Ordung Amish Communities: A Short Story

Technology has not always been something that was used as a means for people to adapt to new, scary surroundings. Technology is also hard to comprehend when the person trying to understand it when in the wrong environment. There was once a time where technology itself was the new, scary situation many people found them in. New technologies like computers were something people had to adapt to because of how new and strange it once was. People needed to learn how to use new technologies to better society and make life easier for everyone who could access these newer technologies. This point was brought up in Davidson’s essay where she discussed her project at Duke University. The project at hand was designed for the entire freshman class who were given iPods. There was only one caveat being that the students were “simply asked […] to dream up learning

In this article the author, Howard Rheingold, describes his experience when he decided to visit the amish communities. There he discussed why they put self-imposed rules upon themselves. He realized it was not because they resented technology, the Amish love fancy barbeques and electric saws, but they saw that in the “english” world, people are being separated from their community. The amish decided they would try their hardest to avoid this separation caused by technological advances, “Look Who's Talking” by Howard Rheingold, convinces the reader to analyze the pros and cons of technology; to decide whether or not certain devices are beneficial towards people and their community.

We are all victims. We are all victims of being captured into the world of technology. A dysfunctional lifestyle comes to mind when we think of a world without technology. Think about how many opportunities we missed, friends we never met, and lessons we didn’t learn all because we were too busy looking at a screen. The increasing lack of human interactions in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury demonstrates how the rapid abuse of technology will lead to the demise of tradition and a world with little emotion.

Amish culture has been an attention grabbing field of study for many anthropologists. Currently, there population is only present in United States due to various historical events. Although Amish community has been living in United States for a considerably long time now which comprises of centuries but despite all the cultural influences from external forces, this community has successfully managed to retain its original character and essence. Where other communities have showed adaptation to sociological and cultural changes, Amish culture is present in its original form because of their closed social system. Their main mode of subsistence of Horticulture. Although this mode is considered to be a derivative of their way of obtaining financial independence but in reality this mode of living defines their Beliefs and values, Economic organization, Gender relations, Kinship Political organization and Social organization.

The lives of almost everyone in this society revolves around technology. Everywhere in this society technology is used even out in the town. School systems are revolved around technology,

The author eloquently expresses these views in quotes such as, "Secularism, materialism, and the intrusive presence of things have put out the light in our souls and turned us into a generation of zombies," (Tozer 15). The ever intrusive presence my generation of Christians must succumb to is technology. Society promotes technology as a form of idolatry, ever dependable and omnipresent. Advertisements display overnight improvements to inform everyone that technology is quite an unstoppable force; which increases our belief in humanism that just as machinery progresses, so do our own capabilities. This is despite the fact that all electronics have battery lives shorter than the time it took to type this paper.

People can control the effect that technology has on them; they can use it as a utensil to their advantage, or as a weapon to their own destruction. Technology is an indispensable tool that civilization needs in order to obtain knowledge and advance as a society, not just the television and ear buds that Ray Bradbury warns his readers about. Ray Bradbury expressed his feelings about

clean in his morals. His handgun becomes a major symbol of violence and a force that he

There are many different stances one could take on the subject “Unimpeded technological progress is good for society.”. One could agree with Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove, and Bradbury’s The Veldt and claim that technology is dangerous and will inevitably fall into the wrong hands one day. Another stance would be with Spike Jonze’s Her, which brings forth the opinion that technology is both good and bad. Finally, one’s opinion could lie with George Saunder’s “Offloading for Mrs. Schwartz” and claim technology is a good thing. While I can see where both Saunders and Kubrick are coming from, my own opinion is more closely represented by Jonze. I believe that technology can be both good and bad, and that its rapid growth can be both helpful and harmful to those around us.

Watching the Amish riding their horse drawn carriages through Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, you catch a glimpse of how life would have been 150 years ago. The Amish, without their electricity, cars, and television appear to be a static culture, never changing. This, however, is just an illusion. In fact, the Amish are a dynamic culture which is, through market forces and other means, continually interacting with the enormously tempting culture of America. So, one might be led to wonder how a culture like the Amish, one that seems so anachronistic, has not only survived but has grown and flourished while surrounded by a culture that would seem to be so detrimental to

During this week’s reading of “The rule of three” by Eric Walters, I realized what the lack of technology can do to normal people. Adam is at school when the computers crash and nothing modern is working anymore. Lucky for him he has an old car without the use of a computer so it works. As the days advance though, people start going crazy because they are running out of supplies and there are no working electronics. There start to be little riots here and there, but luckily for them, Herb, Adam’s neighbor, knows about this kind of stuff and helps their neighborhood get through it. Adam knows that in able for the neighborhood and him to survive this, they have to work together. For example, it says in the book, “ “. This shows that… This

Have you ever seen an Amish person or group of simple looking people walking down the busy streets of Pennsylvania or New York? This is because they stand out in a world full of noisy commotion with their goings and comings. The Amish religion was founded in 1693 by Jakob Amman originally in Switzerland. They believe in living very simple lives, helping one another in times of need, and dressing a specific way to both draw attention to, and divert attention away from themselves.

The strong nuclear family and the division of labor being gender-based provide the Amish with a strategy to impress upon their children the importance of their beliefs (Donnermeyer & Friedrich, 2002). Young members of an Amish community are not required to be baptized into their faith until eighteen years of age (Kraybill, 2001). Eighteen years living within an Amish community results in these kids knowing nothing else and it is often easy for them to make the decision to continue living their experienced lifestyle. However, should an Amish child refuse, they would be shunned. Shunning is the practice within the Amish community of excommunicating members who do not hold to the community beliefs. Most parents would like to keep their children as close as possible, which is just another motivation for immersing their children in the Amish world in order to keep them from being shunned.

A while ago my mother and I traveled to the Amish Country here in Indiana. A long time ago before I was ever born my Mother and Father lived there with my three brothers and my sister so I figured it would be neat to go back there and see where my family used to live. First we stopped at the Yoder Cheese Shop and had samples of all different sorts of cheese. Then we drove around Middlebury County and saw where the Amish people lived and farmed. I saw them out plowing the field with horses and a pull plow like they used to back in the old days. I also saw that they had clothes hanging out on a line even though it is still kind of cool outside. We also drove past their little school as well. For lunch we went to eat at Das Dutchman Essenhaus, which was in kind of a large barn like building and they served home style cooking. Our food was brought out to us on platters and in bowls just like they would be at home and you put it on your plate yourself. Before we left we stopped in at a little shop and there were all kinds of gorgeous handmade quilts.

The Amish’s distinctive history influences them to be wary of technology. In order to understand the Amish it is important to know their history. According to Funk and Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, the Amish originated from the Mennonite group, but the leader Jakob Amman branched off from this religion and created the Amish community. Jacob Amman gained many followers that adhered to more orderly rules then the Mennonites. Later in the in the 18th century the Amish left Europe and migrated to Pennsylvania to flee persecution (“Amish”). Jakob Amman created the rule to limit technology or any worldly objects that could negatively influence their lives to keep an orderly community. For example in the article “Technology” from Elizabeth College states that, “Televisions, radios, and personal computers are rejected outright, but other types of technology are used selectively or modified to fit