future shock
noun
: the physical and psychological distress suffered by one who is unable to cope with the rapidity of social and technological changes
Examples of future shock in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As the traditional Hollywood distribution model reels from future shock, there are some who predict that the next generation of independent, punk-rock film artists will find success on YouTube and other freewheeling platforms.
—
Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2025
Ultimately, this shift toward more robust risk assessment is essential for building a resilient cyber insurance market capable of withstanding future shocks.
—Matt Cullina, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024
More important, building and paying attention to a broad set of metrics for present-day well-being and its sustainability—whether good times are durable—would help buffer societies against future shocks.
—Joseph E. Stiglitz, Scientific American, 1 Aug. 2020
If true once, this hardly seems so anymore in a digital era of relentless future shock.
—Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 16 June 2023
But no one should rely on such policy measures to avert future shocks from severe weather driven by climate change.
—Robert Litan, Foreign Affairs, 26 Oct. 2022
Core resources also power UNICEF's work to build stable, resilient communities better able to withstand future shocks from conflict, climate change and natural disasters.
—Sarah Ferguson, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2023
The answer to future shock is future forecasting.
—Devon Powers, Wired, 30 Dec. 2021
Though Drake and his producers emphasize lovey-dovey samples and lazily played piano this time out, this album could have arrived during Obama’s second term and no one would have felt future shock.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2021
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Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2025
Ultimately, this shift toward more robust risk assessment is essential for building a resilient cyber insurance market capable of withstanding future shocks.
—Matt Cullina, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024
More important, building and paying attention to a broad set of metrics for present-day well-being and its sustainability—whether good times are durable—would help buffer societies against future shocks.
—Joseph E. Stiglitz, Scientific American, 1 Aug. 2020
If true once, this hardly seems so anymore in a digital era of relentless future shock.
—Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 16 June 2023
But no one should rely on such policy measures to avert future shocks from severe weather driven by climate change.
—Robert Litan, Foreign Affairs, 26 Oct. 2022
Core resources also power UNICEF's work to build stable, resilient communities better able to withstand future shocks from conflict, climate change and natural disasters.
—Sarah Ferguson, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2023
The answer to future shock is future forecasting.
—Devon Powers, Wired, 30 Dec. 2021
Though Drake and his producers emphasize lovey-dovey samples and lazily played piano this time out, this album could have arrived during Obama’s second term and no one would have felt future shock.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Future shock.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/future%20shock. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.
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