One may not think the lifestyle of the Amish is a very nice one but in fact it is a simple, peaceful life that most of us could not possibly imagine because of the modern conveniences that we are used to. Refuting the use of technology such as electricity, automobiles, and telephones reduces some of the stresses that the rest of us deal with everyday.

Being Amish has its advantages, though hard to imagine. Not having electricity allows the Amish to separate themselves from the rest of the world and sustain self-reliance. This creates a tight community that is not endangered by power shortages or influences from television or radio. Not owning an automobile diminishes the need for gasoline and cuts down on air pollution. They also don't own telephones which means that they don't have to be disturbed at home by those bothersome courtesy calls that nobody likes to receive.

The Amish don't receive Social Security or welfare funds or unemployment benefits because they choose to help each other. They take care of their own elderly and dependents. Living in this community filled with brotherly love, everyone is very tightly bonded to each other and all seem to live in harmony. Without the outside influences, families don't have the problems that other people in the world might have. Problems such as teen pregnancies, trouble with crime, certain diseases, drugs, etc... They don't have the video games or movies with violence to corrupt their minds. Instead, these families spend time together in the evenings after their chores have been finished and learn to appreciate the the little things the rest of us over look.

Many people may think this is a boring way of life but it's probably because we've been spoiled with the many different uses of technology. With technology we can do anything, which in turn has made us lazy, ungrateful, and not very nice human beings. By looking at these diadvantages of technology maybe we can all learn to appreciate the simple lifestyle that the Amish lead.

References

Amish Country, Northern Indiana
The Amish And 'The Plain People'