He wasn't the first person to think about the future in this way, but he was one of the first to put it in writing. He has created a new genre in science fiction writing. In this book, he explores the results of this new technology. He discusses many of the trends that we can already see. Information is the big commodity of the future.
Virtual reality provides a better world than the real one for many.
The world isn't in a total state of anarchy, but the rules of the game have drastically changed, as mega-multinational corporations have taken the place of soveriegn nations. This is a great book, and well worth reading. I hope that we find productive uses for our technology, and don't give in to base desires. A society cannot let the rapid advancement of technology contribute to societal decay and the philosophy that those who have the money and control the flow of information are above the law. Along the same lines, I have played a role-playing game called Shadowrun a few times.