Why the Amish Reject Phones: It's About Community, Not Tech
The Amish don't avoid technology because they're stuck in the past. They're protecting something precious: the face-to-face connections that hold their communities together.
For centuries, the Amish have puzzled outsiders with their horse-drawn buggies and hand-sewn clothes. But the reason behind their tech-free lifestyle isn't what most people think.
A new PBS documentary reveals the Amish didn't always live in isolation. From the mid-1700s to the mid-1800s, they shared towns with their neighbors in Pennsylvania, speaking the same language and living similar lives.
Everything changed with the Industrial Revolution. As their neighbors embraced factory-made clothing and modern conveniences, the Amish grew uneasy, but not for the reasons you might expect.
"The focus on Amish society is on the community, always on the community," explains sociologist Donald B. Kraybill. "In American life, the focus is on the individual getting ahead."
The telephone became the breaking point. By 1910, the Amish banned phones from their homes, though they still allowed public phone use. Their concern wasn't about the technology itself but what it would replace.
"If you have a phone and you can call, why visit?" Kraybill asks. "Why go and see the person?"
The same logic applies to cars. Amish people will ride in someone else's vehicle, but owning one threatens community bonds. "If you give someone the keys to the car, they're going to go off to the city," Kraybill notes. "The car will fragment our community."
Why This Inspires
In our hyperconnected but often lonely world, the Amish offer a radical alternative. They've chosen deep relationships over convenience, togetherness over individual achievement.
Anthropologist Karen M. Johnson-Weiner explains their mindset: "They are working together to actively live according to Christ's teachings. We are pilgrims passing through this world. We don't get attached to the things of this world."
Their practices aren't about rejecting progress but protecting what matters most. Every choice, from oil lamps to hand-sewn buttons, serves a single purpose: keeping their local church community strong and connected.
The Amish remind us that sometimes the most radical act is simply choosing to show up in person.
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Based on reporting by Upworthy
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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