What technology wants

What technologies do you reject?

The Amish are famous for rejecting technology, but their pattern of rejection often bewilders outsiders. For example some Amish folk use roller-blade skates, diposable diapers, chemical fertilizers, and even cell phones, while rejecting 110-volt electricity, private cars, insurance, and zippers. I dare anyone to make sense of those decisions, even though there is a logic. The tangle of Amish technology might best be illustrated by their farm combines which are powered by diesel engines yet pulled by horses. Outsiders look at that and go HUH? Why pull a diesel engine with horses? Isn't that hypocritical?

No it's not, and more to the point, I've noticed a similar pattern among my friends. I know a guy who uses the web but not email, or who has wi-fi but no phone. When I press harder I find that MOST of my friends have this neo-amish pattern of rejecting some technology but using others.

So, what I'd like to know from readers here is, what technologies do you reject, and which recent ones do you rely on? If you could also give me some clue to how long you've rejected a technology (6 months or 6 years) that would be helpful. The stranger the dissounance, the better.

I may jump in to press replies for clarity.

Posted on March 2, 2004 at 1:00 AM