The lives of the Amish in the US | DW Documentary

DW Documentary
5 Jan 202442:26
EducationalLearning
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TLDRThe Amish are a traditional religious community in the US that originated in Europe. They shun most modern technology, wearing plain clothes and using horses for transportation. The Amish live close to nature, valuing simplicity, family, and manual trades. While some members are adapting to modern practices like using phones for business, core values remain unchanged. The Amish attend their own schools, fund healthcare through community efforts like auctions, have large families, and practice adult baptism. Their pacifist beliefs prohibit military service and voting while respecting political leadership as ordained by God.

Takeaways
  • πŸ‘¨β€πŸ’» The Amish community in the US, particularly in Ohio, lives a life largely unchanged for centuries, emphasizing simplicity, self-sufficiency, and a disconnection from modern technology.
  • 🚢 Old Order Amish strictly adhere to using horse-drawn transportation, avoiding cars and other modern vehicles to maintain their traditional ways.
  • πŸ‘©β€πŸ’» Amish education ends at the eighth grade, after which children focus on learning trades or household skills, underscoring the community's value on practical skills over formal education.
  • 🏑 The Amish use technology selectively; while personal use of modern gadgets is limited, technology for business purposes, like generators and phones, is accepted to ensure livelihood.
  • πŸ‘¨β€πŸ’»β€πŸ‘§β€πŸ‘¦ Gender roles are strictly defined within the Amish community, with distinct responsibilities for men, women, and children, rooted in their interpretation of the Bible.
  • πŸ›  Amish craftsmanship in trades such as blacksmithing, woodworking, and farming is highly valued, with a focus on quality and sustainability.
  • πŸ“š The community is self-reliant, funding their own private schools and healthcare through communal efforts and auctions, avoiding dependence on government assistance.
  • πŸ‘¨β€πŸ”§ The Amish maintain their traditions while adapting to the modern economy, ensuring their businesses remain competitive by selectively incorporating modern technologies.
  • πŸš• Amish services, such as construction and furniture making, thrive due to a strong work ethic and a reputation for quality, with many businesses being successful without formal higher education.
  • πŸ’» Personal and communal decisions on technology and modern conveniences are made with careful consideration of their impact on Amish values, family life, and community cohesion.
Q & A
  • What are the Amish rules called and what do they include?

    -The Amish rules are called the Ordnung. They include adult baptism and in strict communities, the refusal of technological advancements. The Amish wear old-fashioned clothes and head coverings, and the men have long beards.

  • How do the Amish get around since they don't use modern transportation?

    -The Amish use horses and buggies as their main mode of transportation. They have around 8,000 horses in and around Middlefield, Ohio.

  • How do Amish schools differ from mainstream schools?

    -Amish schools are private, with their own teachers. There is only one class that teaches children between ages 5-14. The Bible takes up most of the lessons, and subjects like math, English, and geography are taught after lunch.

  • What jobs do Amish people typically have?

    -Most Amish work in agriculture or in skilled trades like carpentry, masonry, and blacksmithing. Amish businesses like furniture shops are also common and successful.

  • How does healthcare work in Amish communities?

    -The Amish pay for healthcare privately and do not have health insurance. The community covers medical bills through a fund and frequent benefit auctions.

  • What is the role of Amish women?

    -Amish women take care of domestic duties like cooking, cleaning and childcare. They do not take leadership roles and submit to the authority of men.

  • Do the Amish use any modern technology?

    -The Amish restrict technology at home but allow it in businesses. Some examples are telephones, battery powered machines, and generators for electricity.

  • What happens during an Amish person's 'rumspringa'?

    -Rumspringa refers to when an Amish youth reaches the age of 16. During this time, they are not under the rules of the church and can experiment with technology, alcohol, dating, etc.

  • How much education do Amish children receive?

    -Amish children attend school until 8th grade, so around age 14. Their education is focused on religious teachings rather than academics.

  • What happens if an Amish person leaves the faith?

    -If a baptized Amish person leaves the community, they are shunned and excommunicated. They can maintain some contact with family but cannot share meals together.

Outlines
00:00
πŸŒ„ Amish Lifestyle and Beliefs

This paragraph introduces the Amish community, highlighting their adherence to traditional ways of life that resemble those from 300 years ago. It discusses the community's origins in Europe, their religious practices including adult baptism, and their avoidance of modern technology to maintain simplicity. The narrative follows Enos Sall, an Old Order Amish living with his family on a 94-acre farm in Middlefield, Ohio, emphasizing their self-sufficient lifestyle, reliance on horses for transportation, and the children's involvement in farm work. It captures the essence of the Amish commitment to simplicity, community, and a life unencumbered by technological advancements.

05:03
πŸ“š Amish Education and Craftsmanship

The second paragraph focuses on Amish education, detailing the curriculum that includes religious studies, basic subjects, and the conclusion of formal education at 14. It illustrates the community's emphasis on Bible study and the simple process of becoming an Amish teacher. Additionally, the paragraph explores Amish craftsmanship and economy, highlighting a community's adaptation to modern needs while maintaining traditional values, such as the production of furniture and the use of technology for business purposes. The narrative portrays a balance between preserving Amish traditions and making necessary accommodations for economic sustainability.

10:04
🏑 Balancing Tradition and Modern Necessities

This segment delves into the nuanced acceptance of certain modern conveniences within the Amish community for business and emergency purposes while still prioritizing church and family. It touches on the gender roles within the community, the use of Pennsylvania Dutch in daily conversations, and the pragmatic approach to technology that supports their lifestyle without compromising core values. The narrative also highlights the community's emphasis on self-sufficiency and the practical aspects of living a life aligned with Amish beliefs and practices.

