Alvin Toffler (1928–2016) was an American futurist and author best known for *Future Shock* (1970) and *The Third Wave* (1980), which analyzed the social disruption caused by rapid technological change. His concept of "future shock" — the disorientation produced when change outpaces human adaptation — has become a widely referenced framework. Toffler's work influenced figures across the political spectrum, including [[Newt Gingrich]], who drew on *The Third Wave* in shaping the [[Contract with America]] and the [[Gingrich Revolution]].