Intro to the Blog: Knowledge & Insight
Monday, August 03, 2020
My first experience with the Amish came just over three years ago. My father and I were driving along the open country up to my uncle’s place, just north of Mount Vernon, Ohio. Cruising at a steady speed, the speed limit of 55 mph, into my view up the road a distance began to emerge a black, squared off object. A Ford Model-T, perhaps, from afar. But, in getting closer, this was no Model-T, from some hundred years ago. No, this was something arguably older. This was a buggy being led by a horse. This was an Amish man, and he was apparently driving home from church. Makes sense being in the twelve o’clock hour on a Sunday. Either that, or he had skipped church to go to the local English supermarket. But that’s unlikely.
Growing up, I had seen an Amish carriage led by horse a couple of times, you know, on random family drives up into northeastern Ohio, to who knows where. I don’t remember. That was the first thing I knew about the Amish: the old-school use of the horse and buggy. The second thing I understood was what most people readily cite, and that is the fact that they don’t use electricity. Of course, later I would learn that’s not entirely the case, but more on that some other time. Third, I knew they were religious. But what kind of religion? Christian? Or, were they like Jews or Deists? Did they just believe in God without Jesus? Didn’t know for sure. But, basic observation showed they were pious and zealous for that religion.
What I am trying to say here is that, just as I didn’t really know the details, not by any stretch, I don’t think a lot of others do as well. Sure, I knew the externals. That’s what a lot of us just ‘know.’ We know the surface things of this or that. For instance, I am aware the Mormons have their own bible. The men like to dress in pretty nice suits. They are primarily headquartered in Utah. But that’s about all I know, or at least originally knew before I did any studying of my own. Nothing wrong with not knowing. In fact, I think that is a good thing. Because without knowledge, then comes the opportunity to learn—to expand one’s mind into something new. And that’s what happened with me and the Amish on that late May day of 2017.
The approach I took, after I had footnoted that horse and buggy in my mind, was to, of course, buy a book in hopes to gain some further insight. “Why not?” I thought. “I like to read.” The first book I purchased was called ‘Plain Secrets.’ This was about a guy’s firsthand account of his Amish neighbors. Seemed like a good place to start. And, the book was interesting. It was alluring enough that I bought a second book, ‘The Riddles of Amish Culture.’ That one gave great understanding. And then a third titled, ‘Growing Up Amish.’ I figured, I had listened to a regular guy’s story, then the perspective of a historian, so why not now get the viewpoint of an actual Amish person. And, man, let’s say, first and foremost, that ‘Growing up Amish’ by Ira Wagler was one of the most interesting books I have ever read (and I’m 36 years old at the time of writing this). Not super old, but I’ve read my fair share of books over the years.
Wagler’s account of his Amish upbringing is so captivating, and his writing style so good—filled with emotion and good storytelling. Indeed, when I closed that book, it felt like I had just watched a really good movie. The story about some random guy’s life never seemed like it could be so interesting. But it was. I mean, sure he was Amish, but there was much more to it than that. It had a good story to it—one with a life changed for the better, and one in which through all the drama, a man ended victorious and free. This book is so good I’ve read it and listened to it multiple times since.
After that, after being hooked and drawn into the whole thing, bit by the Amish bug I guess you would say, I devoured a whole host of other books. Some from Amish people, another by an Amish historian, a couple by people who joined the Amish from the outside. Tried to get all angles. And that’s the thing. Nowadays, perhaps as in no other time, there are so many resources available for a person interested in Amish subject matter. The different angles are there. Historical accounts. Books about the ‘why' behind the way the people live. Haven’t read them all, and probably never will. But, I’ve read a good share, at least over ten books by now. Again, some more than once. They say you only need to read three books on a subject to be an expert in that subject, that that’s more than most will ever read.
I’m not no expert—far from it, actually. However, I do have a peculiar interest in this people, and the way they live. It isn’t just me, though. I’ve come to find that lots of people do. In fact, a great deal of money is made on tourism related to the Amish. In Ohio, it’s made in Holmes County. I understand in Pennsylvania, it’s Lancaster County, which, I have come to learn is the epicenter. (Yes, I haven’t been to Lancaster, but I look forward to visiting there one day and taking it all in). Nonetheless, I have found researching and trying to understand the Amish to be one of the most fascinating subjects I have ever dived into. There are so many facets, so many things to try to grasp, and I don’t think most can. A couple historians have spent a lot of time researching these things, and they certainly are experts. And to them belongs great credit.
