Comments on: How the Amish Hack Technology to Meet Their Needs and Beliefs http://www.neatorama.com/2009/02/14/how-the-amish-hack-technology-to-meet-their-needs-and-beliefs/ The Neat Side of the Web Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:00:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: CKS2996 http://www.neatorama.com/2009/02/14/how-the-amish-hack-technology-to-meet-their-needs-and-beliefs/comment-page-1/#comment-1486472 CKS2996 Sun, 15 Feb 2009 20:07:57 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2009/02/14/how-the-amish-hack-technology-to-meet-their-needs-and-beliefs/#comment-1486472 I live in a community that has a number of Amish families and we get along with them. They use small gas engines left and right, and "mainline" diesel power engines, as well as minimal electricity for when they absolutely need it. They are a bit more liberal about what "need" is though. It stays out of the house, and they cannot have fixed electric lights, refrigeration, phones, or radios on the property, but are okay with renting it from neighbors. They cannot use engines for "motive" power, they must pull with horses or a person. They use the old time manual reel lawn mowers, if they keep a lawn. They are perfectly okay with hiring out certain jobs to people that do have equipment and can operate it. We also live near a "sect" of Mennonites, which can have tractors, but can only use them for field work or their PTO power, never at the same time, and would sooner do "hand" tasks with unpowered tools. I live in a community that has a number of Amish families and we get along with them.

They use small gas engines left and right, and “mainline” diesel power engines, as well as minimal electricity for when they absolutely need it.
They are a bit more liberal about what “need” is though.
It stays out of the house, and they cannot have fixed electric lights, refrigeration, phones, or radios on the property, but are okay with renting it from neighbors.
They cannot use engines for “motive” power, they must pull with horses or a person. They use the old time manual reel lawn mowers, if they keep a lawn.
They are perfectly okay with hiring out certain jobs to people that do have equipment and can operate it.

We also live near a “sect” of Mennonites, which can have tractors, but can only use them for field work or their PTO power, never at the same time, and would sooner do “hand” tasks with unpowered tools.

]]> By: HollywoodBob http://www.neatorama.com/2009/02/14/how-the-amish-hack-technology-to-meet-their-needs-and-beliefs/comment-page-1/#comment-1483024 HollywoodBob Sat, 14 Feb 2009 22:37:16 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2009/02/14/how-the-amish-hack-technology-to-meet-their-needs-and-beliefs/#comment-1483024 There's a company that makes garage doors, CHI Overhead Doors, that was founded by and is mostly staffed by Amish. The factory is completely off-grid and powered by diesel generators. They have computer controlled machinery, massive steel fabrication systems, even vacuum forming machines. Interestingly though, the Amish employs don't operate the machinery, they have a small staff of Mennonites that handle that. But all the hand labor is done by the Amish. You'd be hard pressed to find better built garage doors. There’s a company that makes garage doors, CHI Overhead Doors, that was founded by and is mostly staffed by Amish. The factory is completely off-grid and powered by diesel generators. They have computer controlled machinery, massive steel fabrication systems, even vacuum forming machines. Interestingly though, the Amish employs don’t operate the machinery, they have a small staff of Mennonites that handle that. But all the hand labor is done by the Amish. You’d be hard pressed to find better built garage doors.

]]> By: darlzwik http://www.neatorama.com/2009/02/14/how-the-amish-hack-technology-to-meet-their-needs-and-beliefs/comment-page-1/#comment-1482731 darlzwik Sat, 14 Feb 2009 21:22:48 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2009/02/14/how-the-amish-hack-technology-to-meet-their-needs-and-beliefs/#comment-1482731 There are some Amish who have long extension cords that go to their neighbor's houses too. There are some Amish who have long extension cords that go to their neighbor’s houses too.

]]> By: Skipweasel http://www.neatorama.com/2009/02/14/how-the-amish-hack-technology-to-meet-their-needs-and-beliefs/comment-page-1/#comment-1482314 Skipweasel Sat, 14 Feb 2009 19:40:49 +0000 http://www.neatorama.com/2009/02/14/how-the-amish-hack-technology-to-meet-their-needs-and-beliefs/#comment-1482314 This reminds me of ultra-orthodox Jews who won't turn on a light but will open a little door to reveal a light already light, or who have a Sabbath goy to do the things their creed bars from from doing on a certain day. It raises two issues with me - firstly is it right to try to con god like this, and secondly, is he that easily fooled? Not that I belive in a god anyway. It's just another puzzling aspect of religion. This reminds me of ultra-orthodox Jews who won’t turn on a light but will open a little door to reveal a light already light, or who have a Sabbath goy to do the things their creed bars from from doing on a certain day.

It raises two issues with me – firstly is it right to try to con god like this, and secondly, is he that easily fooled?

Not that I belive in a god anyway. It’s just another puzzling aspect of religion.

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