Communities that Live without Technology
It seems challenging to imagine a society without technology. There are many things we take for granted like technology yet they have made life very simple. While we didn’t have most of these things like the internet in the last 100 years, they have become part of our lives and it is difficult to live without them. Imagine having to live without a television, smartphone radio, or internet. How would life be?
In this article, we are going to focus on some communities that live without technology. But first; let's describe a person who lives without technology.
What Do You Call Someone Who Doesn't Use Technology?
A Luddite. It is a person who is opposed to technology because he or she feels it threatens existing jobs or his or her way of life.
Communities That Live Without Technology
The following are some communities that live without technology:
1. The Amish Community
The Amish are a group of traditional communities that live without technology. The Amish community began in Switzerland but they have now migrated to North America and are spread in countries like the U.S. and Canada.
The Amish community belongs to an Anabaptist Christian church fellowship and accepts The Bible as their scriptures. The community has a population of about 373,000. They speak languages like Pennsylvania Dutch, Bernese German, Low Alemannic Alsatian German, Amish High German, and English.
The Amish have a simple life and dress simply. The community has maintained self-sufficiency and is very slow to adopt the conveniences of technology. The Amish community values rural life and prefers to do manual labor. Besides, they do not use birth control.
The Amish community sees technology as an inherent evil, but they have no rules prohibiting technology. However, they are very keen to consider how technology will affect them. So, they first watch their neighbors before adopting any technology. They then vote to accept or reject it.
Also read: Communities that live without money.
2. The Sentinelese Community
The Sentinelese is an indigenous community that lives without technology. They have inhabited North Sentinel Island in the Bay of Bengal in the northeastern Indian Ocean.
The community has refused interaction with the outside world and they are very hostile to outsiders. Many people who have approached their island have been killed. No census has been carried out, but their population is assumed to be between 35 to 400 people.
The Government of India prohibited people from traveling 3 nautical miles of North Sentinel Island. The community maintains constant patrols in its surrounding waters to prevent intrusion from outsiders.
The Sentinelese are hunters and gatherers and use bows and arrows to hunt. They do not engage in agriculture at all. They use canoes for water transport and when they are fishing. They are among the few communities that have refused to adopt the technology.
Also read: How to survive without money.
3. Mennonite Community
The Mennonite Community is a group of Anabaptist Christian churches. They are distributed on almost all continents. They are found in 87 countries and in 6 continents. They have a population of about 2.13 million.
The Mennonite Community shuns modern technology, although they may use it in limited capacities. They live a simple life and wear plain dresses. Their church practices baptism, communion, foot washing, the holy kiss, anointing with oil, and prayer covering.
4. The Karen Hill Tribe
The Karen Hill Tribe is located in Thailand. They are spread across the world in Myanmar, Thailand, the United States, Australia, India, and Canada. Their origin is Tibet, moving south to Myanmar and Northern Thailand.
While the rest of the Karen people found in other countries are slowly embracing technology, those in Thailand are opposed to it. The population of Karen people found in Thailand is about 1 million. 30% of The Karen Hill tribe have embraced Christianity. They also practice animalism and all villagers participate in spirit festivals.
The Karen Hill tribe practice slash and burn agriculture. They are subsistence rice farmers and grow cash crops such as corn, soybeans, cabbage, and coffee. They also practice silversmithing and are known for making silver beads and jewelry. They read and write the Karen language using the roman alphabet.
Summary of Communities that Live Without Technology
While it may seem challenging to imagine a life without technology, there are some communities that have intentionally refused to adopt technology. Many of them are keen to avoid technology since it affects their way of life. However, it is worth noting that these communities still live a healthy life even without technology.