15:05
πŸ”¨ Amish Professions and Adaptations

Paragraph four details the professional life within the Amish community, focusing on blacksmithing and construction management as examples of traditional and adapted Amish occupations. It discusses the importance of these professions in maintaining the community's way of life, the challenges of passing these skills to younger generations, and the Amish approach to business and technology. The narrative underscores the community's ability to adapt while preserving their identity and values.

20:06
πŸ’Ό Amish Business Practices and Community Support

This paragraph examines the success of Amish businesses despite limited formal education, attributing their achievements to strong work ethics and community support. It also covers the community's healthcare approach, emphasizing self-reliance and mutual aid over government assistance. The narrative highlights how benefit auctions play a crucial role in covering medical expenses, showcasing the community's commitment to collective welfare and independence.

25:07
🌾 Amish Values and Community Life

The sixth paragraph explores the Amish commitment to community values, the importance of collective well-being over individual desires, and the successful fundraising efforts for medical expenses. It reflects on the spiritual leadership within the Amish community and their outlook on technology, education, and modern conveniences, illustrating a lifestyle that balances traditional values with practical necessities.

30:07
πŸ› Faith, Family, and Modern Challenges

This section addresses the Amish perspective on marriage, family planning, and the challenges of maintaining purity within the community. It candidly discusses the issues of sexual abuse and the struggle to align personal faith with community expectations. Additionally, it highlights the pragmatic use of technology in farming and domestic life, presenting a realistic view of how the Amish navigate the complexities of modern life while striving to uphold their values.

35:10
πŸ”„ Amish Adaptation and Self-Sufficiency

Paragraph eight discusses the Amish stance on political participation, military service, and the principle of non-resistance, alongside their efforts to remain self-sustainable and minimally dependent on external resources. It also covers the tradition of Rumspringa, a period of exploration for Amish youth before deciding to commit to the Amish way of life, illustrating the community's allowance for personal growth and exploration within the bounds of their faith and traditions.

40:12
🀝 Youth, Faith, and the Future of the Amish

The final paragraph reflects on the experiences of Amish youth during Rumspringa, their experimentation with forbidden activities, and the eventual choice between modern life and returning to the Amish community. It emphasizes the importance of faith, guidance, and teaching respect and discipline to ensure a promising future for the Amish. Despite the encroachment of the modern world, the narrative concludes that the Amish community remains committed to its centuries-old principles and values.

Mindmap
Keywords
πŸ’‘Amish
The Amish are a religious community in the US that originated in Europe. They live according to strict rules called 'ordnung' that govern all aspects of life, including dress, technology use, family life, etc. The video explores various Amish communities to understand how they preserve their traditional way of life in modern times.
πŸ’‘technology
The Amish limit their use of modern technology, seeing it as disruptive to family and community life. Most Amish groups forbid television, computers, electricity from public grids, etc. However, some technology like batteries and phones may be permitted for business purposes.
πŸ’‘community
Community is core to Amish identity and lifestyle. Their decisions, lifestyle rules, financial assistance etc. are all community-driven rather than individualistic.
πŸ’‘family
Family is the most important social unit for the Amish. All aspects of their life and rules aim to strengthen familial and community ties. Amish family roles and gender norms tend to be traditional.
πŸ’‘school
Amish children go to private Amish schools until 8th grade. These schools focus heavily on religious education, German language learning, and practical skills over academic subjects.
πŸ’‘business
Though most Amish people are farmers or work in traditional trades, a significant minority run successful small businesses, especially in construction/manufacturing. Their businesses can use some modern technology.
πŸ’‘electricity
Most Amish groups do not access public electricity grids. However, some may use batteries, generators or solar power for limited appliances or business equipment according to their interpretation of the rules.
πŸ’‘transport
Horse-drawn buggies are the main transport mode for Amish people. However, some may take taxis or have non-Amish drivers for long distances, medical trips etc. if permitted by their 'ordnung'.
πŸ’‘healthcare
The Amish largely pay for their own medical treatments instead of using insurance. Their community-funded programs assist with large hospital bills. Amish hold benefit auctions to cover healthcare costs of members.
πŸ’‘minister
The spiritual leaders of Amish church districts are called ministers. These are men selected from within the community and the role is unpaid. Ministers interpret the 'ordnung' and advise on spiritual matters.
Highlights

Transcript discusses innovative neural network architecture for natural language processing.

Proposes novel attention mechanism to improve contextual understanding in translations.

Deep learning approach achieves state-of-the-art results on machine translation benchmark.

Analysis of multi-headed attention provides insights into model interpretability.

Attention visualization highlights which input words are focused on during translation.

Learned positional encodings capture syntactic and semantic relationships in sentences.

Results show attention-based models are more robust to noisy or out-of-domain data.

Attention mechanism is shown to improve translation of rare and complex words.

Analyzes how attention weights change during training for different layers.

Discussion of limitations includes tendency to attend locally rather than globally.

Attention approach provides insights into inner workings of neural translation models.

Proposes future work to improve capturing long-range dependencies in sequences.

Overall presents significant advances in interpretability and performance of seq2seq models.

Code and trained models are open sourced for wider adoption and further research.

Conclusions highlight key contributions and potential impact on related domains.

Transcripts
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