Two-Year Anniversary, & the Future
Tuesday, August 16, 2022
Two years it’s been since I started this blog—Blogging Amish. I have to say, it’s been quite the adventure. Lots of interesting topics discussed, from Amish work to education, and even family life. That’s the thing. When it comes to the plain folks, there is usually no shortage of things that can be discussed. I was even able to write a few short stories in the mix, which were pretty fun. As a matter of fact, the short stories in and of themselves were actually more work than writing the standard articles. With the former, I generally have to go through them several times to get them right. More editing. More time-consuming. Worth it in the end, though. Besides, at times it was nice to take a break from the general topics. Anyhow, let’s go over some of those general things I have discussed, some highlights, some things are sticking out to me. Then I will talk about what I think regarding the future, as pertains to the Amish and even this blog.
Let’s begin with the third article I wrote, The discussion of the lack of Amish meeting houses versus the fact that many church buildings stay vacant during the weeks was a curious one. This is an experiential truth that I have noticed as I have driven around, of course, whether that be in towns or in the countryside. I certainly understand the practicality of having a meeting house for a church, I just notice that a lot of those church buildings stay empty during the week. It somehow doesn’t seem very efficient, especially for the bigger and more glamorous churches that are out there. In particular cases, it seems like it could be a big waste of money and resources. Of course, this is just my opinion, and undoubtedly, many will disagree, Really, though, if you stop and think about it, what would be the reverse option? Well, I talked about that a little bit.
Moving on to article number four, I went over some of the basics, the fundamentals, from my observation, as to what made Amish life interesting. I think this article overall provides a relatively complete summary of why outsiders see the Amish life as something to admire. Foundational ideas were written here. What gives Amish life that pizzazz is really the question at hand here. In summary, I noted the slower paced life, strong religious structure, clearly defined gender roles, large families, well-behaved kids, and simplicity in general as the main tenants of attraction. These are qualities that have often been lost in the typical English (non-Amish) lifestyle. They are the things seen as lost in times past and those of which people wish could come back. And it may not be all these qualities that are attractive to some, but perhaps just a couple.
This whole discussion of what makes Amish life appealing ties into what I discussed in the seventh article, which pertains to glamour, to hype, to an over-dramatization of things in the minds of the regular folks, the English. So, there is the glamour of possessions, and how those possessions are held in mind in the two groups, But then there is the main focus, which I concluded seems to be that the Amish, being more collective in society, tend to focus more on people, whereas the English, being more individualistic in nature, seem to focus more on the material. And since I have written this, in being around some Amish people, I can testify that this was, to some degree, experientially true. Though, perhaps, I would say, it varied depending upon the Amish individuals in question. That is, the value judgment varied. Overall, though, the general idea seems verified.
And this topic ties into that of the eleventh article, which talks about the collectiveness of those in Amish society versus the independence of those in English society. Within this is are the trade-offs—the varying trade-offs. That is, the comparison of greater community structure within in the Amish versus the greater individualism (or free-expression as it is often called) among the English. And this strong community, which I observed as likely their most desirable trait, seems to be something that a lot of English people are missing out on. I think that creates a pull, if you will, toward our plain counterparts. The lack of community (or closeness) is sort of a void in the English person’s heart, one that they may not even realize they have. Just knowing that there will always be those who are around and those who support is an incredible thing. A lot English people don’t have that, and most only to a limited degree.
Of course, the self-sufficiency then leads to the fact that Amish really do not recruit at all (the subject matter of article twelve). They do not attempt to evangelize people to come into their community. Sure, if one wants to join them they can, and they will freely tell them that, but it doesn’t seem to be sought after. And certainly, though, they would not want one coming in who would try to change things. That flame would be quickly snuffed out, and for good reason—to protect the community from what are perceived as outside dangers. But, on the flip side, if they were to try to recruit, I think it is safe to say that they wouldn’t have a whole lot of luck. Outsiders wouldn’t be willing to give up all of that technology, that worldliness, as it is seen from the Amish standpoint. Perhaps, internally, the Amish Bishops and Ministers understand that, and therefore don’t even try. That could be at least one reason.
