What Makes Amish Life Appealing?
Thursday, November 12, 2020
In contemplating Amish culture, I think there is that background thought that floats around in our heads from time to time of ‘What makes Amish life appealing?’ I mean, why is it so winsome—besides the obvious outward symbols that is? Well, I believe there are some good explanations when considering these questions. For those who have deeply thought about it, perhaps they’ve come to a similar conclusion as I have. Certainly, there is plenty to ponder when thinking about why the Amish culture seems desirable. Let’s go over some of those points today. I will list what I’ve come up with in no particular order.
The Slower Paced Life
In busy American English society, I suppose there are times, probably many times, where we wish our lives were slower. Well, the Amish have us beat here. Their mode of transportation is a large part of this. The carriages obviously restrict travel to determined degrees and perhaps even forbid it in some instances. I don’t think they can travel much if there is a significant amount of snow on the road, like greater than a half inch it seems I read somewhere. And since travel is slower, that means less trips, and each trip is more important. Random leisure travel or unimportant is non-existent.
Without English tech in the house, that has to slow things down a bit as well. I don’t know. It seems to me like time goes slower when I’m sitting in my recliner reading a book versus when I am on my smartphone or tablet watching something on YouTube. The excitement level can be the same, but in a different way. YouTube is obviously visual whereas the book is… well, it’s up to you to create the visual. But in reality, they are just two different ways of passing time. One seems slower paced (the reading of a book), whereas the other (watching YouTube) seems faster paced, at least, to me.
A Strong Religious Structure
Whatever one believes about religion, the truth is that the Amish definitely have things wholly setup in a strong way. That being the case, the way for how one should live is already defined virtually in all areas of life. That means less ruminating, and less decisions to be made for the most part. This makes things simpler, but conceivably not as custom or free for the individual. Some people would be fine with this, and others not. Everything in this system then has an answer, so there’s not as many questions.
The religion is good because it sets up very distinct patterns for living from a child all the way to the elderly years. What is expected of a person is known. And, as a young adult, the person then joins ‘church’ if the person wants to remain Amish, which is usually the case anyway. The church has specific rules that are setup in the community, which vary to some degree from district to district (a district generally averages about 150 people I believe), and those are the guidelines one follows to be a proper Christian. As long as one plays by the rules, there isn’t anything to worry about. If generally one decided to join ‘church’ then one probably was planning on following the rules anyway.
But it’s nice to know there are those 150 people that you know really closely, and those that you know you could count on in emergencies. As long as one stays living in that district, the person will know those people for life. And then there is always the Bishop, the two ministers, and the deacon. They are the spiritual leaders that can be counted on by a church district. Or, perhaps one doesn’t really want to be visited by one of them as they are the ones that can bring the discipline as well—at least—starting with the deacon. Regardless, the whole district does feel like one big family.
Clearly Defined Gender Roles
In our current day here in America as English, there are a vast variety of opinions in this area. However, the Amish themselves have a very particular way in which they have interpreted the Bible so that gender roles of a man and a woman are clearly defined. That said, there is no debate on what is expected of a man or a woman. Nor would it be appropriate for one to do what is considered the other gender’s role. And, of course, this is known when joining. It is taught from childhood, demonstrated by all for all.
This whole setup, whether one agrees with it or not, makes things simpler. A man knows that it is his responsibility to be the primary source of income. He is responsible to make enough money for his family to live on, and feasibly even extra money so they can live well. My observation is that definitely not all Amish experiences are the same in regard to money. There are the wealthy families, the middle families, and the little lower than that families. Though I don’t think any would be considered on the poverty level. Anyway, the man does his work, whether that’s in a shop, a factory, or perhaps on the farm for the still few who can get by with that occupation as the primary.
