12 ms·

Believe it or not, the Amish are loving electric bikes

115 points by evo_9 4y ago

yencabulator 4y ago
> It’s a common misconception that Amish communities entirely shun electricity and technology. I have no direct evidence, but I've watched & read things explaining this in a way that makes much more sense, including this use of ebikes. The Amish shun things that break their ideal society. They choose to have a single phone in a public place to encourage familial and closely knit interactions only. They avoid cars because cars encourage long distance interactions over local ones. They choose to have a computer for running their business that is not used for entertainment, to encourage closely knit interactions. They choose to not have a fridge so the family gathers for meals at specific times, and you can't just raid the fridge on your own. The technological restrictions are means to an end, not the end goal.
- daveslash 4y ago
  I had the opportunity to spend a week in an Amish Bed & Breakfast last year, in an Amish community. It was a fascinating experience, and I learned a lot about the Amish. I'm no expert, but because I doubt we'll have actual Amish posting about themselves here, I'll do my best to share my understanding respectfully. There are multiple "orders" of Amish: The Swartzentruber, Beachy, New Order, and others. There are also Mennonites (with their own variety of orders) which are closely related to the Amish. Different orders have different views towards technology. Most of the individuals we were around rode e-bikes and all carried cell phones (flip, not smart). We were told to feel free to take as many photos as we wanted, but please not of people (outside of my party). Several had electricity in their barns, but not their homes. One family had electricity in the home, but had special permission from the church on account of medical needs. It was all very fascinating. The Amish shun technology for 2 main reasons. (1) Like you said, things that break their ideal society. They want to encourage the family, community, etc.. But also (2) Things that risk their societal independence. #2 was a surprise to me, and I think it's a lesser-known aspect, but makes sense. Their persecution in the late 1600s & early 1700s in Europe is core to their cultural identity. Shunning modern ways is a way to buffer themselves against a recurrence and ensure long-term safety. They can be and are very open to adopting modern ways, but they need time (often decades or more) to assess and allow modern ways to be proven. In that sense, they're not shunning technology so much as they are sticking with what's been proven to work -- if it ain't broke, don't fix it! The horse and buggy has been proven as a viable long-term solution, so why switch? Adopting modern vehicles puts them at risk, because they then become dependent on global supply chains, which are not proven to be long-term reliable.
recuter 4y ago
The Amish are famous for shunning technology. But their secret love affair with the cell phone is causing an uproar. -- https://www.wired.com/1999/01/amish/ https://www.wired.com/1999/01/amish/ Pimp my buggy (led lights): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ3Z_0aKWyY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ3Z_0aKWyY Etsy swag: https://www.etsy.com/market/amish_made https://www.etsy.com/market/amish_made I am positively uproarious, Hochstetler!
- AussieWog93 4y ago
  Wow, those Amish made leather goods look amazing. Wouldn't be surprised if a whole lot of it turned out to be fake though...
- treeman79 4y ago
  I knew a wood worker in Floria who made great stuff but his Etsy was a total flop. He moved and changed address on site to North Carolina. He can’t keep up with orders now. No other changes. Same products, no advertising.
loeg 4y ago
> David Mullet, a member of the Old Order Amish Church and the owner of E-bikes of Holmes County, a popular bicycle shop in a heavily Amish-populated area of Ohio, explained that e-bikes are simply faster and easier than horses. Well, certainly, but so are other vehicles you shun. I don’t get it, but I don’t really need to, either.
- kiba 4y ago
  The Amish has a more intentional approach to technology than a lot of us. They don't consider just the benefit but the downside.
  - gptgpp 4y ago
    [flagged]
    - ramijames 4y ago
      You know what will never go over with a crowd of smart people? Thinking you are smarter than them.
    - 77pt77 4y ago
      You can't connect with what doesn't exist.
  - red-iron-pine 4y ago
    There is an awful lot of debates as to the downsides of technology -- you're on HN, killer, it's what we do all day. The Chinese government restricted video games; the US gov may punt on TikTok. It comes up a lot, it's just that Capitalism is trying pretty damn hard to shove this tech down your throat. By comparison, the Amish are pretty much disconnected from the modern capitalist world, except when they have to be.
- paulcole 4y ago
  It’s the same as any other religion or hobby. Follow the rules you like and either ignore, bend, or change the ones you don’t. Like kicking your ball out of a buried lie in a sand trap when you’re a 32-handicap.
yawnxyz 4y ago
> It is common for Amish areas to avoid dependence on the outside world, and thus the communities that do use electricity will often rely heavily on solar panels and other local forms of electricity generation. > That aligns well with electric bicycles, which have small batteries that are easily charged by equally small solar panels. > Mullet’s bike shop is entirely off-grid, with two dozen solar panels on the roof to power the store’s electricity. Public e-bike charging stations are also becoming more popular in Amish country, which are simple to create with a series of outdoor weather-protected 120VAC outlets. It's really cool that what Amish actually care about is avoiding over-dependence. To me it kind of feels like all the people here who self-host their emails etc. — it's not because they shun the technology itself, they just want to be in control of their entire stack. In some ways, doesn't this put the Amish squarely in the "hacker" demographic?
- tzs 4y ago
  > In some ways, doesn't this put the Amish squarely in the "hacker" demographic? Yes. You might enjoy this article [1]. [1] https://kk.org/thetechnium/amish-hackers-a/ https://kk.org/thetechnium/amish-hackers-a/
  - yawnxyz 4y ago
    I did enjoy that article! Thanks for sharing
  - sjs382 4y ago
    There are different communities with different rules. See how one uses power tools: https://youtu.be/m0qenuKmong https://youtu.be/m0qenuKmong
    - debacle 4y ago
      The Mennonites that have done work for me can use a battery powered tool, an air powered tool attached to a compressor on a generator, an air powered tool on my compressor (but not theirs) plugged into my house (but not by them), a wired tool plugged into a generator, but not a wired tool plugged into my house. I just smile and nod.
BenFranklin100 4y ago
I bet in many cases those e-bikes are a more efficient means of transportation. Bikes can transport more people per unit area than cars. They also have lower pollution levels too, even in comparison to cars who produce significant particulate matter due to the tires. It’s a bit of irony that Amish communities are using a technologically superior means of urban transit than the average American suburb.
tasuki 4y ago
> Some people are commuting eight to ten miles, some only one or two miles, but they jump on their bike and go. With a traditional bike, that would never have been considered. Why not? I used to commute 13 km (almost exactly 8 miles) each way on a traditional bike. When the weather was nice, I often took one of the more scenic and much longer routes back home.
- MandieD 4y ago
  8 to 10 miles on a traditional bike is just enough work and time to make it impractical for a lot of people, where an e-bike reduces both margins just enough.
n-ata 4y ago
Amish areas rearly dependent to the outside world, and thus the communities that do use electricity will often rely heavily on solar panels and other local forms of electricity generation.
theandrewbailey 4y ago
> Many Amish are permitted to ride in cars that they don’t own or operate themselves, which means it can be common to hire a driver for specific trips. I grew up in Knox County, Ohio, just next to Holmes County. I heard of many Amish families owning a van, but not driving it themselves, usually opting for an "englishman"[0] neighbor to drive them into town or wherever. [0] The Amish term for non-Amish people.
anonymoose33282 4y ago
I grew up in an area with quite a few Amish, and it is interesting how tech from the past 10 years has affected that community. Like the article says, not all Amish follow the same rules, nor do they abstain entirely from electricity (only some do). For example, it’s very popular for some Amish to have phones and do business with locals via FaceBook. Would be wild to see one of my old neighbors now, cruising down a dirt road on an electric bike, holding onto his straw hat.