Probably the hardest thing for a non-Amish person to give up would be the automobile. You know, getting from point A to point B has never been easier in world history. And, one would go from an average of say, cruising steadily along at 40 mph, all the way down to a mere 10 mph. That generous estimate seems like a tuff downgrade. Taking a lot longer to get things done, and long-distance travel would be near impossible, and especially since the roads aren’t suited for it either. Going to see family members far away wouldn’t happen anymore, at least, likely not nearly as much. Perhaps there are some who could do it, or would do it—giving up the car—but it would be a tuff pill to swallow. Giving up other technology, like electricity, I think would be far easier in comparison. There are suitable ways around the giving up of electricity (like battery-powered flashlights), but not so much for the cars.
And then we have to remember that these days a lot of Amish folks are using smartphones, at least as Amish youth. To what degree this is extending among the older folks, I do not know. Nevertheless, in those formable years, those youthful years, there has to be greater exposure to things of the world through the use of the smartphones. I mean, just being out and about in Amish country in Northeast Ohio will show you that just about everyone has them, when they are young. It will be interesting to see if the presence of smartphones is correlated with a greater departure rate in the future, that is, with greater numbers of individuals leaving the faith. That is number is still waiting to be seen in the future, if there is a change in number at all. It wouldn’t surprise me if there is at least a small change, but you never know. Maybe not.
Anyhow, not to change the subject too much, but the trip taken to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in the later Summer of 2021 was quite eye opening as pertained to the difference between the Amish in both settings. As I described, the Amish in Pennsylvania seemed to be wealthier and perhaps more liberal (if we can use that term as pertains to the Amish). Experientially, there seemed to be more of an upbeat vibe in the community, a happier vibe versus Ohio. Things in Ohio seem rather reserved in comparison, quieter in fact, as in people keeping to themselves a greater degree. As the one Amish girl told me in Pennsylvania at the lighting shop, the Ohioans are the more conservative Amish. All this was new to me, for in all my readings this point had not been realized. And that’s why it’s important to get out there and travel. One can read all about something in a book, but it’s often not until one is there that the truth becomes alive, and things are noticed that had been missed within the pages.
And it was at the Beachy Amish picnic, during the Lancaster County trip, that the topic of vocations was discussed. Howbeit, this was from a Beachy Amish perspective, which is perhaps the most liberal of all Amish types of individuals because they do drive cars and use electricity, but nevertheless it was still insightful. While the Beachy Amish themselves already perhaps worked in a greater number of factory and shop settings, the Old Order Amish have moved into these areas more so in modern times. The farm life has largely become a thing of the past. I think in most places I understand it to be less than ten percent of all Old Order Amish men actually farm anymore. And that appears to be due to the lack of farmland available in some places, maybe government regulations, and even the more money that can be made elsewhere. This whole area was discussed in-depth in the nineteenth article.
Nonetheless, the narrow-ness of jobs among the Amish seems to be related to the lack of education among them, and really what I should say is the lack of higher education, or college degrees. That is because it’s not that the Amish aren’t smart. Indeed, they seem to be a very smart people indeed. It’s just without going to college, it only makes sense that the Amish wouldn’t be able to work most jobs that are out there in the world. It limits what options are available to them. It will be interesting to see, as time progresses, if there is any change in this area. I brought up the fanciful idea of an Amish college. Not sure that will happen, but what could or would the Amish leadership do in the future to allow for new opportunities? Or will Amish people just keep doing the storefront and factory jobs. Only time will tell.