Anyhow, as an enthusiast, I have grown a great appreciation for these people and the way they do things. I think there are some hidden things we all can learn from their way of life. That’s the beauty of it. You’re not just learning knowledge, which in and of itself is actually good, but you are also acquiring insights—insights into what makes for good living, good principles, and perhaps even some things that might be good to apply to one’s own life, in whatever way a person finds that possible. Studying the Amish then is fruitful. If you’re a Christian, perhaps it can help you live out your faith better, and more precisely. Regardless, the Amish demonstrate good life principles for one to live by in many areas (i.e. frugalness, efficiency, work ethic, time management, satisfaction with the basics, peace, happiness, etc), and there is a lot of hidden wisdom, gems of the mind, that can be acquired from careful evaluation.
And certainly, not everyone agrees. To say that everyone looks favorably upon the Amish way of life definitely wouldn’t be an accurate statement. There are those who see negative things—things they certainly see as holding them back. I mean, let’s be real, most of us scratch our heads at their rejection of the use of electricity flowing throughout the walls of their homes. We think, “Why would a family want to live without the convenience of electricity, and all the ease that comes with it?” And yet, that’s what they do. “Why drive around a horse and buggy? How archaic,” another might point out. It is definitely slower and less convenient. I don’t think anyone would argue with that—probably even the Amish themselves. “What’s with all the outdated dress? Why do these people look like they’re from the 1800s?” Yes, another obvious question, and a practice that many wouldn’t see as desirable.
But it’s these things that make the Amish who they are. Yes these and others. There’s no doubt about this. If it weren’t for these characteristics, we wouldn’t be interested, right? Going back to the Mormons, we aren’t nearly as curious about them, are we? There aren’t millions of dollars made in tourism over the Mormons. Yet, they are different too. But it’s the old time characteristics (what we see as old time) that makes us intrigued. It’s what makes us travel hundreds of miles to have a chance to see the carriages going down the road, to catch a glimpse of the people in the dated garb. That’s what sells the millions. That’s what captures people’s attention.
As I said, behind these things lies much deeper aspects. And the question is, “Are we ready to learn? Are we ready to gain insight while having fun at the same time?” Yes, this is going to be the purpose of this blog. It’s not necessarily to educate, at least, in the academic sense, but more so to consider, to discuss, things about the Amish. It’s to hopefully gain that insight, so that, perhaps, maybe in some small way, we can better ourselves by their example. Possibly we can find things that do help us live better lives. At the very least, it is to show appreciation, to have that admiration from afar, from the outside trying to look in. And in that even, it is good enough. That brings us some fun in considering various topics. There may be serious times of contemplation, and there may be more lighthearted times. But the point is to gain knowledge and insight.
All people have something to teach—including the Amish. We have something to teach, really, each one of us.
Thomas Jefferson gave us the famous trio of essential freedoms: “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” If truth be told, I think we can safely say, the Amish encompass all three. Focusing on the third part, I mean, are the Amish really happy? Do they embody happiness? My observation, in the research I’ve done, is yes, most certainly. They seem to be a very happy people. Arguably, one could conclude that they are happier than most. For instance, you don’t hear of many crimes coming from their culture, right? Murder and the other heinous crimes, pretty scarce most of the time. Divorce among them seems to be unheard of. Like any people, we don’t want to say they don’t have problems, because realistically they do. But in actuality their issues surely seem to be less, at least, in external appearance.
On the contrary, rather, there is much we can admire. We can respect their seemingness to have it together. The discipline for sure. They’re known to be some of the most faithful and productive workers on the face of the earth. A barn raising in a single day. In the early morning, there is no barn, and after a day’s work, there a big barn stands. Pretty impressive, yes, most impressive. And, as I was saying, they are a people whom holds high moral ideals. Their whole structure is built around quality families. In marrying, they generally are married their whole lives to the same person. Little exceptions. In today’s day and time, again, most impressive. I understand their retention rate to be about 85 percent, perhaps 90 percent or greater. That is, Amish people generally don’t leave the Amish way (and that may be contrary to the wide-held belief).
