So I live around plenty of Amish, their all about the money, it's Amish built, the Amish don't lie, the Amish a great... not true they use their Amishness to jump up prices on everything, don't be fooled, they treat their women like their animals...poorly. they try to capitalize on the Amish name. Don't fall into their trap
To borrow from the aforementioned sociological description of how high-commitment subcultures continuously negotiate their relationships with modernity, I'm calling your smooth segues to your sponsorship promotion "content-provider cultural bargaining".
I taught English at a community college in Los Angeles and one semester I had an Amish student on rumspringa in my 101 class. Her "running around" involved wearing make-up, painting her fingernail in all different colors, and dressing like she was in the cast of Godspell! She was a FANTASTIC writer...except... she was evidently never taught punctuation! But she essentially memorized the rules over one weekend! Planned on returning to her community (I guess it was a tiny one in Oregon) after the semester but had always wanted to see what college life was like! As a gift, she made me an apple-peach pie, which was something of a speciality in her community. I remember her bright personality and insatiable curiosity! She wasn't shy at all and enjoyed participating in class discussions.
I worked at an amusement park, where the Amish kids would show up in full Amish dress and change into mainstream clothes for the day in the first restroom they saw. Then back in Mom-approved clothing in time for the 6PM pickup.
@@JackieDaytona1776That’s a pretty terrible thing to say about a person you don’t know from a group of people that just want to live and worship the way their families have for centuries. Who are we to tell them their way is wrong?
@peytonalexander5300 it's not us defining it that way, it's the dictionary. Cult, noun, a group who tightly controls its members, requiring unwavering devotion to a set of beliefs and practices which are considered deviant (outside the norms of society). Can a member of the group choose to leave without cutting ties with their entire community or family? No. Can a member of the group choose to dress in their own fashion and stay in the group? No. Can a woman in the group choose to marry someone not in this group? No. Should I go on? Because when people are victims of oppression, it's wrong not to call it out.
If you live in an area where there's a lot of Amish, they don't go under the radar at all. They are everywhere, and a huge part of the community. You run into them at the store, on the road, and it's impossible to do any sort of business without running into them because their needs are often unique. Some don't wear the outfit most people are used to, and even work "normal jobs" others are hard-core no-technology and all that. If you want Organic food? or really, organic anything? You can't get any more organic than buying your stuff from the Amish. You want some hardwood for projects? Like walnut? oak? cherry? It's actually pretty hard to find that sort of the thing at the hardware store these days... and very expensive. But every Amish community has a giant, old school, sawmill that runs 24/7 selling that very sort of thing. They buy land/houses, farms... they're often surprisingly independently wealthy. If the Amish buy your house? They pay CASH. So most communities love their Amish folks, though, they don't use modern deodorants and soaps so they often smell bad. But they are also incredibly generous and helpful so, if there's any sort of disaster or problem in the community, the Amish are usually the first people there offering help, prayers, whatever... they'll show up with a dozen very muscular young men and just get to work, because that's what the amish are all about. They are a hard people to dislike.
Their rich because they’re frugal and they don’t borrow from banks and buy crap they don’t need on credit. The ones in my area have really nice bass boats but then pay someone to haul them to the lake.
@@lb2791 "most" is a very broad term. It really depends on your local Amish community. Those around me do not use chemical fertilizers and pesticides, but like I said, each Amish community varies widely so you have to do your own checking. It's also important to note that "Organic" is a meaningless term to most of them, so it's not like they are going to bother to get certified (regardless of how meaningful that term is in reality) but they are also very unlikely to lie to you about if they use chemicals or not. That's not to say there aren't dishonest Amish... they're just like any social group... they have their bad people just like everyone else. But if they DO lie to you about stuff, and you take that up with Other Amish people, they'll get shunned. It's not like the Amish feel like "Sticking it to the normal people" is "ok" like some subcultures feel. If the person was the type that wanted to "Cheat" it would make more sense for them to just leave the Amish community, than it would to become a "bad amish person" lol
Years ago, I used to hang out in a Goth club in Detroit. There was a guy who came in on his rumspringa and went wild. He was about six foot five, very handsome, entirely sweet-natured and soon became the darling of the club...in every way imaginable. I always found it funny that he went from one place where everyone dressed in dark clothing to the libertine opposite where everyone dressed in dark clothing.
