The Amish
Can you imagine your life without your computer and the electricity that goes with it? The Amish people are living the type of life you would dread. They rely on lanterns for light and horse-drawn buggies for transportation. The Amish are living the life your ancestors from the 18th century were accustomed to. And they don't dread it like you would, not even when the turn of the 21st century promises a lot of great new things.
Don't get the wrong idea. Nobody is forcing the Amish to live the way they do. As a matter of fact, Amish people are made to experience how it is to live outside the community once they reach the age of sixteen, after which they are asked to decide (for themselves) if they wish to get baptized and become full members of the community. Surprise, surprise-90% agree to do so. Going primitive may not be all that bad after all.
A Reflection of Their Noteworthy Lifestyle
And do not be surprised to find Amish furniture that is very affordable. This is yet another reflection of how the Amish lead their lives. This is a community that does not put too much value on luxury or on hoarding wealth. They like their lifestyle the way it is and would not ask for anything more. They do embrace some technological changes, but only if they are necessary and if they do not corrupt their beliefs in any way.
Governed by the Ordnung
The Amish people are a disciplined bunch. They are very faithful and committed to their church rules. You will find it surprising to learn that they don't have a central governing authority, much unlike other Christian sects. They are governed by a set of rules that is just as powerful, even when it is unwritten-the Ordnung.
The Amish subscribes to a literal interpretation of the Holy Bible, and the Ordnung makes sure that the community lives life accordingly. The Ordnung ensures that the Amish people live a life free from unnecessary distractions and that they stay away from things that promote vanity, pride, envy, dishonesty and other such disagreeable traits. This translates to no electricity, no television and no fashionable clothes for the Amish (and definitely no computer!). Every member of the Amish community is expected to live 'the' simple life and to devote their lives to God and to the family and community.
Not too Stuck in Time
Are the Amish stuck in time? Not really. They do embrace technology, to an allowable extent that is, and only after the technology has gone through thorough examinations. They accept a new technology only if it serves practical and business purposes, and so long as it does not threaten the quality of life they have (television and its corrupting attributes is definitely out of the question).
And do not be surprised to find modern amenities when you visit an Amish barn. They do use automated milking systems and refrigerated tanks. The Amish do go practical when they have to. And they do let go of some of their self-sufficiency to make their living. In virtue of trade, they have to conform to some of the outside rules. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration would not settle for metal pails and three-legged stools, would they?
With 90 percent of the Amish choosing to go on living the way they do, there must be something really nice about their way of life. Yeah, maybe going primitive is not so bad after all.