As I touched on already, there are a vast variety of sources one can turn to—mostly in the form of books. All kinds of books actually. In this great day of seemingly unlimited resources, if one wants to learn about a new subject, often there seems to be no shortage of information. And another cool thing is that books are relatively inexpensive, especially when buying them used. That’s what I personally do with most of the books I purchase these days. And with online shopping, it’s even easier. No need to go to the library like I used to do when I was a kid. Not necessary to hunt around and look on various bookshelves. And a lot of times anyway, there would be disappointment in that. I wouldn’t find the book I was looking for, or the subject matter for a certain area. But, yes, our love for knowledge in America has made learning easy. Undoubtedly, this would make Mr. Jefferson proud.
Up and to this point, I believe I have read 16 different books in some way about the Amish. I’ve watched at least four T.V. documentaries that I can count. I’ve visited Holmes County, Ohio, many times now in the last three years. Truly, I have become pretty acquainted with it. They have a museum up there (up from my location), and it is really thorough. One of the largest paintings in the world by a single person, if I remember correctly, and it has to do with the history of the Amish. Abundance of shops and places to eat, many that sell Amish-made merchandise and serve Amish style food. Pretty cool stuff (but again, I’m no expert by any means). Perhaps it’s unusual for someone as young as me to find these spots great. At least, usually, in the tourist spots I’m surrounded by people twice my age.
With so much rolling through my mind, and with my keen interest in this area of study, it only makes sense that I try to share my thoughts, that I offer some of what I have learned for general discussion. These articles certainly aren’t meant to be scholarly, but rather, again, just to think about, to discuss. I have a degree in psychology, so that being said I do have some understanding of the human psyche, and some grasp of why people do what they do, and act how they act. But the overall, arching point, is that I want these discussions to be enjoyable. As I said, knowledge and insight are the keys, but over all of that needs to be a spirit of enjoyment when possible. It’s as Jefferson said, one of the pillars to life is the “pursuit of happiness.” And we can use knowledge and insight in that pursuit.
Some people will look at the Amish to criticize them, but many look at them with great wonder and admiration. Many could in fact even be envious of their lifestyle, their out-showing of ‘happiness.’ Most I don’t think have a whole lot of negative to say, at least, that’s not what comes to mind first. Really, what comes to mind, is a respect and curiosity for more, for the perhaps ‘hidden secrets’ of their lifestyle, and really, at the end of the day, what it is that leads to the essence of their happiness. That’s what this blog is going to be about. There may be positive times, and there may be negative times, but there is much that can be discussed, interesting tidbits that help us along in all of our journeys for our pursuit of our own, personal happiness.
- Daniel Litton
To comment on this post, tap here to go to the comments page.
Growing up, I had seen an Amish carriage led by horse a couple of times, you know, on random family drives up into northeastern Ohio, to who knows where. I don’t remember. That was the first thing I knew about the Amish: the old-school use of the horse and buggy. The second thing I understood was what most people readily cite, and that is the fact that they don’t use electricity. Of course, later I would learn that’s not entirely the case, but more on that some other time. Third, I knew they were religious. But what kind of religion? Christian? Or, were they like Jews or Deists? Did they just believe in God without Jesus? Didn’t know for sure. But, basic observation showed they were pious and zealous for that religion.
What I am trying to say here is that, just as I didn’t really know the details, not by any stretch, I don’t think a lot of others do as well. Sure, I knew the externals. That’s what a lot of us just ‘know.’ We know the surface things of this or that. For instance, I am aware the Mormons have their own bible. The men like to dress in pretty nice suits. They are primarily headquartered in Utah. But that’s about all I know, or at least originally knew before I did any studying of my own. Nothing wrong with not knowing. In fact, I think that is a good thing. Because without knowledge, then comes the opportunity to learn—to expand one’s mind into something new. And that’s what happened with me and the Amish on that late May day of 2017.
The approach I took, after I had footnoted that horse and buggy in my mind, was to, of course, buy a book in hopes to gain some further insight. “Why not?” I thought. “I like to read.” The first book I purchased was called ‘Plain Secrets.’ This was about a guy’s firsthand account of his Amish neighbors. Seemed like a good place to start. And, the book was interesting. It was alluring enough that I bought a second book, ‘The Riddles of Amish Culture.’ That one gave great understanding. And then a third titled, ‘Growing Up Amish.’ I figured, I had listened to a regular guy’s story, then the perspective of a historian, so why not now get the viewpoint of an actual Amish person. And, man, let’s say, first and foremost, that ‘Growing up Amish’ by Ira Wagler was one of the most interesting books I have ever read (and I’m 36 years old at the time of writing this). Not super old, but I’ve read my fair share of books over the years.
