Title: Luddites: Who Were They?
Course: Advanced Composition for the Digital Age SP14 > Section: Unit 6: Future of Communication

This page defines the term Luddite and discusses how the term is still used today.

Luddite

At some point in your life you will hear the term Luddite referring to someone who shuns technology. You may have already heard it and know what it means from the context in which you heard it, but did you know the history of the word?

The term Luddite actually takes its name from a real person named Ned Ludd. People went so far as to sabotage machinery and actually fought authorities over the issue. We won't go too much into the history here as you can click on one of the links to learn more about this fascinating time in history.

What makes this particularly interesting is how these movements tend to arise whenever a new technology is presented. Back in the 1980's, auto workers were terrified about the prospect of robots taking over manufacturing jobs. These concerns were not unfounded. Most manufacturing today is done by machines. It has taken time for manufacturing workers to find their place in this new world in which many tasks can be performed by automation.

This has given rise to the term neo-luddism, which is a view that opposes modern technology. Perhaps you can think of current technologies that older generations disapprove of because they feel less and less connected to people. Many people fear the isolation that technology can bring without seeing how much of it also has the power to bring people together. Later in this unit, you'll have an opportunity to reflect on some of these issues.

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