The woman, on the other hand, knows her responsibility is to maintain the house (and do farm chores if applicable) and have a focus on raising the children. She prepares the meals, and I believe this is a big part of what she does. Hers is the primary focus on the kids. She takes care of them until they are old enough to go to school. If on a farm, she has her own farm chores, and even is responsible for the garden. While the man has a clear cut singular duty with his job, the woman has more of a diverse set of duties. Conceivably it is harder work. But don’t get me wrong, the man still contributes with the raising of the kids.
In English culture, these roles tend to fluctuate more from family to family, though sometimes members of a church as a whole are on the same page. Though I’d say I think I’ve seen that less. There seems to be more of a co-equal vibe on everything, where both the man and the woman bring in the income when both work. The woman may make more than the man. Children raising also seems to be more balanced between the two where I don’t assume mothers always spend more time with the kids versus the fathers. The responsibilities and time spent seem to be more down the middle in general. Of course, all this fluctuates, and there may even be confusion or disagreement on what is expected, especially if the married couple has different backgrounds.
The Amish Have Large Families
We know that the average size of an Amish family is generally seven kids. Now, in the even more traditional sects, there may be upwards of twelve or more. On the flip side, we know that the average American household has two, maybe three kids. That’s quite a bit different. And this larger number of children on the part of the Amish makes them the fastest growing subgroup in America, with their population doubling every twenty years. I did a calculation one time and that means when I am elderly myself there should be about 2 million Amish people in existence (if I have done my math correctly and if the current trend continues). They’ll be quite a force to be reckoned with.
Obviously, this is a conversation on preference. For me personally, I am currently 36 years old and haven’t married. However, I have thought in the future that if and when I do get married that possibly I would like to have a large family. I think that would be a lot of fun. (I’m opened minded, however, and realize that may not end up being the case for me.) When I grew up I had two brothers, so my family was of average size. However, for my father, he had five siblings, so his family size was double. I just imagine it would be fun to have a large family. Seems like it would be joyful and exciting all the time, with a lot going on. There would always be one child doing this, and then another doing that. I believe it would be worth any challenges someone might bring up. Of course, you gotta have a lot of money to do that and enjoy it I think, so that’s something to keep in mind.
Anyhow, it seems the Amish model of having a large family has to bring a lot of fun and joy with it. As I said, there would always be something going on. And if the family lives on a farm, there are more helpers to get things accomplished for the day. Family events would be large, and especially once the children themselves grew up, got married, and started to have kids of their own. All of this I personally think seems like it would be cool.
Well Behaved Kids
While where on the subject of families, and I estimate this is a big one, is that Amish kids (especially when they are younger) are generally well-behaved. The Amish teach their children from about two years old and on to be obedient to their parents. This includes how they act around siblings and doing their chores. I think Amish kids gotta be some of the best behaved kids on the face of the earth, at least, that’s what I understand and what has been my observation when I have been in restaurants and shops up north here in Ohio and witnessed the behavior of Amish kids on a few occasions. They seem like little adults. So, no temper tantrums in the supermarket, no greed to buy this and that.
And particularly since almost all Amish kids are well-behaved, this means they don’t learn bad behavior from other kids within their group who are not disciplined. I assume this is a big difference versus the upbringing of English kids. I mean, think about it. No matter how disciplined English parents may be with their kids, if they send them off to preschool or grade school and then their kids are around undisciplined kids, they are undoubtedly going to pick up some of those bad traits and bring them back home. I think that’s simply the way it is. But because Amish kids really are never in this kind of circumstance, I don’t believe it really happens with them. Sure, they may observe misbehaving English kids from afar, like out in public somewhere, but I don’t imagine that’s usually going to cause them to mimic that behavior.
Simplicity in General
Considering the dress code of the Amish, that certainly makes things simpler for them. Whether it is the man or the woman, there is little choice in what one is going to wear for the day. With things being that way, that then makes clothing choices a lot easier to make. And there is no desire really to impress people. We English have different reasons for wearing different kinds of clothes, but with the Amish they don’t have all those specific choices to make. It’s kind of like the Steve Jobs approach. Just keeping things easy and straightforward.
