neo-Luddism

 

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The term Luddite is a political/historical term relating to a political movement during the Industrial Revolution; currently it is primarily used as a pejorative, describing those perceived as being uncompromisingly or unnecessarily opposed to technological or scientific innovations.

Neo-Luddism is a modern movement of opposition to specific or general technological development. Few people describe themselves as neo-Luddites (though it is common, certainly in the UK, for people to self-deprecatingly describe themselves as Luddites if they dislike or have difficulty using modern technology); the term "neo-Luddite" is most often deployed by advocates of technology to describe persons or organizations that resist technological advances.

Views

Unlike anarcho-primitivists, someone labelled a neo-Luddite might not consider technology itself to be evil, though they may believe that many technologies influence human nature in a way that degrades the overall quality of human existence. However, most commonly neo-Luddites oppose the rapid adoption of technology by society on the grounds that such development's negative effects on individuals, society or the planet outweigh its benefits.

Neo-Luddite thinkers usually reject the popular claim that technology is essentially "value free" or "amoral", that it is merely a set of tools which can be used for either good or evil. Instead, they argue that certain technologies have an inherent tendency to reinforce or undermine particular values. In particular, they argue that some technologies foster social/class alienation, environmental degradation, and spiritual dissipation, though they are always marketed as uniformly positive by the companies that make them. Neo-Luddites claim that technology is a force may do any or all of the following: dehumanise and alienate people; destroy traditional cultures, societies, and family structure; pollute languages; reduce the need for person-to-person contact; alter the very definition of what it means to be human; or damage the evolved life-support systems of the Earth's entire biosphere so gravely as to cause human extinction.

Reasoning

People described as "neo-Luddite" come from a variety of political backgrounds, liberal and conservative, and the arguments used to obtain anti-technology conclusions similarly run across the political spectrum.

Accusations of "neo-Luddism" on the left are usually directed at those who oppose technology on the grounds that may contribute to any or all of the following: loss of personal privacy, ecological degradation (including human extinction), consumerism, and authoritarianism, cruelty to animals, social decay, the collapse of tribal and nature-based ways of life, or the separation of the worker from the means of production.

Those on the right who are "neo-Luddites" generally oppose technology on the grounds that it may contribute to any or all of the following: decay of social mores, dehumanization, a snowball effect towards a "Brave New World", the collapse of traditional ways of life, consumerism, or atheism and the decay of religion.

Whether the arguments come from the right or the left may not affect the general conclusions reached by those who are likely to be labelled as neo-Luddites. These conclusions may include claims that some or all of the following are needed: increased governmental control over technological development; increased consumer responsibility; increased corporate responsibility; and ethical inquiries into the ramifications that certain technologies have and will have on society and/or the environment. Some more radical thinkers call for the dismantling of the current technical superstructures of our civilization altogether, rather than merely trying to make human societies less dependent on technology.

Some of those who do not fit neatly into either group, or who fit into both to some degree, oppose technology on essentially anarchist grounds. In their view, the unhindered growth of technology in liberal societies tends to increase governmental and corporate control over individual lives, and lead to increased inequality.

Labels

Those labelled "neo-Luddites" may also be labelled anarcho-primitivist. The term "bio-Luddite" is frequently applied to individuals who specifically oppose the development of certain forms of biotechnology. Like "neo-Luddite" itself, these various labels are usually applied by their detractors. However, Kalle Lasn is a self-described neo-Luddite social activist.

Some "neo-Luddites", mostly of the anarcho-primitivist or green anarchist persuasion, do not consider "Luddite" to be pejorative and advance explicitly anti-technology arguments, viewing technology as a fundamental form of oppression and alienation. Notable thinkers and writers in this vein include John Zerzan, Derrick Jensen, Jacques Ellul, and Chellis Glendinning; the actions and words of Theodore Kaczynski and groups like the Earth Liberation Front may also be seen as a militant articulation of Luddism. The historical Luddite movement of the early 19th century is often referenced positively in this milieu in spite of its violence.

