Luddism Leaps in Popularity

The Luddite revolution might be among us.

Young people in the modern era have a tendency to be tech addicts. Despite this, some young individuals are giving up their tech for a simpler life.

A Luddite is someone who opposes the use of modern technology. The name comes from the original “Luddites,” who were English textile workers who destroyed textile machines that were taking their place in the textile industry.

They got their name from the leader of their group, Ned Ludd. Little else is known about Ludd as a historical figure.

A 17-year-old Brooklyn native named Logan Lane started what she called a “Luddite Club.” The basic idea of the club is for young people with Luddite tendencies to get together free of the devices they are so against.

“Lane grew up in Brooklyn and was a screen-addicted teenager who spent hours curating her social media presence on Instagram and Tiktok,”  The New York Times reported.

The article then went on to say that Lane came to view her social media negatively. This is what inspired her to start the “Luddite Club.”

“I do [see] some upsurge in anti-tech thinking. [For example,] the ink spilled about the Luddite Club in NYC…in the context of ever-deepening alienation; for example the move away from the human voice in favor of texting. Who doesn’t know that social media is unhealthy to say the least?” Anarchist and Luddite philosopher John Zerzan said in a Tiger Times exclusive interview.

Zerzan went on to say that he himself does not use text or social (what he calls “antisocial”) media.

“I would throw away my phone if I no longer needed to communicate with people or be safe. I think you can live without a phone, just like people did before they were made,” Fleetwood senior Alyson Malinowski said.

Luddism may have found a home in today’s young people who have become disillusioned with their technological devices.