The lack of technology also keeps things simpler I think in some ways. Sure, a lot of times simple tasks take longer to do. I will say that. However, there can be less stuff to buy. An Amish kitchen doesn’t have a microwave of a coffee k-cup machine. Those are two items that don’t have to be bought, and then replaced if they go bad. With Amish farming there are not tractors (at least for driving purposes in most places), so that means things depend on the horses or mules and whatever it is they are pulling. That being the case, I would image that it is easier to maintain horses than tractors, though, I could be wrong on that. Seems like it would be cheaper, but I know horses are thousands of dollars.
There is no need to buy all the different types of insurance that the English buy. The Amish have their own insurance, like for disasters. However, the rest really don’t have to be bought, and in fact, the Amish are discouraged from doing so. I determine that makes life simpler, and more economical on top of that. Now, one could argue that the Amish should have to buy insurance like, say, for their buggies. Perhaps that would be a good idea. I don’t know. It seems generally it’s more often cars hitting buggies than buggies hitting cars, but I know the latter has happened. Horses can get spooked and go crazy.
For home disasters, we know whether it is a barn destroyed by a fire or a whole farm destroyed by a tornado, the Amish will rebuild for each other. That’s a great system to have in place, and one that has to take a burden off their minds, or at least, makes it lighter. I mean, just think if you knew that if your homestead was destroyed tonight that the community would come together to help you replace it, you would probably worry less about it. It probably wouldn’t be a big concern on your list. Well, this is just one of the advantages to being Amish.
Conclusion
As we can see, there are a lot of advantages to being Amish—things that make the lifestyle seem appealing. Or, perhaps better than the English way in some instances. Nevertheless, I’m sure there is much more that could be said here, but these are the things that came to my mind. In considering all these things, it seems at times like it certainly would be a nice life to fit into, a life that seemed simpler. Though, I guess it’s all a matter of perspective. I’m sure they have concerns that we haven’t even thought about, for they likely can only be discerned by them. Without being in their shoes, we don’t know. We just observe. And then there’s that old saying that becomes true: “The grass is always greener on the other side.”
- Daniel Litton
To comment on this post, tap here to go to the comments page.
The Slower Paced Life
In busy American English society, I suppose there are times, probably many times, where we wish our lives were slower. Well, the Amish have us beat here. Their mode of transportation is a large part of this. The carriages obviously restrict travel to determined degrees and perhaps even forbid it in some instances. I don’t think they can travel much if there is a significant amount of snow on the road, like greater than a half inch it seems I read somewhere. And since travel is slower, that means less trips, and each trip is more important. Random leisure travel or unimportant is non-existent.
Without English tech in the house, that has to slow things down a bit as well. I don’t know. It seems to me like time goes slower when I’m sitting in my recliner reading a book versus when I am on my smartphone or tablet watching something on YouTube. The excitement level can be the same, but in a different way. YouTube is obviously visual whereas the book is… well, it’s up to you to create the visual. But in reality, they are just two different ways of passing time. One seems slower paced (the reading of a book), whereas the other (watching YouTube) seems faster paced, at least, to me.
A Strong Religious Structure
Whatever one believes about religion, the truth is that the Amish definitely have things wholly setup in a strong way. That being the case, the way for how one should live is already defined virtually in all areas of life. That means less ruminating, and less decisions to be made for the most part. This makes things simpler, but conceivably not as custom or free for the individual. Some people would be fine with this, and others not. Everything in this system then has an answer, so there’s not as many questions.
The religion is good because it sets up very distinct patterns for living from a child all the way to the elderly years. What is expected of a person is known. And, as a young adult, the person then joins ‘church’ if the person wants to remain Amish, which is usually the case anyway. The church has specific rules that are setup in the community, which vary to some degree from district to district (a district generally averages about 150 people I believe), and those are the guidelines one follows to be a proper Christian. As long as one plays by the rules, there isn’t anything to worry about. If generally one decided to join ‘church’ then one probably was planning on following the rules anyway.
