Section 1 Summary

Eric Brende grew up in the Midwest and had a somewhat normal, yet boring childhood. He remembers being a normal kid that watched tv and did most of the normal things that children do. He also recalls many details that frustrated him or made him think. He mentions that the later he got into his childhood, the less people could be found outside. The number of cars increased on the roads and children stopped playing stickball in the street. He also mentions his father spending all of his time over their first word-processor and seeing him very little. Brende went to a university and graduated with good standing. He wrote a paper there that first made him realize his dislike for machines that did work for humans. He attended MIT where he took a course called S.T.S. (Science, Technology, and Society) which made him question the use of this machinery even more. He got into trouble because of his opinions on technology and it’s affect on humans. He began to be disgusted with the college in many ways. People there seemed to love technology. He mentions becoming interested in the Amish while on a bus-ride home to Topeka. After being hit by a car, he meets his future wife and marries. They leave their jobs behind and move to a farm community with no electricity or motors. They moved into an Amish community. Brende and his wife begin living in the community and learning all that there is to know, such as washing clothes and dishes without machines as well as cooking with no electricity or natural gas. They are helped by their neighbors Mr. and Mrs. Miller. Brende learns much about farming and gardening from Mr. Miller and learns that these are extremely knowledgeable people.