John Naisbitt

John Naisbitt (1929-2021) was an American author and futurist best known for his 1982 bestseller "Megatrends," which accurately predicted several major shifts in society and business, including globalization and the move from an industrial to an information-based economy.

He wasn't a philosopher in the academic sense but rather a trend analyst and social forecaster. Naisbitt worked as an executive at IBM and Kodak before becoming an advisor to President Kennedy. His real influence came through his books, where he identified patterns in social and economic data to predict future changes.

"Megatrends" sold over 14 million copies and made him one of the most influential futurists of the late 20th century. He coined several concepts that became part of business vocabulary, including "high tech/high touch" - the idea that the more technology advances, the more people crave human interaction and meaning.

His quote about drowning in information while starving for knowledge became particularly prescient as the internet age unfolded, capturing a paradox that many still grapple with today.