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Technological Prudence: What the Amish Can Teach Us (2011) [pdf]

45 points by johntfella 5y ago

stevenalowe 5y ago
flagged for (a) linking to a PDF and (b) being Luddite nonsense from a decade ago
- hidden-spyder 5y ago
  Not sure what you mean by (b), but PDFs have always been linked here.
  - stevenalowe 5y ago
    my mistake, flag removed
raxxorrax 5y ago
I saw a documentary about them employing pneumatics for everyday devices and they were really inventive in this department. They probably also don't use a compressor, so you have to work the air pump to use the mixer.
- Retric 5y ago
  That sounds a lot more backwards than it is, pneumatic tools are still in widespread use. Wikipedia lists 32 manufacturers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneumatic_tool https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneumatic_tool Dentist drills for example are frequently pneumatic due to higher maximum RPM’s.
  - TeMPOraL 5y ago
    Indeed, and it's worth remembering that compressed air - much like gears and belts, or water and other hydraulic fluids - is a perfectly good way of moving power across distances. Electricity has a lot of nice properties, but it's not perfect for every application. Beyond hand tools, I think plenty of industrial manufacturing machines, including CNC machines, use compressed air as the source of primary "work" power.
    - adrianN 5y ago
      Lowtech magazine has a nice article about this: https://solar.lowtechmagazine.com/2013/01/mechanical-transmission-of-power-stangenkunst.html https://solar.lowtechmagazine.com/2013/01/mechanical-transmi...
  - raxxorrax 5y ago
    Oh, I didn't meant it that way. Here it is a replacement for electricity and their ingenuity is quite intricate. On the contrary, they put up quite a bar that has to be matched by those calling them backwards. Aside from that pressured air has quite a lot of applications. Some high tech robots use pneumatics instead of hydraulics or gas for certain applications. It is not at all a deprecated technology, the principle is more or less the same. It is also 100% more ecological if you use the air pump to power your devices.
- iancmceachern 5y ago
  I've heard this referred to as "Amish electricity"
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
mikewarot 5y ago
This resonates with the thread a few days ago about smartphone use and security. The different viewpoints of the Amish give us much to consider as we go forward with ever increasing connectivity and pressure to be always available. Let's hope we each choose our own course wisely.
kcplate 5y ago
After more than one visit to eastern Ohio Amish country I can tell you the one thing those folks have taught me is that when you don’t pay for cable, internet, mobile, electricity, gas, car insurance, etc… and you manufacture products that people want…you can accumulate a ton of money.
Fjolsvith 5y ago
My favorite Amish meme: Modern person asking an Amish guy why they haven't gotten COVID, and the Amish guy replying that its because they don't have Television.

45 points by johntfella 5y ago

stevenalowe 5y ago

flagged for (a) linking to a PDF and (b) being Luddite nonsense from a decade ago

hidden-spyder 5y ago
Not sure what you mean by (b), but PDFs have always been linked here.
- stevenalowe 5y ago
  my mistake, flag removed

raxxorrax 5y ago

I saw a documentary about them employing pneumatics for everyday devices and they were really inventive in this department. They probably also don't use a compressor, so you have to work the air pump to use the mixer.

Retric 5y ago
That sounds a lot more backwards than it is, pneumatic tools are still in widespread use. Wikipedia lists 32 manufacturers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneumatic_tool https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneumatic_tool Dentist drills for example are frequently pneumatic due to higher maximum RPM’s.
- TeMPOraL 5y ago
  Indeed, and it's worth remembering that compressed air - much like gears and belts, or water and other hydraulic fluids - is a perfectly good way of moving power across distances. Electricity has a lot of nice properties, but it's not perfect for every application. Beyond hand tools, I think plenty of industrial manufacturing machines, including CNC machines, use compressed air as the source of primary "work" power.
  - adrianN 5y ago
    Lowtech magazine has a nice article about this: https://solar.lowtechmagazine.com/2013/01/mechanical-transmission-of-power-stangenkunst.html https://solar.lowtechmagazine.com/2013/01/mechanical-transmi...
- raxxorrax 5y ago
  Oh, I didn't meant it that way. Here it is a replacement for electricity and their ingenuity is quite intricate. On the contrary, they put up quite a bar that has to be matched by those calling them backwards. Aside from that pressured air has quite a lot of applications. Some high tech robots use pneumatics instead of hydraulics or gas for certain applications. It is not at all a deprecated technology, the principle is more or less the same. It is also 100% more ecological if you use the air pump to power your devices.
iancmceachern 5y ago
I've heard this referred to as "Amish electricity"
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]

mikewarot 5y ago

This resonates with the thread a few days ago about smartphone use and security. The different viewpoints of the Amish give us much to consider as we go forward with ever increasing connectivity and pressure to be always available. Let's hope we each choose our own course wisely.

kcplate 5y ago

After more than one visit to eastern Ohio Amish country I can tell you the one thing those folks have taught me is that when you don’t pay for cable, internet, mobile, electricity, gas, car insurance, etc… and you manufacture products that people want…you can accumulate a ton of money.

Fjolsvith 5y ago

My favorite Amish meme: Modern person asking an Amish guy why they haven't gotten COVID, and the Amish guy replying that its because they don't have Television.