Wagler’s account of his Amish upbringing is so captivating, and his writing style so good—filled with emotion and good storytelling. Indeed, when I closed that book, it felt like I had just watched a really good movie. The story about some random guy’s life never seemed like it could be so interesting. But it was. I mean, sure he was Amish, but there was much more to it than that. It had a good story to it—one with a life changed for the better, and one in which through all the drama, a man ended victorious and free. This book is so good I’ve read it and listened to it multiple times since.
After that, after being hooked and drawn into the whole thing, bit by the Amish bug I guess you would say, I devoured a whole host of other books. Some from Amish people, another by an Amish historian, a couple by people who joined the Amish from the outside. Tried to get all angles. And that’s the thing. Nowadays, perhaps as in no other time, there are so many resources available for a person interested in Amish subject matter. The different angles are there. Historical accounts. Books about the ‘why' behind the way the people live. Haven’t read them all, and probably never will. But, I’ve read a good share, at least over ten books by now. Again, some more than once. They say you only need to read three books on a subject to be an expert in that subject, that that’s more than most will ever read.
I’m not no expert—far from it, actually. However, I do have a peculiar interest in this people, and the way they live. It isn’t just me, though. I’ve come to find that lots of people do. In fact, a great deal of money is made on tourism related to the Amish. In Ohio, it’s made in Holmes County. I understand in Pennsylvania, it’s Lancaster County, which, I have come to learn is the epicenter. (Yes, I haven’t been to Lancaster, but I look forward to visiting there one day and taking it all in). Nonetheless, I have found researching and trying to understand the Amish to be one of the most fascinating subjects I have ever dived into. There are so many facets, so many things to try to grasp, and I don’t think most can. A couple historians have spent a lot of time researching these things, and they certainly are experts. And to them belongs great credit.
Anyhow, as an enthusiast, I have grown a great appreciation for these people and the way they do things. I think there are some hidden things we all can learn from their way of life. That’s the beauty of it. You’re not just learning knowledge, which in and of itself is actually good, but you are also acquiring insights—insights into what makes for good living, good principles, and perhaps even some things that might be good to apply to one’s own life, in whatever way a person finds that possible. Studying the Amish then is fruitful. If you’re a Christian, perhaps it can help you live out your faith better, and more precisely. Regardless, the Amish demonstrate good life principles for one to live by in many areas (i.e. frugalness, efficiency, work ethic, time management, satisfaction with the basics, peace, happiness, etc), and there is a lot of hidden wisdom, gems of the mind, that can be acquired from careful evaluation.
And certainly, not everyone agrees. To say that everyone looks favorably upon the Amish way of life definitely wouldn’t be an accurate statement. There are those who see negative things—things they certainly see as holding them back. I mean, let’s be real, most of us scratch our heads at their rejection of the use of electricity flowing throughout the walls of their homes. We think, “Why would a family want to live without the convenience of electricity, and all the ease that comes with it?” And yet, that’s what they do. “Why drive around a horse and buggy? How archaic,” another might point out. It is definitely slower and less convenient. I don’t think anyone would argue with that—probably even the Amish themselves. “What’s with all the outdated dress? Why do these people look like they’re from the 1800s?” Yes, another obvious question, and a practice that many wouldn’t see as desirable.
But it’s these things that make the Amish who they are. Yes these and others. There’s no doubt about this. If it weren’t for these characteristics, we wouldn’t be interested, right? Going back to the Mormons, we aren’t nearly as curious about them, are we? There aren’t millions of dollars made in tourism over the Mormons. Yet, they are different too. But it’s the old time characteristics (what we see as old time) that makes us intrigued. It’s what makes us travel hundreds of miles to have a chance to see the carriages going down the road, to catch a glimpse of the people in the dated garb. That’s what sells the millions. That’s what captures people’s attention.
As I said, behind these things lies much deeper aspects. And the question is, “Are we ready to learn? Are we ready to gain insight while having fun at the same time?” Yes, this is going to be the purpose of this blog. It’s not necessarily to educate, at least, in the academic sense, but more so to consider, to discuss, things about the Amish. It’s to hopefully gain that insight, so that, perhaps, maybe in some small way, we can better ourselves by their example. Possibly we can find things that do help us live better lives. At the very least, it is to show appreciation, to have that admiration from afar, from the outside trying to look in. And in that even, it is good enough. That brings us some fun in considering various topics. There may be serious times of contemplation, and there may be more lighthearted times. But the point is to gain knowledge and insight.
