The Amish practice controlled change by deliberatively testing innovations

Evidence

A fascinating modern example is the Amish of the eastern and midwestern U.S. The Amish have maintained a distinct culture in the face of the pressure of modernity through a process of evaluating potential social or technological changes for their likely effect on their community. Each innovation is pilot-tested, in a sense, by allowing limited use. A council of elders considers the effects on the community before deciding whether to adopt or ban the innovation, or forge a compromise. For example, while battery-generated electricity has been allowed, especially for commercial use, television has been completely banned. On the other hand, telephones are allowed—but not in the house, where phone conversations would disrupt family interaction. — Rebecca A. Martusewicz, Jeff Edmundson, and John Lupinacci, EcoJustice Education, 639

Categorization

• CANDY: Charming concrete example of a deliberative community gate on technology that would enliven any conversation about progress.
• SEED: A concrete case for an essay on how ‘controlled change’ could be operationalized as a curriculum question: what would pilot-testing look like for our own schooling technologies?
• XREF: connects to: Sustainable communities must weigh every change against community and local nature — Rebecca A. Martusewicz, Jeff Edmundson, and John Lupinacci, EcoJustice Education: Toward Diverse,…, 399