Technology and Community in a Rural Culture: The Amish

The Amish are a marginal outgroup in the United States who have remained far from the center of the dominant society in their nearly 400 year history. This is in part due to a judicious acceptance and adoption of newer technologies, as these are not viewed as vales free. This highly religious community is promoted as a tourist attraction by various states where their communities flourish. Their culture seems quaint or antiquated, though this is partly due to a preference for older methods of labor and production that have stood the test of time and serve to maintain integrity of the culture. The Amish have been persecuted in past for choosing to be a non-violent culture, which has also prohibited their exposure to various technologies. Their history in America runs counter to the culture and experiences of the dominant social culture, as well as many minority cultures. Their endurance and success run counter to much of the development of social welfare milestones and policy in America. Yet, the Amish represent marginal and oppressed people in immigrant history. Many who promote their culture continue to exploit them based upon the misunderstandings of the larger society. Some who write about them perpetuate these misconceptions. This paper seeks to examine critically via the selection of available historical evidence, and through the historical observations of earlier writers raised in Amish tradition, how the Amish view themselves and concerning technology within their culture.