Amish Hackers

The Tech­nium: Amish Hack­ers:

The Amish have the undeserved repu­ta­tion of being lud­dites, of people who refuse to employ new tech­no­logy. It’s well know the strict­est of them don’t use elec­tri­city, or auto­mo­biles, but rather farm with manual tools and ride in a horse and buggy. In any debate about the mer­its of embra­cing new tech­no­logy, the Amish stand out as offer­ing an hon­or­able altern­at­ive of refusal. Yet Amish lives are any­thing but anti-technological. In fact on my sev­eral vis­its with them, I have found them to be ingeni­ous hack­ers and tinkers, the ulti­mate makers and do-it-yourselfers and sur­pris­ingly pro technology.

Fas­cin­at­ing article.

(Via Kevin Kelly.)