The Future of the Amish
This brings up the whole thought-process on what the future of the Amish will be. We know, statistically, that their population is doubling in size every twenty years or so. That’s tremendous growth, and certainly due to the large families, they are growing at a higher rate than the regular American population. That being the case, it will be interesting to see what implications that has in the next fifty years, as there are more and more Amish around. It seems to be that it will definitely have to have an effect on English society. And, of course, an effect on the Amish themselves. It will be intriguing to see what occupations they choose to work in the future. Will more and more young Amish people start to leave the society? Will there be a greater departure of their ways as perhaps the world gains more and more influence on them from smartphones and social media? Ah, there’s a topic that really hasn’t been discussed as much as it could be—social media.
For me, personally, I’m not really sure what to think. There were historians, say, fifty to seventy-five years ago who thought the Amish were going to die out. I remember the story of one historian who even sent out a photographer to get some pictures of the group and their ways before this ‘dying out’ took place. But we see today that the Amish are thriving more than ever. While there have been changes in occupations and even the rules at times, the changes have not seemed to cause a mass number of individuals to leave the faith. So, the future appears to be coming, and that with a large number of people still as Amish. I guess if the past is any indicator of the future (and for sure, it isn’t always), one could say the Amish won’t change that much as pertains to the next fifty years. For myself, I’m still undecided on what may happen. But it is definitely interesting to wonder about.
The Future of Blogging Amish
Well, in discussing everything that’s been discussed, and doing this for two years to this month, and having written twenty-five articles now on the subject, I have decided to go ahead and take at least a break for now. Whether I’ll be back to write more about the Amish on this blog, I’m not sure. I did spend the last couple of years, really, since the beginning of the pandemic, working on an Amish novel, a love story if you will. It’s over 100,000 words, and so at some point I would like to get that work published. But I do not know if that will happen, and if so, when. It was a joy to write, as have been the topics on this blog a lot of times. It’s just fun considering these different aspects of Amish life, and trying to understand the Amish and their ways.
So, for now, like I said I’m taking a break from the month to month posts. I will leave the articles up, at least for a while. And like I said, whether I return to writing about this subject matter on this blog I do not know at this time. But, of course, feel free to read through what has already been written, to contemplate the topics as I did. I don’t doubt that there is more of which I could write, as I already identified one area above within this article that I really haven’t explored. How much more I could write, well, hard to say. Probably a lot. Nevertheless, it has been interesting considering everything I have, and analyzing this group of people who are just that, people. People with a unique way of doing things, and this right here among us. Near a lot of us. Way of being with Christian underpinnings that in many areas is not like anything else. One of which we can learn much from, if we let ourselves.
- Daniel Litton
To comment on this post, tap here to go to the comments page.
Let’s begin with the third article I wrote, The discussion of the lack of Amish meeting houses versus the fact that many church buildings stay vacant during the weeks was a curious one. This is an experiential truth that I have noticed as I have driven around, of course, whether that be in towns or in the countryside. I certainly understand the practicality of having a meeting house for a church, I just notice that a lot of those church buildings stay empty during the week. It somehow doesn’t seem very efficient, especially for the bigger and more glamorous churches that are out there. In particular cases, it seems like it could be a big waste of money and resources. Of course, this is just my opinion, and undoubtedly, many will disagree, Really, though, if you stop and think about it, what would be the reverse option? Well, I talked about that a little bit.
Moving on to article number four, I went over some of the basics, the fundamentals, from my observation, as to what made Amish life interesting. I think this article overall provides a relatively complete summary of why outsiders see the Amish life as something to admire. Foundational ideas were written here. What gives Amish life that pizzazz is really the question at hand here. In summary, I noted the slower paced life, strong religious structure, clearly defined gender roles, large families, well-behaved kids, and simplicity in general as the main tenants of attraction. These are qualities that have often been lost in the typical English (non-Amish) lifestyle. They are the things seen as lost in times past and those of which people wish could come back. And it may not be all these qualities that are attractive to some, but perhaps just a couple.
