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The Amish have negotiated a pact with modernity (2018)

qz.com

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Re: The Amish have negotiated a pact with modernity (2018)

#21

Post by codingdave »

isk517 wrote: post #11
reidjs wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"The Amish don’t always reject a technology, but they have very specific rules about how it is to be used." Maybe they determined a way to use their iphones without them being harmful? I.e. using specific apps or only in certain circumstances.

I feel like depends on whether or not they are using their iPhone while operating their horse and buggy.

To be fair, a horse and buggy is somewhat self-driving. The horse knows how to walk and stop and when to make a noise if something goes awry.

Re: The Amish have negotiated a pact with modernity (2018)

#22

Post by leephillips »

tofflos wrote: post #19
paul7986 wrote: post #2

I live outside of Pennsylvania Dutch country and two weeks ago driving in that area I was shocked to see many horse and buggy drivers distracted by their iPhones.

In a don't-text-while-driving context it might be more suitable to compare buggy drivers to car passengers. Horses are alive and will try to avoid crashing violently.

So, unlike Tesla, the Amish have a working auto-drive system.

Re: The Amish have negotiated a pact with modernity (2018)

#24

Post by posbrol »

h2odragon wrote: post #10
zepto wrote: post #6

Good article in general, except for the title. I know many people and see many people online who understand these truths. The hard part is creating a viable alternative culture that can make collective choices about technology use. It’s also worth noting that the Amish rely on the ‘English’ I.e. American legal system and military for their defense. Their way of life doesn’t stand alone outside of American society.

Committed pacifists may not feel as much need for the military.

Well..depends on the threats to your safety...look at the Dalai Lama who is permenantly (due to a belief system) dependent on someone else to keep him and his ppl safe.

Re: The Amish have negotiated a pact with modernity (2018)

#25

Post by throwawayboise »

leephillips wrote: post #20
moedersmooiste wrote: post #7

I can relate. Even though I own a smart phone, I've turned off all notifications and sounds that can distract me except for incoming calls. Never used Facebook. Don't want a car.

This is me. Especially the car part. Owning a car is such a burden that I’m really enjoying being able to not have one. Of course, some people do need to own a vehicle, but if you can manage without it, I recommend it.

There are places where owning a car is a burden. I have lived in such a place and I didn't like it. There are pther places where owning a car is pretty much essential.

I'd give up computers and the internet entirely before I gave up my car.

Re: The Amish have negotiated a pact with modernity (2018)

#26

Post by satellite2 »

I think this articles attributes intent and wisdom where it is not due and as such should be at best considered a romanticization of their culture.

Even tough it seems they understand the choice they are making regarding some technology and even tough in many case with hindsight it appears that they made some judicious choices for their society wellbeing, I argue they do not have the tools to make those choices in an unbiased manner as those tought experiments are also technological byproducts.

Their stance regarding modern medicine, tolerating it when someone is truly ill, seems particularly hypocritical if not disingenuous.

Re: The Amish have negotiated a pact with modernity (2018)

#27

Post by jfernandez »

> Any idea that technology is an unmitigated good begins to be questioned.

I think that's where we as the more "common" society may have gone off course: no technology (chair, toothbrush, etc to be cheeky/comprehensive on my use of the word technology) lives in a world where it's an absolutely perfect good. Anything can be abused, and when we've though about adjusting or rethinking big internet-based technologies, including social media services, it seems we're not putting enough responsibility on the operators of these services.

To me, that _doesn't_ mean we expect them to be perfect either with the ability to be responsible actors, but there needs to be some agreed upon standards that we can evaluate performance of their ability to act responsibly. It can just be left up to them, which is currently the state at a high-level.

Re: The Amish have negotiated a pact with modernity (2018)

#28

Post by dfxm12 »

sleepysysadmin wrote: post #4

It's not just the Amish. Many communities have decided they wish to live at ~1850. It has always made me curious why, what do they know? If you look deeply in many religions they are the same. Buddhist monks aren't excluded from tech but they certainly dont own any themselves. Why? Because it's something to consider and create desires. Just as they shave their head not because of aesthetics but because now you never…

I have a colleague who constantly talks about not having a cell phone and how freeing it is, but on the other hand, he's always asking someone to look something up, asks for someone to navigate him to where we're going for lunch, asks to borrow a phone to call his wife, etc. It really looks like this guy would be happier with a phone.

Are phones unnecessary? Maybe, maybe not, but IMO, the way to a happier life isn't to ignore things, but to find a balance (or develop the self-discipline) to use something like a cell phone in a way where it can improve your life.

Re: The Amish have negotiated a pact with modernity (2018)

#29

Post by IIAOPSW »

leephillips wrote: post #22
tofflos wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In a don't-text-while-driving context it might be more suitable to compare buggy drivers to car passengers. Horses are alive and will try to avoid crashing violently.

So, unlike Tesla, the Amish have a working auto-drive system.

There's a technological trade off to consider. For example, the Tesla doesn't literally smell like shit.

Re: The Amish have negotiated a pact with modernity (2018)

#30

Post by throwawayboise »

quaffapint wrote: post #18
paul7986 wrote: post #2

I live outside of Pennsylvania Dutch country and two weeks ago driving in that area I was shocked to see many horse and buggy drivers distracted by their iPhones.

They also make use of solar panels on their farms. They just don't use public power.

I don't know a lot about the Amish, but my understanding is that it's less about the technology itself and more about its effects (as is the focus of this article) and also the dependencies it creates.

The Amish are OK with using electricity as long as they can generate it themselves. They don't want to be dependent on a utility to provide it.

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