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Each of us is born into a particular family, with their own unique customs, living a particular lifestyle, in a particular culture. This becomes our world, and because our brains are shaped by what we know, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking our way of living is the only ‘right’ way there is to be. But there are many people around the world who have different ideas and live lifestyles very different from our own. The Amish are one such group.

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The Amish are people who live in old-fashioned communities. They avoid using any modern technology, since they’ve been taught to believe that technology is a tool of the devil. Visiting an Amish community is like traveling back in time to the 1800s.

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Question for discussion:

If you had to live without technology, what do you think you would miss the most?

I personally don’t think technology is a tool of the devil. But it certainly comes with many costs and drawbacks, and can create all new problems–like pollution or waste, or zombie kids who want to do nothing else but stay inside and play video games all day long. Cars and cell phones are nice to get us places, or to keep us connected to family. But we wouldn’t need them if our friends and family were always close by and school or work was a quick walk away.

Question for discussion:

What other benefits and/or drawbacks might there be to living without technology?

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Instead of cars, the Amish travel by horse and buggy. They don’t get where they’re going nearly as fast, but there are advantages, too: they don’t have to pay for gas, since their horses run on grass, and their trips are a bit more relaxed.

Question for discussion:

What do you think it would be like to travel by horse and buggy?

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When traveling shorter distances the Amish walk. They spend a lot more time on their feet, and a lot more time outside. Without technology keeping them glued to their screens, their children play outside in nature a lot more and roll around in the dirt. Because of these things, the Amish are more fit, with lower rates of obesity and much lower rates of autoimmune disorders like allergies and asthma.

Thats always been the knock on technology: It isn’t so much what technology does but what it takes away. When we spend too much time on our devices, it takes away time that might be better spent on more enriching and productive activities.

Questions for discussion:

Have there ever been times when you’ve spent too much time on devices?

What other things might you be doing if you didn’t have technology?

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The Amish rarely go to the grocery store. Instead they grow their own food and raise their own meat. They tend to small farms right next to their houses, and they (or their neighbors) raise livestock like chickens, pigs or cows to get eggs, milk and meat for the community.

Questions for discussion:

Have you ever been to a farm? Do you think you would enjoy working on one?

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The Amish live a communal lifestyle, which means they share between neighbors a lot more than most Americans do. They rely on each other more, help one another out, and barter for goods and services. Barter is a word that means to trade or exchange: If someone has something they need, they ask for it and then give that person something in return.

Questions for discussion:

Do you ever barter?

Why is sharing important, and what are some ways we could do more of it?

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Amish people make many of their own supplies. They churn their own butter, butcher their own meat, and make their own snacks and candies. This takes more time and effort and might not be as convenient as buying packaged foods from the store, but there are also rewards. Have you ever made your own batch of cookies fresh from the oven? If you have, I bet you’ll say they were better than the ones you buy from the store. The Amish eat such wholesome, homemade foods all the time.

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The Amish even make their own tools, toys and furniture. This requires a lot more effort than buying these things from the store, but it also delivers the pride and satisfaction that comes from creating something with your own hands and being proud of your work.

Question for discussion: If you could make something useful on our own, what would you make?

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Without things like television or video games to occupy their time, Amish children learn to create their own entertainment. They tell stories. They come up with their own games to play with friends. They explore the world and play with nothing more than their imagination to guide them.

Questions for discussion: Why do you think it’s so important to use your imagination? Have you ever invented a game to play all on your own?

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Despite these differences, beneath the surface Amish people are just like you and I: They are people with feelings, people who love and are loved by those around them, people with hopes and dreams who want to live a happy and fulfilling life filled with wonderful experiences. It’s important to remember that no matter how different someone else might seem, no matter how strange or unfamiliar their behavior might be, we’re all much more alike than we are different.

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