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Amish

Two recently popular books speak directly to the condition of mainstream American society as it turned the corner into the 21st century, and provides two useful ways for defining the unique character of the Amish subculture. Bowling Alone (2000) by Robert Putnam examines the decline of social capital in the United States. "Social capital" has become quite a popular phrase with social scientists. Social capital refers to the ways in which individuals are organized in order to achieve common ends. It is frequently overused and misused, but nonetheless, it remains a concept that helps us understand the nature and direction of the human condition. Putnam contends that the various social, economic, and cultural forces which transformed American society during the 20th century, and that will continue to influence its evolution in this new century, have incrementally reduced social capital. The result is a decline in the quality of life of both the community and the individual. He illustrates this with statistics indicating that the number of people who bowl is at an all-time high, but the number who participate in bowling leagues has declined. In other words, we bowl alone and in a million other ways, pursue lifestyles that are too individualistic and that ignore community obligations and the virtues of doing things cooperatively with other people.
At about the same time Putnam's book was published, a book titled The McDonaldization of Society (2000) by the sociologist, George Ritzer, appeared in print. Ritzer's view is that all aspects of American society, from education (at all levels) to philanthropy and volunteer work, to everyday aspects of community life, and, of course the workplace, increasingly resemble the McDonald's corporation method for fast food production. Like Putnam's critique, Ritzer concludes that the effects of this trend erode community and promote the decline of quality of life.
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Putnam and Ritzer suggest different kinds of...