115 points by evo_9 4y ago

> It’s a common misconception that Amish communities entirely shun electricity and technology. I have no direct evidence, but I've watched & read things explaining this in a way that makes much more sense, including this use of ebikes. The Amish shun things that break their ideal society. They choose to have a single phone in a public place to encourage familial and closely knit interactions only. They avoid cars because cars encourage long distance interactions over local ones. They choose to have a computer for running their business that is not used for entertainment, to encourage closely knit interactions. They choose to not have a fridge so the family gathers for meals at specific times, and you can't just raid the fridge on your own. The technological restrictions are means to an end, not the end goal.

daveslash 4y ago
I had the opportunity to spend a week in an Amish Bed & Breakfast last year, in an Amish community. It was a fascinating experience, and I learned a lot about the Amish. I'm no expert, but because I doubt we'll have actual Amish posting about themselves here, I'll do my best to share my understanding respectfully. There are multiple "orders" of Amish: The Swartzentruber, Beachy, New Order, and others. There are also Mennonites (with their own variety of orders) which are closely related to the Amish. Different orders have different views towards technology. Most of the individuals we were around rode e-bikes and all carried cell phones (flip, not smart). We were told to feel free to take as many photos as we wanted, but please not of people (outside of my party). Several had electricity in their barns, but not their homes. One family had electricity in the home, but had special permission from the church on account of medical needs. It was all very fascinating. The Amish shun technology for 2 main reasons. (1) Like you said, things that break their ideal society. They want to encourage the family, community, etc.. But also (2) Things that risk their societal independence. #2 was a surprise to me, and I think it's a lesser-known aspect, but makes sense. Their persecution in the late 1600s & early 1700s in Europe is core to their cultural identity. Shunning modern ways is a way to buffer themselves against a recurrence and ensure long-term safety. They can be and are very open to adopting modern ways, but they need time (often decades or more) to assess and allow modern ways to be proven. In that sense, they're not shunning technology so much as they are sticking with what's been proven to work -- if it ain't broke, don't fix it! The horse and buggy has been proven as a viable long-term solution, so why switch? Adopting modern vehicles puts them at risk, because they then become dependent on global supply chains, which are not proven to be long-term reliable.

recuter 4y ago

The Amish are famous for shunning technology. But their secret love affair with the cell phone is causing an uproar. -- https://www.wired.com/1999/01/amish/ https://www.wired.com/1999/01/amish/ Pimp my buggy (led lights): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ3Z_0aKWyY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ3Z_0aKWyY Etsy swag: https://www.etsy.com/market/amish_made https://www.etsy.com/market/amish_made I am positively uproarious, Hochstetler!

