'm sure a new edition will eventually be printed, but this one is still current. The book is aptly subtitled: "the essential road map to the twenty-first century". The central theme of the book is that we now live in a "placeless society" - a society that is being restructured in every way. How we communicate, how we learn, how we bank, how we fight wars, how we create wealth, how we govern and are governed are all in flux. The world is being restructured for the 21st century. The 20th century will be thought of as the last century when people do not routinely interact with machines. "Place no longer matters". We live in the age of "Everything-Everywhere". He examines the environment, migration, telecommunications, ethics, computers, war, money and other topics. Each chapter starts with several vignettes that take place sometime in the future. A few of the vignettes are a little far-fetched, but most are interesting and thought provoking, even five years after they were written. He has thought provoking ideas in many areas about what the world in the next millennium will be like: Financial Centers are less important. Lenders and borrowers do not have to meet face to face or even be in the same place. Banking can be done across state national boundaries. Paper isn't so important, and neither are middlepersons. Warfare will be changed, since an enemy could attack your capital without ever setting foot on the border. Terrorism will replace warfare as the biggest threat to our security. Government will eventually become a world government. National governments may lose some of its control to multinational corporations. Economy: The infinite global labor pool will cause the labor unions to lose their grip over industry. Robots will continue to displace humans in increasingly complex tasks. The world will not be "unemployed", but rather "redeployed". In the Stock Market "Merrill Lynch's neural network...immerses itself in historic stock market data and teaches itself to recognize patterns of behavior in pricing. ... The more information such systems digest, the more they develop an uncanny ability to anticipate future events." In capital intensive projects such as aircraft or spacecraft, the best technologies from all over the world will be melded together into one or two designs used worldwide. Multicurrency accounts will enable writing and cashing of checks in any currency. Large Corporations will fragment. Telepresence will be developed so sights, sounds and tactile feelings will be transmitted just as words are transmitted over the Internet now. Datasuits will enable people to visit with and touch one another when they are located in different parts of the world. The computer revolution is in its infancy. "The true computer revolution has yet to begin." Transportation Hypersonic flight, supertrains, and highly specialized fleets of cargo ships will transform our world. the expense of shipping overnight packages across the country is no more than shipping them across the street. Distances will still exist, but they will no longer so powerfully determine how society will be organized. Demographics People will no longer have to live where they work. They will no longer be place bound. Population centers may shift, and may become less important as some people move away from more populous areas. Schools and Learning will be uncoupled. Schools no longer need buildings (library, classrooms, auditoriums...). Lifelong learning will be required in lieu of or in place of degrees. Learning will be done in a body suit -- in a simulated environment that responds with artificial intelligence. Education will be redesigned to mimic reality. The student will be free to explore. "Countries that thrive in the twenty-first century will be those adapting their educational systems to the Placeless Society." Religion is likely to have a resurgence as people strive to cope with rapid change. Knoke covers a whole series of challenges the world faces that result from the changing foundations of society: Terrorism, xenophobia, detached labor force, pollution, radioactivity, environmental degradation, social class and a host of other problems. Knoke is an investment banker, business consultant, and futurist. He has written a book that's thought provoking and well worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: Well worth reading
Review: I remember in the 1970's when Future Shock was on the best seller list. I devoured it and made it a central part of my Weltanschauung. It swept the whole country. When a friend told me about Bold New World, I read it and felt quite sure it would also make the best seller list and would sweep the country. I was really surprised when it didn't. Some of what Knoke predicted is already a fact of everyday life - five years later. The book is aptly subtitled: the essential road map to the twenty-first century. The central theme of the book is that we now live in a placeless society - a society that is being restructured in every way. How we communicate, how we learn, how we bank, how we fight wars, how we create wealth, how we govern and are governed are all in flux. The world is being restructured for the 21st century. The 20th century will be thought of as the last century when people do not routinely interact with machines. Place no longer matters. We live in the age of Everything-Everywhere. He examines the environment, migration, telecommunications, ethics, computers, war, money and other topics. Each chapter starts with several vignettes that take place sometime in the future. A few of the vignettes are a little far-fetched, but most are interesting and thought provoking, even five years after they were written. He has thought provoking ideas in many areas about what the world in the next millennium will be like: FINANCIAL CENTERS are less important. Lenders and borrowers do not have to meet face to face or even be in the same place. Banking can be done across state national boundaries. Paper isn't so important, and neither are middlepersons. WARFARE will be changed, since an enemy could attack your capital without ever setting foot on the border. TERRORISM will replace warfare as the biggest threat to our security. Government will eventually become a world government. National governments may lose some of its control to multinational corporations. ECONOMY The infinite global labor pool will cause the labor unions to lose their grip over industry. Robots will continue to displace humans in increasingly complex tasks. The world will not be unemployed, but rather redeployed. In the Stock Market "Merrill Lynch's neural network...immerses itself in historic stock market data and teaches itself to recognize patterns of behavior in pricing. ... The more information such systems digest, the more they develop an uncanny ability to anticipate future events." In capital intensive projects such as aircraft or spacecraft, the best technologies from all over the world will be melded together into one or two designs used worldwide. Multicurrency accounts will enable writing and cashing of checks in any currency. LARGE CORPORATIONS will fragment. TELEPRESENCE will be developed so sights, sounds and tactile feelings will be transmitted just as words are transmitted over the Internet now. Datasuits will enable people to visit with and touch one another when they are located in different parts of the world. The computer revolution is in its infancy. "The true computer revolution has yet to begin." TRANSPORTATION Hypersonic flight, supertrains, and