Page 44 - Arts Management Magazine Future Issue

Alvin Toffler, China, and Me

Many of the times that I have spoken to audiences—from board rooms to 3-5,000 people—I have
pointedly said that Dr. Alvin Toffler was the futurist that most affected my thinking, and that with
great honor, I stand on his shoulders looking into the 21st Century. I had the good fortune to meet
him twice and of course have read all his books.

China has honored Dr. Toffler, as well. People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the Communist
Party, called him “one of the top 50 foreigners who have had the greatest influence on China in
recent centuries.” The primary reason for this is Toffler’s book, “The Third Wave”. Toffler and his
partner and co-author, his wife, Heidi, toured China in 1983 on their “The Third Wave” speaking
tour. This helped “The Third Wave” to become the second-best-selling book in China at that time
after “The Selected Works of Deng Xiaoping.”

When you think of the timing of this visit, it is clear that it was at the beginning of China opening
up to the world economically in the mid-1980s. One could argue that the Tofflers’ visit and “The
Third Wave” helped trigger the economic miracle that, 35 years later, is modern China. That is
influence!

Reading Toffler’s books, from 1970’s “Future Shock” through his last book, 2006’s “Revolutionary
Wealth,” was easily one of the greatest ongoing influences in developing my thinking as a now-lead-
ing global futurist. Many people have associated me with Toffler, calling me “the new Toffler,” “A
21st Century Toffler,” and “the heir to Toffler,” and saying that “with Toffler’s death Houle takes his
place as the leading global futurist today.” Now, it must be said that while each of these comments
thrills me deeply, I am totally humbled by them. One is never as good as one’s hero.

I have had the good fortune to have made three speaking trips to China. The first was in 2015
shortly after the Mandarin version of “Entering the Shift Age” had been published. I was honored

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