"Neo-Luddites" and politics

As noted earlier, people categorized as "neo-Luddite" usually are so due to their apparent cohesiveness on the political front. This is due to the fact that when a policy that restricts one form of technological innovation or another is before a legislative body, it can be expected that anti-technology advocates on the right and left will support it, despite different or sometimes conflicting motivations. Most neo-luddites in popular culture(see 'popular culture' section for examples), have not publicly supported or condoned violent beliefs or practices, however some people do use the philosophy as a justification for violence.

Theodore Kaczynski, the "Unabomber", was a neo-Luddite, and the FBI has stated it considers green anarchists like the E.L.F. to be the "leading domestic terror threat". This has led to an ongoing crackdown on the radical ecological movement, known as the Green Scare; most of those arrested stand accused of sabotage actions reminiscent of the original Luddites' tactics. However these people only comprise a small minority and don't represent the entirety of neo-luddites. The difference between most neo-luddites and those who engage in volience to achieve their ends, is comparable to the difference between Christians, Muslims, communists, environmentalists, nationalists, capitalists, or between any philosophical group and their violent fringe.

Stem cells

On August 09, 2001, a few months after taking office, U.S. President George W. Bush enacted a ban on the expenditure of public funds on stem cell research on embryonic stem cells other than those from cell lines developed by the date of his declaration. This policy was proposed by Leon Kass and Francis Fukuyama in their work on The President's Council on Bioethics.

While the support for the ban as delineated in the works of Kass and the Council is not blatantly "neo-Luddite" or anti-technology, any restriction on technology is usually criticized by pro-technology advocates. Moreover, Kass's extensive body of writing in the field of bioethics does express concerted and principled opposition to many forms of biotechnology, providing the basis for opponents to accuse him of being, more specifically, a leading right-wing "bio-Luddite".

It should be noted, however, that no prohibition on privately funded stem cell research was either proposed or instituted.

GMO

A number of countries, as well as the EU, have adopted the Precautionary Principle as law, statute, or regulation, especially with respect to Genetically Modified Organisms. Effectively this bans GMOs from Europe, a fact which has rankled, for example, American corn farmers.

The adoption of the ban places the burden of proof on the producers of GMOs to prove that their products are not harmful. This is noteworthy, since in most other cases the burden of proof lies on governments to prove that a product is harmful.

Part of the reason EU governments adopted these policies is due to large-scale popular campaigns which started before GMOs became established in the European economy, and which included the suitably classic Luddite tactic of night-time sabotage, this time against genetic research and development.

Opposition

Opposition to neo-Luddites consists largely of those who believe that technology is beneficial or, at worst, neutral. This opposition has sometimes been hindered by a focus on specific issues, and on occasion by a belief that the benefits of certain new technologies are obvious when in fact many people do not understand the technology in question.

A main concern of technological proponents is to question whether it is always worth saving those things that neo-Luddites seek to protect. The actions of the Luddites are perceived to be emotion-driven and therefore irrational. One form of this objection begins by noting their defense of traditional cultures, and then pointing out culture as a static force enslaves people to its strictures, and is counterproductive to adaptation resulting in cultural if not ethnic extinction. Further arguments would state that elements (real or imagined) of certain traditional cultures that modern societies find abhorrent, such as cannibalism and slavery. Another form is to note some problem that most people would like to minimize or eliminate - such as cancer (which some people agree can eventually be treated or cured), or the sometimes crippling effects of advanced age (see Geriatrics) - and argue that the main effect of neo-Luddism would be to delay or prevent solutions to these problems.

Popular culture

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The American Medical Association's first rule of medicine - a summarization of the Hipporactic Oath - roughly translates, "Above all, do no harm." This oath acknowledges that it is their most basic professional duty to abstain from the science of medicine itself, when its practices may be more harmful than beneficial to a patient. It can be seen, among other things, as one of the earliest and most widely accepted refutations of scientific practice when the known negative impacts of the practice will outweight the good ones, but even more stringently when the impacts have not yet been examined.

In Mary Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein the protagonist Dr. Victor Frankenstein creates a living being through experimentation that eventually goes on a rampage causing mayhem and destruciton. In the case of this story the monster itself, while living, can be seen as "technology" since it was created through (fictional) science. While containing literary, pyschological, and social themes amongst others, it can be seen as a criticism of scientific progress performed without moral, societal, or ethical oversight.