highly specialized fleets of cargo ships will transform our world. the expense of shipping overnight packages across the country is no more than shipping them across the street. Distances will still exist, but they will no longer so powerfully determine how society will be organized. DEMOGRAPHICS People will no longer have to live where they work. They will no longer be place bound. Population centers may shift, and may become less important as some people move away from more populous areas. SCHOOLS AND LEARNING will be uncoupled. Schools no longer need buildings (library, classrooms,auditoriums...). Lifelong learning will be required in lieu of or in place of degrees. Learning will be done in a body suit -- in a simulated environment that responds with artificial intelligence. Education will be redesigned to mimic reality. The student will be free to explore. "Countries that thrive in the twenty-first century will be those adapting their educational systems to the Placeless Society." RELIGION is likely to have a resurgence as people strive to cope with rapid change. Knoke covers a whole series of challenges the world faces that result from the changing foundations of society: Terrorism, xenophobia, detached labor force, pollution, radioactivity, environmental degradation, social class and a host of other problems. Knoke is an investment banker, business consultant, and futurist. He has written a book that's thought provoking and well worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: Well worth reading
Review: I remember in the 1970's when Future Shock was on the best seller list. I devoured it and made it a central part of my Weltanschauung. It swept the whole country. When a friend told me about Bold New World, I read it and felt quite sure it would also make the best seller list and would sweep the country. I was really surprised when it didn't. Some of what Knoke predicted is already a fact of everyday life - five years later. The book is aptly subtitled: the essential road map to the twenty-first century. The central theme of the book is that we now live in a placeless society - a society that is being restructured in every way. How we communicate, how we learn, how we bank, how we fight wars, how we create wealth, how we govern and are governed are all in flux. The world is being restructured for the 21st century. The 20th century will be thought of as the last century when people do not routinely interact with machines. Place no longer matters. We live in the age of Everything-Everywhere. He examines the environment, migration, telecommunications, ethics, computers, war, money and other topics. Each chapter starts with several vignettes that take place sometime in the future. A few of the vignettes are a little far-fetched, but most are interesting and thought provoking, even five years after they were written. He has thought provoking ideas in many areas about what the world in the next millennium will be like: FINANCIAL CENTERS are less important. Lenders and borrowers do not have to meet face to face or even be in the same place. Banking can be done across state national boundaries. Paper isn't so important, and neither are middlepersons. WARFARE will be changed, since an enemy could attack your capital without ever setting foot on the border. TERRORISM will replace warfare as the biggest threat to our security. Government will eventually become a world government. National governments may lose some of its control to multinational corporations. ECONOMY The infinite global labor pool will cause the labor unions to lose their grip over industry. Robots will continue to displace humans in increasingly complex tasks. The world will not be unemployed, but rather redeployed. In the Stock Market "Merrill Lynch's neural network...immerses itself in historic stock market data and teaches itself to recognize patterns of behavior in pricing. ... The more information such systems digest, the more they develop an uncanny ability to anticipate future events." In capital intensive projects such as aircraft or spacecraft, the best technologies from all over the world will be melded together into one or two designs used worldwide. Multicurrency accounts will enable writing and cashing of checks in any currency. LARGE CORPORATIONS will fragment. TELEPRESENCE will be developed so sights, sounds and tactile feelings will be transmitted just as words are transmitted over the Internet now. Datasuits will enable people to visit with and touch one another when they are located in different parts of the world. The computer revolution is in its infancy. "The true computer revolution has yet to begin." TRANSPORTATION Hypersonic flight, supertrains, and highly specialized fleets of cargo ships will transform our world. the expense of shipping overnight packages across the country is no more than shipping them across the street. Distances will still exist, but they will no longer so powerfully determine how society will be organized. DEMOGRAPHICS People will no longer have to live where they work. They will no longer be place bound. Population centers may shift, and may become less important as some people move away from more populous areas. SCHOOLS AND LEARNING will be uncoupled. Schools no longer need buildings (library, classrooms,auditoriums...). Lifelong learning will be required in lieu of or in place of degrees. Learning will be done in a body suit -- in a simulated environment that responds with artificial intelligence. Education will be redesigned to mimic reality. The student will be free to explore. "Countries that thrive in the twenty-first century will be those adapting their educational systems to the Placeless Society." RELIGION is likely to have a resurgence as people strive to cope with rapid change. Knoke covers a whole series of challenges the world faces that result from the changing foundations of society: Terrorism, xenophobia, detached labor force, pollution, radioactivity, environmental degradation, social class and a host of other problems. Knoke is an investment banker, business consultant, and futurist. He has written a book that's thought provoking and well worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: Clear writing about a possible tommorow
Review: Knoke does an excellent job of extrapolating seemingly confusing current trends into a coherent guess about the future.
If you liked Future Shock, or Megatrends, you will love this.
My only complaint is that is seems to be biased toward the
big bussiness perspective.
Rating: 
Summary: COMMENTS FROM THE AUTHOR, William Knoke
Review: We are now in the 21st century, and "Bold New World" has become an international bestseller, now in ten languages. My book is about us entering the "placeless society." The fact that the author is connecting with you just now is an illustration of that. Having this book delivered to your doorstep by clicking on a mouse is another one. My book takes these "connector technologies" as a given. But more interesting are the consequences of these technological changes. How will society evolve? All social institutions (government, villages, factories, schools, families.) developed in a universe where place mattered. If place doesn't matter any more, how will wealth be created? How will jobs change? What will the role of government be? How can you get ready? My publisher subtitled my work "The Essential Road Map to the Twenty-First Century." That is right on. William Knoke, author
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