This whole discussion of what makes Amish life appealing ties into what I discussed in the seventh article, which pertains to glamour, to hype, to an over-dramatization of things in the minds of the regular folks, the English. So, there is the glamour of possessions, and how those possessions are held in mind in the two groups, But then there is the main focus, which I concluded seems to be that the Amish, being more collective in society, tend to focus more on people, whereas the English, being more individualistic in nature, seem to focus more on the material. And since I have written this, in being around some Amish people, I can testify that this was, to some degree, experientially true. Though, perhaps, I would say, it varied depending upon the Amish individuals in question. That is, the value judgment varied. Overall, though, the general idea seems verified.
And this topic ties into that of the eleventh article, which talks about the collectiveness of those in Amish society versus the independence of those in English society. Within this is are the trade-offs—the varying trade-offs. That is, the comparison of greater community structure within in the Amish versus the greater individualism (or free-expression as it is often called) among the English. And this strong community, which I observed as likely their most desirable trait, seems to be something that a lot of English people are missing out on. I think that creates a pull, if you will, toward our plain counterparts. The lack of community (or closeness) is sort of a void in the English person’s heart, one that they may not even realize they have. Just knowing that there will always be those who are around and those who support is an incredible thing. A lot English people don’t have that, and most only to a limited degree.
Of course, the self-sufficiency then leads to the fact that Amish really do not recruit at all (the subject matter of article twelve). They do not attempt to evangelize people to come into their community. Sure, if one wants to join them they can, and they will freely tell them that, but it doesn’t seem to be sought after. And certainly, though, they would not want one coming in who would try to change things. That flame would be quickly snuffed out, and for good reason—to protect the community from what are perceived as outside dangers. But, on the flip side, if they were to try to recruit, I think it is safe to say that they wouldn’t have a whole lot of luck. Outsiders wouldn’t be willing to give up all of that technology, that worldliness, as it is seen from the Amish standpoint. Perhaps, internally, the Amish Bishops and Ministers understand that, and therefore don’t even try. That could be at least one reason.
Probably the hardest thing for a non-Amish person to give up would be the automobile. You know, getting from point A to point B has never been easier in world history. And, one would go from an average of say, cruising steadily along at 40 mph, all the way down to a mere 10 mph. That generous estimate seems like a tuff downgrade. Taking a lot longer to get things done, and long-distance travel would be near impossible, and especially since the roads aren’t suited for it either. Going to see family members far away wouldn’t happen anymore, at least, likely not nearly as much. Perhaps there are some who could do it, or would do it—giving up the car—but it would be a tuff pill to swallow. Giving up other technology, like electricity, I think would be far easier in comparison. There are suitable ways around the giving up of electricity (like battery-powered flashlights), but not so much for the cars.
And then we have to remember that these days a lot of Amish folks are using smartphones, at least as Amish youth. To what degree this is extending among the older folks, I do not know. Nevertheless, in those formable years, those youthful years, there has to be greater exposure to things of the world through the use of the smartphones. I mean, just being out and about in Amish country in Northeast Ohio will show you that just about everyone has them, when they are young. It will be interesting to see if the presence of smartphones is correlated with a greater departure rate in the future, that is, with greater numbers of individuals leaving the faith. That is number is still waiting to be seen in the future, if there is a change in number at all. It wouldn’t surprise me if there is at least a small change, but you never know. Maybe not.
Anyhow, not to change the subject too much, but the trip taken to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in the later Summer of 2021 was quite eye opening as pertained to the difference between the Amish in both settings. As I described, the Amish in Pennsylvania seemed to be wealthier and perhaps more liberal (if we can use that term as pertains to the Amish). Experientially, there seemed to be more of an upbeat vibe in the community, a happier vibe versus Ohio. Things in Ohio seem rather reserved in comparison, quieter in fact, as in people keeping to themselves a greater degree. As the one Amish girl told me in Pennsylvania at the lighting shop, the Ohioans are the more conservative Amish. All this was new to me, for in all my readings this point had not been realized. And that’s why it’s important to get out there and travel. One can read all about something in a book, but it’s often not until one is there that the truth becomes alive, and things are noticed that had been missed within the pages.