All people have something to teach—including the Amish. We have something to teach, really, each one of us.
Thomas Jefferson gave us the famous trio of essential freedoms: “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” If truth be told, I think we can safely say, the Amish encompass all three. Focusing on the third part, I mean, are the Amish really happy? Do they embody happiness? My observation, in the research I’ve done, is yes, most certainly. They seem to be a very happy people. Arguably, one could conclude that they are happier than most. For instance, you don’t hear of many crimes coming from their culture, right? Murder and the other heinous crimes, pretty scarce most of the time. Divorce among them seems to be unheard of. Like any people, we don’t want to say they don’t have problems, because realistically they do. But in actuality their issues surely seem to be less, at least, in external appearance.
On the contrary, rather, there is much we can admire. We can respect their seemingness to have it together. The discipline for sure. They’re known to be some of the most faithful and productive workers on the face of the earth. A barn raising in a single day. In the early morning, there is no barn, and after a day’s work, there a big barn stands. Pretty impressive, yes, most impressive. And, as I was saying, they are a people whom holds high moral ideals. Their whole structure is built around quality families. In marrying, they generally are married their whole lives to the same person. Little exceptions. In today’s day and time, again, most impressive. I understand their retention rate to be about 85 percent, perhaps 90 percent or greater. That is, Amish people generally don’t leave the Amish way (and that may be contrary to the wide-held belief).
As I touched on already, there are a vast variety of sources one can turn to—mostly in the form of books. All kinds of books actually. In this great day of seemingly unlimited resources, if one wants to learn about a new subject, often there seems to be no shortage of information. And another cool thing is that books are relatively inexpensive, especially when buying them used. That’s what I personally do with most of the books I purchase these days. And with online shopping, it’s even easier. No need to go to the library like I used to do when I was a kid. Not necessary to hunt around and look on various bookshelves. And a lot of times anyway, there would be disappointment in that. I wouldn’t find the book I was looking for, or the subject matter for a certain area. But, yes, our love for knowledge in America has made learning easy. Undoubtedly, this would make Mr. Jefferson proud.
Up and to this point, I believe I have read 16 different books in some way about the Amish. I’ve watched at least four T.V. documentaries that I can count. I’ve visited Holmes County, Ohio, many times now in the last three years. Truly, I have become pretty acquainted with it. They have a museum up there (up from my location), and it is really thorough. One of the largest paintings in the world by a single person, if I remember correctly, and it has to do with the history of the Amish. Abundance of shops and places to eat, many that sell Amish-made merchandise and serve Amish style food. Pretty cool stuff (but again, I’m no expert by any means). Perhaps it’s unusual for someone as young as me to find these spots great. At least, usually, in the tourist spots I’m surrounded by people twice my age.
With so much rolling through my mind, and with my keen interest in this area of study, it only makes sense that I try to share my thoughts, that I offer some of what I have learned for general discussion. These articles certainly aren’t meant to be scholarly, but rather, again, just to think about, to discuss. I have a degree in psychology, so that being said I do have some understanding of the human psyche, and some grasp of why people do what they do, and act how they act. But the overall, arching point, is that I want these discussions to be enjoyable. As I said, knowledge and insight are the keys, but over all of that needs to be a spirit of enjoyment when possible. It’s as Jefferson said, one of the pillars to life is the “pursuit of happiness.” And we can use knowledge and insight in that pursuit.
Some people will look at the Amish to criticize them, but many look at them with great wonder and admiration. Many could in fact even be envious of their lifestyle, their out-showing of ‘happiness.’ Most I don’t think have a whole lot of negative to say, at least, that’s not what comes to mind first. Really, what comes to mind, is a respect and curiosity for more, for the perhaps ‘hidden secrets’ of their lifestyle, and really, at the end of the day, what it is that leads to the essence of their happiness. That’s what this blog is going to be about. There may be positive times, and there may be negative times, but there is much that can be discussed, interesting tidbits that help us along in all of our journeys for our pursuit of our own, personal happiness.
- Daniel Litton
To comment on this post, tap here to go to the comments page.