But it’s nice to know there are those 150 people that you know really closely, and those that you know you could count on in emergencies. As long as one stays living in that district, the person will know those people for life. And then there is always the Bishop, the two ministers, and the deacon. They are the spiritual leaders that can be counted on by a church district. Or, perhaps one doesn’t really want to be visited by one of them as they are the ones that can bring the discipline as well—at least—starting with the deacon. Regardless, the whole district does feel like one big family.
Clearly Defined Gender Roles
In our current day here in America as English, there are a vast variety of opinions in this area. However, the Amish themselves have a very particular way in which they have interpreted the Bible so that gender roles of a man and a woman are clearly defined. That said, there is no debate on what is expected of a man or a woman. Nor would it be appropriate for one to do what is considered the other gender’s role. And, of course, this is known when joining. It is taught from childhood, demonstrated by all for all.
This whole setup, whether one agrees with it or not, makes things simpler. A man knows that it is his responsibility to be the primary source of income. He is responsible to make enough money for his family to live on, and feasibly even extra money so they can live well. My observation is that definitely not all Amish experiences are the same in regard to money. There are the wealthy families, the middle families, and the little lower than that families. Though I don’t think any would be considered on the poverty level. Anyway, the man does his work, whether that’s in a shop, a factory, or perhaps on the farm for the still few who can get by with that occupation as the primary.
The woman, on the other hand, knows her responsibility is to maintain the house (and do farm chores if applicable) and have a focus on raising the children. She prepares the meals, and I believe this is a big part of what she does. Hers is the primary focus on the kids. She takes care of them until they are old enough to go to school. If on a farm, she has her own farm chores, and even is responsible for the garden. While the man has a clear cut singular duty with his job, the woman has more of a diverse set of duties. Conceivably it is harder work. But don’t get me wrong, the man still contributes with the raising of the kids.
In English culture, these roles tend to fluctuate more from family to family, though sometimes members of a church as a whole are on the same page. Though I’d say I think I’ve seen that less. There seems to be more of a co-equal vibe on everything, where both the man and the woman bring in the income when both work. The woman may make more than the man. Children raising also seems to be more balanced between the two where I don’t assume mothers always spend more time with the kids versus the fathers. The responsibilities and time spent seem to be more down the middle in general. Of course, all this fluctuates, and there may even be confusion or disagreement on what is expected, especially if the married couple has different backgrounds.
The Amish Have Large Families
We know that the average size of an Amish family is generally seven kids. Now, in the even more traditional sects, there may be upwards of twelve or more. On the flip side, we know that the average American household has two, maybe three kids. That’s quite a bit different. And this larger number of children on the part of the Amish makes them the fastest growing subgroup in America, with their population doubling every twenty years. I did a calculation one time and that means when I am elderly myself there should be about 2 million Amish people in existence (if I have done my math correctly and if the current trend continues). They’ll be quite a force to be reckoned with.
Obviously, this is a conversation on preference. For me personally, I am currently 36 years old and haven’t married. However, I have thought in the future that if and when I do get married that possibly I would like to have a large family. I think that would be a lot of fun. (I’m opened minded, however, and realize that may not end up being the case for me.) When I grew up I had two brothers, so my family was of average size. However, for my father, he had five siblings, so his family size was double. I just imagine it would be fun to have a large family. Seems like it would be joyful and exciting all the time, with a lot going on. There would always be one child doing this, and then another doing that. I believe it would be worth any challenges someone might bring up. Of course, you gotta have a lot of money to do that and enjoy it I think, so that’s something to keep in mind.
Anyhow, it seems the Amish model of having a large family has to bring a lot of fun and joy with it. As I said, there would always be something going on. And if the family lives on a farm, there are more helpers to get things accomplished for the day. Family events would be large, and especially once the children themselves grew up, got married, and started to have kids of their own. All of this I personally think seems like it would be cool.
