by A.R., Survival Blog:

In the fall of 2021, I took a college course titled “Ethics & Social Responsibility in Technology.” The course began by investigating Amish communities as an example of technological stewardship. Contrary to popular belief (including my own before the class), Amish communities do in fact utilize a variety of technological innovations. What differentiates Amish technology use from mainstream culture is that the Amish view technology as a means to an end and do not blindly adopt new tech for the sake of progress. Rather, each new technology is carefully evaluated to determine if it aligns with their beliefs and lifestyle. Although adoption of technology is determined individually by Amish communities, in general most new technology is not adopted. The traditional Amish lifestyle is valued over the comforts and convenience of modern technology. Though it could be argued that the Amish have an overly suspicious view of innovation, it is hard to disagree with their belief that technology has the potential to greatly change a culture.