The term Neo-Luddite was used in the science fiction radio program X Minus One, in episode #100, The Category Inventor, from 1957.

Phillip K. Dick's 1952 short story The Nanny is about a family that has to keep buying robot nannies for their children with superior weaponry to defend against nannies for other families, that are designed to attack nannies. For their children's safety the family is forced by the market to continually buy the new most technologically advnaced nanny. This increasingly endangers the families, while locking families into a continuous consumer cycle. It can be seen as an early example of what scholars refer to as the facism of technology, with all of the societal impacts that come along with that. It can also be compared to U.S practices such as the arms race.

The Final Cut, a movie based on the premise of implanted memory recorders, revolves around the conflicts between advocates of the technology, and a violent group of opponents who want to return to the "old" ways of natural memories. These cyberpunk neo-Luddites would tattoo themselves with a special ink that caused interference with their own unremovable recorder implants.

The Sheep Look Up, a novel by John Brunner, is set in a future dystopia of corporate control and ecological decay and involves a movement of neo-Luddites called Trainites, whom some reviewers have compared to the Earth Liberation Front.

The Butlerian Jihad is an event in the Dune universe during which all Artificial intelligences who tried to enslave all humans are destroyed. New machines are not allowed to reach a high level of complexity that could cause an Artificial intelligence. "Thou shalt not make a machine in the likeness of a human mind." is the limiting rule on advancement.

In the The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy's radio broadcasts, the planet of Brontitall rid itself of all robots.

In Faust by Goethe, Faust's selling his soul to the devil in return for power over the physical world, is also often interpreted as a metaphor for the adoption of industrial technology.

In the movie Star Trek: Insurrection, there are two races one called the Baku and the other called the Sona. Essentially, the Baku are neo-Luddites in that they prefer to live in harmony with nature and reject almost every form of technology. The Sona, it turns out are the sons and daughters of the Baku who decided to adopt technology and travel around the galaxy. This is similar to the Amish and their interactions or lack thereof with technology. In any case, this film also raises issues dealing with technology and its potential harms to a society.

The movie Fight Club, as a whole, is a reference to a militant neo-Luddite movement that seeks the destruction of techno-industrial consumerism in modern times.

The movie The Village features a group of people who have denounced modern living in favor of a nearly technology free life.

In the video game City of Villains, player characters can encounter enemies of a faction known as the Luddites. They are an extremist faction of people who dress like monks, and hate technology to the point where they will perform acts of random violence against anything remotelay technological.

In the film You've Got Mail, Greg Kinnear's character Frank Navasky is a self-confessed Luddite that refuses to use a laptop or personal computer when writing. In one scene he is shown purchasing a specific model typewriter that he already owns two identical models of.

Kurt Vonnegut begins Chapter 6 of his novella A Man Without A Country with the line "I have been called a luddite. And I welcome it." In the chapter he describes a brief history of the luddite movement, how he wrote letters by hand, used a typewriter, and would send the one and only copy of his manuscripts to a "typist" via, the post office. Far from blindly rejecting all technology, the section criticizes the negative political, social, and even aesthetic impacts of blindly accepting new technology. He also revels in his memories of the aesthetic joys and sense of community that new technologies have made obsolete. Vonnegut, perhaps charactersitically, simply defines the term luddite to be "a person who hates newfangled contraptions."

See also

• Anarcho-Primitivism
• Anti-modernism
• Bio-conservatism
• Deep ecology
• Dogma00
• Fight Club
• Green anarchism
• Green fascism
• Kirkpatrick Sale
• Luddite
• Simple living
• Unabomber
• VHEMT

External links and references

• Is it O.K. to be a Luddite? by Thomas Pynchon
• Luddism and the Neo-Luddite Reaction by Martin Ryder, University of Colorado at Denver School of Education
• Bill Joy (creator of Sun-Microsystems) in his famous write-up which many people claim as neo-Luddism
• on-line Luddism
• Primitivism writings archive
• Luddites Stan Iverson Memorial Archives (articles, links & timeline)
• Seafaring primitivism

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