For an amish person it is hard to comprehend why the general public is so fascinated by the amish.in our eyes were just regular people living and dieing, breathing and working,going on with life.
So why the fascination?fascination is a dangerous thing.i have had people fascinated with me at first and i could do no wrong.but then just as suddenly they become "unfascinated"and i can do no right.
As a young amish youth this scares/concerns me.what happens when the publics positive perception gives way to viewing us as a cult/law breakers/bad citizens?
The implications are scary.any number of scenarios could bring this about.a world war(amish being consciousness objectors),a national i.d. system in where the amish refuse to participate,or even another "beardcutting"or pathetic "reality show" could push public opinion to the brink.
Dealing with the general public,it scares me how many people ask me if the amish are a cult.this happens a lot more since the recent rash of "amish" tv shows.
But consider the economical implications. Suppose instead of fighting to buy amish furniture and hire amish carpenters the general public wouldn't touch us with a ten foot pole?the amish population (and the towns and citizens that rely on us for economical purposes)would suffer immensely.
On the positive side i dont see this happening unless the amish start believing the" hype"that the national news media dumps on us.as the ever wise Mo Jiggy says"a man becomes extremely dangerous once he starts believing his own bullshit".growing up in an amish home i was never led to believe by anyone that i was special or different in any way.which i am extremely grateful for.
At the end of the day the amish are human beings with red blood in them just like the rest of the inhabits of this earth.so the next time you stop on the highway to snap a photo of the horse and buggy and the inhabits look at you oddly,that doesnt mean their offended,their just simply trying to comprehend in their mind"why the fascination?"
Machets gute
