Kattie Iwanski - Luddites

When discussing the effects that technology has on the relationship between the natural environment and humans, a community called Luddies was mentioned (Conniff, 2011). A Luddite is an individual that protests the development of technology, expertly within the household setting (Conniff, 2011). This concept was originally coined in the 19th century by weavers and textile workers were being replaced by mechanical looms and knitting frames in Britain (Conniff, 2011). Nevertheless, this community is still active today, but their ideals are a bit more ironic (Conniff, 2011). This is because modern Luddites actually believe that in order to destroy technology, they have to create more machinery (Conniff, 2011). These Luddites invent computer viruses, cyber worms, and other malware to demolish technology (Conniff, 2011). However, this community does not only attack small, insufficient networks, but rather large systems including the London Stock Exchange and a nuclear power plant in Iran (Conniff, 2011). These Luddites are considered to be domestic terrorists and threats to other countries as well. The increased fixation and reliance that humans have on devices such as our phones, computers, and headphones have proven to be an issue for modern society, but there are benefits to these advancements such as increased globalization of information and, in recent times, an alternative of in-person interaction. Nevertheless, in terms of human connection to the natural environment, it has been extremely compromised which has resulted in emotional separation causing decreased human investment in the condition of the environment.