Howard RheingoldThe Amish are famous for shunning technology, but it's more nuanced -- and they are more sophisticated than simply shunning technologies. Unlike most others, they evaluate new tech in light of their values. In 1999, I spent some time in Amish country, talking to people about why they use mobile phones -- and how they decide if a technology is compatible with their worldview.
teevoz@hrheingold It;s about being wired into a network
@teevoz They don't have electricity precisely because they don't want to be too intimately connected with the world. But their social networks are rich and dense. Lots of kids, lots of cousins, and lots of ftf gatherings.
@hrheingold Yes exactly- we saw battery operated calculators, phone shacks, propane refrigerators. But I wonder how they charge the cellphones? My husband, Paul Levinson @PaulLev wrote about this too. Fascinating society.
The Amish Get Wired. The Amish?
Most people consider the Amish an interesting collection of throwbacks who have turned their backs on the modern world. On a recent trip to Lancaster, Pennsylvania with my wife and kids, I found this popular stereotype quite mistaken. Beneath the pastel shirts and black trousers and horse-and- buggies portrayed so vividly in Witness; behind the […]
Half Cocked Law@teevoz @hrheingold @PaulLev This article reflects what I've seen: some Amish communities will let you use a surprising degree of modern technology--as long as its for business and not kept in the home. https://www.grunge.com/608956/this-computer-was-created-specifically-for-the-amish/