And it was at the Beachy Amish picnic, during the Lancaster County trip, that the topic of vocations was discussed. Howbeit, this was from a Beachy Amish perspective, which is perhaps the most liberal of all Amish types of individuals because they do drive cars and use electricity, but nevertheless it was still insightful. While the Beachy Amish themselves already perhaps worked in a greater number of factory and shop settings, the Old Order Amish have moved into these areas more so in modern times. The farm life has largely become a thing of the past. I think in most places I understand it to be less than ten percent of all Old Order Amish men actually farm anymore. And that appears to be due to the lack of farmland available in some places, maybe government regulations, and even the more money that can be made elsewhere. This whole area was discussed in-depth in the nineteenth article.
Nonetheless, the narrow-ness of jobs among the Amish seems to be related to the lack of education among them, and really what I should say is the lack of higher education, or college degrees. That is because it’s not that the Amish aren’t smart. Indeed, they seem to be a very smart people indeed. It’s just without going to college, it only makes sense that the Amish wouldn’t be able to work most jobs that are out there in the world. It limits what options are available to them. It will be interesting to see, as time progresses, if there is any change in this area. I brought up the fanciful idea of an Amish college. Not sure that will happen, but what could or would the Amish leadership do in the future to allow for new opportunities? Or will Amish people just keep doing the storefront and factory jobs. Only time will tell.
The Future of the Amish
This brings up the whole thought-process on what the future of the Amish will be. We know, statistically, that their population is doubling in size every twenty years or so. That’s tremendous growth, and certainly due to the large families, they are growing at a higher rate than the regular American population. That being the case, it will be interesting to see what implications that has in the next fifty years, as there are more and more Amish around. It seems to be that it will definitely have to have an effect on English society. And, of course, an effect on the Amish themselves. It will be intriguing to see what occupations they choose to work in the future. Will more and more young Amish people start to leave the society? Will there be a greater departure of their ways as perhaps the world gains more and more influence on them from smartphones and social media? Ah, there’s a topic that really hasn’t been discussed as much as it could be—social media.
For me, personally, I’m not really sure what to think. There were historians, say, fifty to seventy-five years ago who thought the Amish were going to die out. I remember the story of one historian who even sent out a photographer to get some pictures of the group and their ways before this ‘dying out’ took place. But we see today that the Amish are thriving more than ever. While there have been changes in occupations and even the rules at times, the changes have not seemed to cause a mass number of individuals to leave the faith. So, the future appears to be coming, and that with a large number of people still as Amish. I guess if the past is any indicator of the future (and for sure, it isn’t always), one could say the Amish won’t change that much as pertains to the next fifty years. For myself, I’m still undecided on what may happen. But it is definitely interesting to wonder about.
The Future of Blogging Amish
Well, in discussing everything that’s been discussed, and doing this for two years to this month, and having written twenty-five articles now on the subject, I have decided to go ahead and take at least a break for now. Whether I’ll be back to write more about the Amish on this blog, I’m not sure. I did spend the last couple of years, really, since the beginning of the pandemic, working on an Amish novel, a love story if you will. It’s over 100,000 words, and so at some point I would like to get that work published. But I do not know if that will happen, and if so, when. It was a joy to write, as have been the topics on this blog a lot of times. It’s just fun considering these different aspects of Amish life, and trying to understand the Amish and their ways.
So, for now, like I said I’m taking a break from the month to month posts. I will leave the articles up, at least for a while. And like I said, whether I return to writing about this subject matter on this blog I do not know at this time. But, of course, feel free to read through what has already been written, to contemplate the topics as I did. I don’t doubt that there is more of which I could write, as I already identified one area above within this article that I really haven’t explored. How much more I could write, well, hard to say. Probably a lot. Nevertheless, it has been interesting considering everything I have, and analyzing this group of people who are just that, people. People with a unique way of doing things, and this right here among us. Near a lot of us. Way of being with Christian underpinnings that in many areas is not like anything else. One of which we can learn much from, if we let ourselves.
- Daniel Litton
To comment on this post, tap here to go to the comments page.