How do John Lutz description of the Amish and David Belton’s documentary on the Amish, similarly present a community that displays utopian characteristics?
John Lutz’ piece “The Omish”, focuses on his visit to the Amish community in 1882. Lutz depiction of the community is one of intrigue and curiosity. It is important to note that Lutz is presenting an account from the early years of the community, which might slightly differ from an account on the community today. Lutz describes the community’s overall unity when describing their behavior and appearance. The Amish community’s uniformity strikes Lutz as new and peculiar. The differences that Lutz describes as peculiar are in many ways utopian because of their attempts to create a happier society amongst themselves. John Lutz’ observations of his visit to an Amish community helped set the foundation for my research project. The Amish directed by David Belton provided me with a modern day exhibit source of the community. It allowed me a chance to see how people today viewed the Amish and allowed me to contrast that to the observations of John Lutz. Belton’s account of the Amish does not focus as much on the appearance and behavior but rather on the values that the Amish hold at the core of their community. However, even though both exhibit sources speak of different aspects of the Amish community, they both point towards the Amish creating a happier place.
Lutz first notices distinct differences between the world he knows and the Amish community. He notices the structures of the homes and how “ They settle close together, so that they can aid each other”(para 1). This idea of helping ones neighbor is religious and points to the group’s strong faith. It is also significant because it shows how high the community values unity. This point is continued when he says, “There is scarcely a poor man amongst them” (para 1). By aiding one another, the Amish are able to avoid the social pitfall of poverty which is one of the main reasons why a Utopia cannot exist in today’s world. Both Rousseau and More agree that as a few members of society begin to own too much private property, inequality is bound to spread in that society. However, because the Amish are, “of a charitable disposition, always promptly caring for the poor and the stranger that may happen among them” they are able to eliminate extreme poverty from their community (para 1). Lutz continues to characterize the Amish in a positive light when he says, “They are a harmless, innocent people… They are non-resistants, believing it wrong to take up arms” (para 1). Lutz depiction of the Amish community as peaceful is a utopian ideal because it shows how the group values the lives of all its members. The community’s similar style of dress is also similar to Thomas More’s Utopians in that the members of the community all dress alike to further emphasize their sameness. Because the Amish are able to dress alike, no one member is able to have nicer or worse clothes than another. Therefore, inequality is again not able to exist because no one member of the community has more than another.
In reading Lutz’ account of his visit to the Amish community I learned how the community is an attempt at a utopian community. However, I think that it would be beneficial to find more sources that can explain how the community has been able to last to day and whether they still hold the same ideals that Lutz described in 1882. It would also help my research to find first hand accounts of members in the community from the 1800’s and compare them to present day members to find out if they see their communities as the happiest place imaginable.
Belton’s account of the Amish provided me with modern first hand accounts of members in the Amish community. In doing this it gave me the opportunity to find out how the community has changed since the 1800’s and to what extent. An Amish family says, “When a man is working his soul, that’s the closest man can get to God himself” (3:10). The value of simplicity and labor continue to be at the core of the Amish community. By eliminating idleness from their society, the Amish find that they are able to create a happier place for themselves. Today’s Amish’ focus on simplicity and hard work stems directly from the observations that Lutz noted 150 years prior. An Amish father emphasizes the community’s value of faith: “Our main concern is raising children for the Lord, whatever occupations they choose, that’s secondary” (7:37). The father’s concern over the religious nature of his child instead of whether his son remains in the community is representative of the community at large and the importance it places on faith.
Both Belton and Lutz describe the major values that lie at the core of the Amish community they observe. They emphasize the importance of simplicity, labor, and faith. In their observations, they paint a portrait of how the Amish live with these core values and how these values in turn show the ways in which the community is utopian. Comparing these two exhibit sources helped advance my research question and answer a few ways in how the community today is similar to the community of the 1800’s.