Well Behaved Kids
While where on the subject of families, and I estimate this is a big one, is that Amish kids (especially when they are younger) are generally well-behaved. The Amish teach their children from about two years old and on to be obedient to their parents. This includes how they act around siblings and doing their chores. I think Amish kids gotta be some of the best behaved kids on the face of the earth, at least, that’s what I understand and what has been my observation when I have been in restaurants and shops up north here in Ohio and witnessed the behavior of Amish kids on a few occasions. They seem like little adults. So, no temper tantrums in the supermarket, no greed to buy this and that.
And particularly since almost all Amish kids are well-behaved, this means they don’t learn bad behavior from other kids within their group who are not disciplined. I assume this is a big difference versus the upbringing of English kids. I mean, think about it. No matter how disciplined English parents may be with their kids, if they send them off to preschool or grade school and then their kids are around undisciplined kids, they are undoubtedly going to pick up some of those bad traits and bring them back home. I think that’s simply the way it is. But because Amish kids really are never in this kind of circumstance, I don’t believe it really happens with them. Sure, they may observe misbehaving English kids from afar, like out in public somewhere, but I don’t imagine that’s usually going to cause them to mimic that behavior.
Simplicity in General
Considering the dress code of the Amish, that certainly makes things simpler for them. Whether it is the man or the woman, there is little choice in what one is going to wear for the day. With things being that way, that then makes clothing choices a lot easier to make. And there is no desire really to impress people. We English have different reasons for wearing different kinds of clothes, but with the Amish they don’t have all those specific choices to make. It’s kind of like the Steve Jobs approach. Just keeping things easy and straightforward.
The lack of technology also keeps things simpler I think in some ways. Sure, a lot of times simple tasks take longer to do. I will say that. However, there can be less stuff to buy. An Amish kitchen doesn’t have a microwave of a coffee k-cup machine. Those are two items that don’t have to be bought, and then replaced if they go bad. With Amish farming there are not tractors (at least for driving purposes in most places), so that means things depend on the horses or mules and whatever it is they are pulling. That being the case, I would image that it is easier to maintain horses than tractors, though, I could be wrong on that. Seems like it would be cheaper, but I know horses are thousands of dollars.
There is no need to buy all the different types of insurance that the English buy. The Amish have their own insurance, like for disasters. However, the rest really don’t have to be bought, and in fact, the Amish are discouraged from doing so. I determine that makes life simpler, and more economical on top of that. Now, one could argue that the Amish should have to buy insurance like, say, for their buggies. Perhaps that would be a good idea. I don’t know. It seems generally it’s more often cars hitting buggies than buggies hitting cars, but I know the latter has happened. Horses can get spooked and go crazy.
For home disasters, we know whether it is a barn destroyed by a fire or a whole farm destroyed by a tornado, the Amish will rebuild for each other. That’s a great system to have in place, and one that has to take a burden off their minds, or at least, makes it lighter. I mean, just think if you knew that if your homestead was destroyed tonight that the community would come together to help you replace it, you would probably worry less about it. It probably wouldn’t be a big concern on your list. Well, this is just one of the advantages to being Amish.
Conclusion
As we can see, there are a lot of advantages to being Amish—things that make the lifestyle seem appealing. Or, perhaps better than the English way in some instances. Nevertheless, I’m sure there is much more that could be said here, but these are the things that came to my mind. In considering all these things, it seems at times like it certainly would be a nice life to fit into, a life that seemed simpler. Though, I guess it’s all a matter of perspective. I’m sure they have concerns that we haven’t even thought about, for they likely can only be discerned by them. Without being in their shoes, we don’t know. We just observe. And then there’s that old saying that becomes true: “The grass is always greener on the other side.”
- Daniel Litton
To comment on this post, tap here to go to the comments page.