Essay on Amish Community: An Analysis of Simple Living and Plain Dressing.

Introduction

The Amish community refers to a group of traditionalists of Christian faith of Swiss German origin. The community behavior is closely related, although distinct from Mennonite churches. In this regard, the community has depicted unique characteristics regarding culture, social integration and behavior, and overall live aspects. The community depicts simple living, plain dressing, as well as reluctance to adopt modern technology. Therefore, it is important to analyze the Amish community regarding their social development, culture, viability, and social effectiveness in order to identify the weaknesses and advice on the areas of improvement.

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Farming, Microenterprises and Cottage Industries

The dependence of the Amish community on farming as their source of livelihood as well as a way of life has sustained the society for a more extended period in the past. However, as the times have changed, it has become economically not viable to sustain their growing populations with increasing family sizes (Kraybill & Center for American Places, 2001). The pressure as a result of interacting with the outside world that is embracing industrialization cannot be ignored. These factors among others made it a difficult task for the Amish to sustain their families resulting to pressure on farmers to concentrate on cash crops as it would help in the production of food on a large scale which is viable for the economy. This led to the increased diminishing culture of self-sufficiency in the community. The increased small-scale practice of urbanization led many families to subdivide their portions of land to accommodate farming which has led to the resulting land crisis (Kraybill, 2003). These constrained land portions for agricultural purposes led the Amish community to find alternative ways of earning money and feeding their families.

Given the cultural way of the Amish community of self-sustainability and the fear of separation, the community opted for cottage industries and microenterprises for economic sustainability (Hostetler, 1993). Opting for microenterprises was among their favorite moves as it helped in maintaining their culture of stay and work from their homes like this, bolstered the family togetherness as the family is viewed as a fundamental social unit (Kraybill & Center for American Places, 2001). For example, the Amish community believes that children should learn to work from their early age hence preventing idleness at their adulthood, and promotes the spirit of hard work and togetherness. In addition, employment in cottage industries within the context of their relatives reinforced their values as their ethnic holidays and celebrations are upheld and respected hence able to sustain the economy at the comfort of their cultural beliefs. Amish schools are also a solid reason as to why the Amish people can only opt for business as their only economic survival mode. This is because of the schools' syllabuses that keep people from other money-making strategies as the curriculum could only focus on farming and business. The increasing number of school dropouts' stresses this, as they do not find education as vital in their lives, as there is little or no motivation in the sector.

The Scope and Purpose of the Amish Tradition

The Amish community has thrived in the business of making hand-crafted quilts, and wicker baskets as most of them sell the items in the streets as a way of earning a living. Amish people stand out in their way of life and are content with their isolation from the rest of the world (Kraybill & Center for American Places, 2001). Their simplicity is from within and instilled by their persistent cultural beliefs in avoiding the ways of the world including technological advancements and industrialization. They have managed to sustain their way of life despite the challenge of the outside world influence and the temptations to adopt more comfortable lifestyles (Hood & Williamson, 2005). In this regard, the Amish society is a unique community as they have managed to sustain their old ways even in the modern world where most things are done via technology.

The Amish community is governed by a set of unwritten regulations mainly based on the Bible. They lead a pure life, farming and cultivating cash crops and only get to interact with the outside world during trading as they sell their wares. For example, the Amish community voiced their dissatisfaction at the government requirement to have their children schooled, as they have endeavored to have a reserved cultural way of life and do not intend to diversify any time soon. In this regard, the simple life by the Amish society has been sustain over time as a result of their discipline and the decision they make during a baptism to follow and believe in their values (Hostetler, 1993). This is despite the challenges they may face, and hence it has been a success amid tempting surroundings in bid to change and lose their originality to technological advancements.

Authority Structures within the Amish Community

The Amish community has managed to maintain its stable identity of isolation from the outside world that is experiencing industrialization and technology, despite their lack of central unit of authority. They have seemingly relied on the unwritten set of rules derived from the Bible that have guided them in maintaining their isolated culture and way of life. The Amish family set up has preserved their local language and only speak Pennsylvania Dutch. This has impacted their children as they rarely get to learn English. Parents are only able to communicate in their traditional language. Hence the children get to learn English late in their studies when they reach first grade.

