I'm a Luddite!

Published at P2P-Foundation on October 31, 2014.

I’ve a long time felt that I’m different, actually from I was a child. I remember how I reacted with anger when the road outside our house was paved, I think I was about 7 years at that time. Today I hate the view of cars, power lines, the sound of fans and so on. My cell phone has buttons, probably they still make a few just for old people, but touch screens are against my nature. I use the old laptops after my brother. Just to mention some.

Until now I've not known that there is a term describing my condition. But there actually is, and there are many like me out there. What a release! We are the Luddites!

The gravel road outside our home before it was paved. I can still recall the anger I felt when it was paved. I didn't knew then that I felt like this because I'm a Luddite.

Visit the Luddite Website here.

From the website's description of the Luddites:

It doesn't really make sense to make an anti-tech website, does it? Also, you're wearing glasses. And you're wearing a shirt made by machines.

This is a commonly asked question, but with a little contemplation anyone can see how ridiculous it is.

First, it thoroughly misunderstands what Luddism is. Luddism is not the hatred of particular technologies, but of a technological system. In fact, some Luddites might very well like some particular kinds of technologies while realizing that those technologies are the product of a vast system that ought to be given up.

Luddites are also only against a specific kind of technology called organization-dependent technology, or technology that is predicated on vast systems and already-existing infrastructure to exist. The other kind of technology is small-scale technology and Luddites do not mind that kind. For more on the difference between the two kinds of technologies, read the essay, “The Technology Problem.”

“The Technology Problem” by John Jacobi

Secondly, this question assumes that the Luddite position is merely a personal one. But the technology problem is a social and global one, and it cannot be fixed with personal changes. In fact, many personal changes Luddites might want to make are impossible because of the technology problem itself. Because Luddites hope to change the world rather than retreat from it, they have to operate within it as it exists. That doesn’t mean they like it.

Lastly, this question ignores a basic common sense principle: If you want to reach people, you have to go where they are. People are on the internet. Luddites are going to have to use it and other communication systems if they want to make the widest possible change.