AussieWog93 4y ago
Wow, those Amish made leather goods look amazing. Wouldn't be surprised if a whole lot of it turned out to be fake though...
treeman79 4y ago
I knew a wood worker in Floria who made great stuff but his Etsy was a total flop. He moved and changed address on site to North Carolina. He can’t keep up with orders now. No other changes. Same products, no advertising.

loeg 4y ago

> David Mullet, a member of the Old Order Amish Church and the owner of E-bikes of Holmes County, a popular bicycle shop in a heavily Amish-populated area of Ohio, explained that e-bikes are simply faster and easier than horses. Well, certainly, but so are other vehicles you shun. I don’t get it, but I don’t really need to, either.

kiba 4y ago
The Amish has a more intentional approach to technology than a lot of us. They don't consider just the benefit but the downside.
- gptgpp 4y ago
  [flagged]
  - ramijames 4y ago
    You know what will never go over with a crowd of smart people? Thinking you are smarter than them.
  - 77pt77 4y ago
    You can't connect with what doesn't exist.
- red-iron-pine 4y ago
  There is an awful lot of debates as to the downsides of technology -- you're on HN, killer, it's what we do all day. The Chinese government restricted video games; the US gov may punt on TikTok. It comes up a lot, it's just that Capitalism is trying pretty damn hard to shove this tech down your throat. By comparison, the Amish are pretty much disconnected from the modern capitalist world, except when they have to be.
paulcole 4y ago
It’s the same as any other religion or hobby. Follow the rules you like and either ignore, bend, or change the ones you don’t. Like kicking your ball out of a buried lie in a sand trap when you’re a 32-handicap.

yawnxyz 4y ago

> It is common for Amish areas to avoid dependence on the outside world, and thus the communities that do use electricity will often rely heavily on solar panels and other local forms of electricity generation. > That aligns well with electric bicycles, which have small batteries that are easily charged by equally small solar panels. > Mullet’s bike shop is entirely off-grid, with two dozen solar panels on the roof to power the store’s electricity. Public e-bike charging stations are also becoming more popular in Amish country, which are simple to create with a series of outdoor weather-protected 120VAC outlets. It's really cool that what Amish actually care about is avoiding over-dependence. To me it kind of feels like all the people here who self-host their emails etc. — it's not because they shun the technology itself, they just want to be in control of their entire stack. In some ways, doesn't this put the Amish squarely in the "hacker" demographic?

tzs 4y ago
> In some ways, doesn't this put the Amish squarely in the "hacker" demographic? Yes. You might enjoy this article [1]. [1] https://kk.org/thetechnium/amish-hackers-a/ https://kk.org/thetechnium/amish-hackers-a/
- yawnxyz 4y ago
  I did enjoy that article! Thanks for sharing
- sjs382 4y ago
  There are different communities with different rules. See how one uses power tools: https://youtu.be/m0qenuKmong https://youtu.be/m0qenuKmong
  - debacle 4y ago
    The Mennonites that have done work for me can use a battery powered tool, an air powered tool attached to a compressor on a generator, an air powered tool on my compressor (but not theirs) plugged into my house (but not by them), a wired tool plugged into a generator, but not a wired tool plugged into my house. I just smile and nod.

BenFranklin100 4y ago

I bet in many cases those e-bikes are a more efficient means of transportation. Bikes can transport more people per unit area than cars. They also have lower pollution levels too, even in comparison to cars who produce significant particulate matter due to the tires. It’s a bit of irony that Amish communities are using a technologically superior means of urban transit than the average American suburb.

tasuki 4y ago

> Some people are commuting eight to ten miles, some only one or two miles, but they jump on their bike and go. With a traditional bike, that would never have been considered. Why not? I used to commute 13 km (almost exactly 8 miles) each way on a traditional bike. When the weather was nice, I often took one of the more scenic and much longer routes back home.

MandieD 4y ago
8 to 10 miles on a traditional bike is just enough work and time to make it impractical for a lot of people, where an e-bike reduces both margins just enough.

n-ata 4y ago

Amish areas rearly dependent to the outside world, and thus the communities that do use electricity will often rely heavily on solar panels and other local forms of electricity generation.

theandrewbailey 4y ago

> Many Amish are permitted to ride in cars that they don’t own or operate themselves, which means it can be common to hire a driver for specific trips. I grew up in Knox County, Ohio, just next to Holmes County. I heard of many Amish families owning a van, but not driving it themselves, usually opting for an "englishman"[0] neighbor to drive them into town or wherever. [0] The Amish term for non-Amish people.

anonymoose33282 4y ago

I grew up in an area with quite a few Amish, and it is interesting how tech from the past 10 years has affected that community. Like the article says, not all Amish follow the same rules, nor do they abstain entirely from electricity (only some do). For example, it’s very popular for some Amish to have phones and do business with locals via FaceBook. Would be wild to see one of my old neighbors now, cruising down a dirt road on an electric bike, holding onto his straw hat.