Living with the Amish

[Max Power]

Anyone else see this last night. A diverse group of teenagers went to America to live with an Amish familly.
Despite being the usuall lazy petulant little sods, they all took to it like a duck to water and seemed to genuinly enjoy the experience.
With the exception of the early morning starts of course :mrgreen:
Great viewing, will definitely be watching next weeks episode

 

[studders]

+1
A very good programme that restores some hope in me for the future generation. Even the laziest among them got stuck in with the strict regime.
Well worth a watch.

 

[Max Power]

Next weeks episode should be even better as the Amish familly featured have a woodworking business

 

[Eric The Viking]

+1 here too

I watched it, with my eldest teenage daughter curled up on the sofa next to me. Her reaction too was very positive - she was not only impressed by the Amish people involved but was enthusiastic about the lifestyle.

As for me, I was impressed by the kids, particularly the somewhat aimless, unemployed lad with the wavy blonde hair and piercings, and the blond lass, for whom 'mummy' still did everything back home. They both showed delightful glints of character, hopefully they'll develop positively through the series.

Aside: I do like Shaker furniture. I mention this because the Shakers seem to have been pretty much a celibate version of the Amish, which is a shame, as otherwise they might still be around now!

It's booked in the TV diary for next week.

E.

 

[Sawyer]

Only the other day, I was looking at examples of Amish furniture. Personally, I much prefer it to Shaker. Similar high standard of workmanship and ethos, which we can but admire.

Mind you, it's all a bit plain for my liking; give me William & Mary, Queen Anne, Georgian and Regency styles every time!

 

[gregmcateer]

+1 for the show, too.
Though gotta say - too many button's on a shirt can lead to temptations.... please, spare me the overly religious tosh!
Greg

 

[Max Power]

I didnt think there was any emphasis put on the Amish peoples religious beliefs Greg, and I thought they came across as genuinly decent people rather than religious nutters

 

[studders]

I think the 'Three Button Rule' should be made Law over here.
I detest seeing blokes walking around with shirt fully un buttoned, or even worse, none at all.

 

[RogerS]

I think the 'Three Button Rule' should be made Law over here.
I detest seeing blokes walking around with shirt fully un buttoned, or even worse, none at all.

As long as you leave my builders 'bum-cleavage' alone, you can keep your shirt on.

 

[studders]

'Bums' - no problems

 

[Dibs-h]

Good show - sometimes I find myself thinking that spending a few weeks (or more) living with them, would do me (and most people) good.

Dibs

 

[Max Power]

Would be very interesting to work with them for a while Dibs They certainly seem to have retained many of the values that we have sadly lost

 

[studders]

I think for most westerners spending a few weeks with them would clarify what are 'needs' and what are luxuries, something too many people seem to be confused on.

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Ingenious folk.

 

[StevieB]

I found it quite interesting in some ways and depressing in others. I believe it was a follow-on programme from one last year in which some Amish teens experienced a Western lifestyle. It was at least not an exploitative programme, which it very easily could have been. Not entirely sure the teens in question were exactly representative (an Eton graduate and an extremely well spoken Mummy's girl, even the unemployed chap was well spoken) but I would rather this than the 'big-brother' / 'brat-camp' type contestant. I think what depressed me most of all was the lack of aspiration among the Amish community - the attitude of 'this is how we have always done it, this is how we will continue to do it'. It works fine as a concept for some things, but denying yourself the use of electricity and pickling food to make it last is surely counter intuitive. I was at a loss to work out why they insisted on doing things the way they did. I agree that the programme shouldn't (and indeed didn't) descent into religious discussion or dogma, but I would have liked some background and/or depth to the Amish way of life, and what they felt they were achieving by sticking to the ways of doing things they had always used. No to electricity but yes to gas for example, how is one not allowed but another allowed? Perhaps the remaining programmes will explain a little further, but I was left with the overiding feeling of 'why?'

Steve

 

[Dibs-h]

clarify what are 'needs' and what are luxuries, something too many people seem to be confused on.

Yes - seems to be all too common. But it's a hard balance - most things can be obtained again but time can't.

A very common theme in our household is "Do you need it? Or do you want it? If it's 1st we'll deal with it, but if it's the 2nd, put it on the wish list."

But I'm having to relax that a little as the children's childhoods won't come round again and I would like them to have some enjoyment, but not obviously as a result of large (or any TBH) debts.

Dibs

p.s. At some time (before I'm too old or poor) I'd love to go live with the Amish for a month (at least).

 

[studders]

One thing I did find very confusing...
They won't use Electricity off the grid but they will use a generator to power some things??

I can understand the 'kids' thing Dibs but it has to be controlled I think. Was in a shop recently and a young kid was being bought a Tyre and Tube to repair his bike. He picked up some other accessories and said 'Can I have these?', got told no several times but kept on asking and eventually was told 'oh, go on then' . When you hear 'some' parents say they're 'under so much pressure' blah blah, Christmas blah blah; I can't help thinking that if they are it's of their own making.

 

[Max Power]

Lovely pictures Dave R and a great way of getting power, very similar to the set up used on farms in Victorian times (not for electricity production of course :mrgreen: ) Nice looking horse , they all seem to be very well looked after (the horses)

 

[Dibs-h]

One thing I did find very confusing...
They won't use Electricity off the grid but they will use a generator to power some things??

Read a very interesting article or 2,

http://www.holycrosslivonia.org/amish/amishfaq.htm

and even more interesting was

http://www.kk.org/thetechnium/archives/ ... kers_a.php

The 2nd one explains the generator thing.

I can understand the 'kids' thing Dibs but it has to be controlled I think. Was in a shop recently and a young kid was being bought a Tyre and Tube to repair his bike. He picked up some other accessories and said 'Can I have these?', got told no several times but kept on asking and eventually was told 'oh, go on then' . When you hear 'some' parents say they're 'under so much pressure' blah blah, Christmas blah blah; I can't help thinking that if they are it's of their own making.

I know what you mean - took him to the woodworking show at Harrogate and it could have been a nightmare on the "tatt" stalls as he had more arms than a octopus! :lol: But he'd been told beforehand.

Last time we went - he wanted to go on the Pyrography stand and do one of those coasters. It was a couple of quid and I saw absolutely no value in it, so said no. In hindsight, the money wasn't the issue but I had become a little too rigid in my thinking. I regretted it afterwards. Sometimes the pendulum can swing too far the other way.

So this time, I insisted he come to the show, even tho he resisted. Once we got there he was fine and when we walked past the Pyrography stand, guess what? A very quiet "Can I have a go Dad?", entirely expecting a no. But this time - it was a loud "Of course!" When he'd finished - "would you like another go?" And then I got fleeced at the overpriced ice cream stand, because he wanted one. Yes we could have bought a whole bloody tub of something premium from the supermarket on the way out - but it wouldn't have been the same memory for him.

It's very hard striking that balance and I'm constantly having to adjust my thinking.

Dibs

 

[studders]

It's very hard striking that balance ......

Dibs

Yup, it is.

And some good link re the Electrickery, though I still don't quite 'get' their logic or reasoning behind it, almost seems like rule bending.