The Amish beliefs which are directly taken from the Bible doctrine dictate the kind of life the community gets to embrace. The doctrine 'Dortrecht Confession of Faith' outlines every aspect of the Amish lives, including the institution of civil governance, protection of the religious and righteous and punishment of the wicked among other relevant guidance that gives the way to follow (Kraybill & Center for American Places, 2001). The Amish community lacks a central church that acts as the lead church as the religious structures are not dependent on any given leadership except the doctrine which contains all sets of rules they are to follow. The doctrine has been a success set of guidance in the Amish society as it indicates the level of effectiveness practiced by the community and the culture of obedience shown by the community.

Conflicts with the Outside World

The belief of the Amish community that has kept them outside the mainstream lifestyle put them in a different position with the outside world. The community is forced to ignore the technological advancements and stay put to believe in their values and maintain their way of life and originality. This shows the effectiveness of the inculcated culture into its people as they struggle through the opposing worlds to enjoy their quiet lifestyle. The main concern for the Amish community is the ever-increasing gap in technological advancements and economic differences which is affecting land prices that are skyrocketing to unaffordable rates. A typical Amish man would be worried of his family's ability to secure land when his sons get to marry, and despite this issue of magnitude challenge, the society has chosen to remain loyal to its original way of life (Hood & Williamson, 2005). Some Amish men may have been convinced and dragged to work outside their culture in various sectors, as they look for means to earn a living through mechanisms like the construction industries, restaurants, and advertising among others. The conflicts show us the depth of the beliefs of the Amish people and their choice to stick to their beliefs hence the success of their cultures despite the challenges.

Suggested Position in Comparative Scales

The Amish people respect the doctrine and the Bible in equal measures, most of the experiences they have, are made of their farming activities as it is practiced as a way of life, hence the main activity that fills their schedules in a given day (Hostetler, 1993). This shows the community effectiveness in their daily way of making a living as they do not have any distractions as they farm and produce food not as part of labor but as part of their balanced lives expectations. In this regard, their culture of farming is as a result of their way of life. The Amish society has thrived at small scale trading and believes in perfecting their small trades rather than deal with uncontrollably massive levels that might end up delivering undervalued goods and services (Hood & Williamson, 2005). In this regard, their choice to stick to manageable smaller scales of operating businesses makes the community more effective at what they do.

Work Ethic and Infrastructure

The culture of hard work is taught to the Amish children from a young age, as parents spend most of their time with their children working on the farms. The spirit of hard work is applied into the economy of the Amish community as most of them venture in hand-crafted quilts and wicker baskets and sell them in the streets as a way of earning a living. This has impacted the market dynamics of the surrounding communities as they can access these kinds of commodities availed by the hard work from the Amish community. The Amish infrastructure which is created by the community-based businesspeople, benefit the upcoming businesses that are being created by the locals (Kraybill, & Nolt, 2004). This is a positive impact on the community as a whole as they do not have to re-establish the infrastructures already in place hence boosting the community's ability to expand businesses in a shorter period.

Paradox of Technology, Limited Education and Smallness Mentality

The Amish community has its reservations on technology and as such do not use or intend on using technology as well as electricity. As a result, this has impacted on the community operations in making their work more comfortable as they have no alternative but to be innovative entrepreneurs to sustain businesses. The Amish students finish school with eighth grade, and as a result, cannot further their education on many professional disciplines (Kraybill, & Nolt, 2004). This has resulted in the community not having any members with professional skills and hence affecting their economic growth. This has impacted on their economy negatively as the outside world accelerates its growth in technological advancements. Conclusively the smallness mentality has impacted on the Amish community as most of them prefer to run many small businesses rather than one big enterprise. This has resulted in very few companies and factories coming up in the community hence slowing down the growth of the economy.

Non-resistance, Education and Marriage

The Amish community believes in embracing peace and relating with others peacefully and in a cordial manner. They have inculcated the culture of non-resistance in that, any government directive given to them is embraced. In cases where the directives contradict their faith, they are at all times willing to face the consequences of their non-compliance in making sure they abide by their faith and beliefs (Cates, 2014). In a bid for this community to benefit from this culture of non-resistance, it is recommended for them to consider the implications non-compliance to directives, and reconsider their faith strictness and rigidity.

The Amish children are usually schooled up to the age of 14 which is the eighth-grade level. This is as a result of the Supreme Court Case (Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)), in which the Amish community managed to argue and...