I work at a library in Pennsylvania and the popularity of bonnet ripper Amish romance is genuinely astounding. Amish and English alike just want to read the sweet nothings of a strapping young Amish bishop apparently.
@@VihMelchior the readers range between the non Amish and the buggy riding devout. The books themselves are pretty typical romance novels, but the Amish setting means they’re a bit more reserved and less sexual and there’s an added layer of forbidden love. There’s an entire series of Amish romance novels set in the Old West, so at a time when the Amish would not have been seen as technologically behind or oddly devout, which leads me to believe the books are mainly for the set up of one partner being religious and conservative and the other partner being an outsider.
@@hfranklin2009 In some important ways it sure feels that way. But that is not very Amish of him. The Amish generally do not think that it is appropriate to force people to believe as they do.
My father knew a Mennonite man who bought a car (his faith allowed that), but as soon as he owned it, he cut the cable going to the car radio so no one his his family could listen to it. Working in Chicago, I would often see Amish people at Union Station boarding Amtrak trains. Since a horse and buggy couldn’t go super long distances, they make an exception when that need arises. Married Amish men have beards but no mustaches. This goes back to the 17th century in parts of Europe military men had to have mustaches. Having facial hair everywhere except there meant that the Amish were anti-war.
All of the Amish around here have cars, but they have to be black. A few months ago I saw an Amish woman with a black car with a LOT of chrome. She was really pushing the edge of that simple life! I have heard that they can have technology and phones, but only for business.
Yes, i saw Mennonites at train and bus depots when they have to go for long distances. Probably, more conservative Amish, too, since they can't own cars. My grandma knew German and sometimes talk to them, but she told me it is difficult, because they have different dialect. Video explained they spoke an older version of German. That explains it. It is like talking to someone who spoke like King James version of the Bible.
I have often seen them on the Empire Builder train. I was talking with one fellow from Ohio and they appear to have been buying up a lot of farmland there and are no longer just around Millersburg, Ohio. His family farm was in Highland County, only a few miles from my grandparents old farm.
I grew up mainstream Mennonite, so living fully integrated in society but with Anabaptist beliefs and many life practices, particularly around pacifism, simple living, and mutualism. I'm really impressed by the depth of your research and understanding. One thing I'd like to add is that one of the other reasons for the split between Amish and Mennonites is around the "halb-täufer" or half baptized. Many anabaptists received help from sympathetic non-church members during persecution, and the question was were these people outside the church condemned to hell or not? Mennonites took the view that they were saved while the amish viewed everyone living outside of the community as part of the "Devil's playground". I think this is also useful in understanding the different mindsets of the communities.
Funny because it seems that these groups have practises that are collectivist and mutualist which is the dream of anarchists and socialists but their implementation of it in practise seems to be much more successful than the socialist theorising of it which is very often only theoretical.
Yeah the Amish and the rest of us PA Dutch can ride a high horse better than anyone in the county. All while making America think we’re just old timey homegrown farmers. Great food tho
My grandfathers best friend lived directly next to an Amish community, they had told him that they could use technological equipment, but just not own it. So they would often come over and ask to borrow his power tools and newer farm equipment at times. He was paid back generously though.
they literally groom children into marrying adults. It's quite easy to arrest them but some corrupt politicians won't set a minimum marriage age because of the amish in their states.
@@pcd261Belize, Bolivia, and Paraguay all have quite a few Mennonite colonies. I've met and worked with some people who left those colonies and moved to Canada. Most of those colonies, at least all of the ones I've heard about, use plenty of gas and diesel vehicles, but they do limit some technology use, and often have uniform dress, tho that tends to be followed more consistently by women than by men in many cases.
Here in Mexico, Mennonite schools are registered with the Secretrariat of Public Educational, with an slightly adjusted variation of the program, including, like Indigenous Mexican programs, classes in their own language, although they are required to learn Spanish as a second language (for most Mexicans the required second language is English).
I live in an area where there has been a large influx of Amish people moving to in Maine. It's been pretty fascinating. The individuals that seemed to move away from the core populations in Pennsylvania appear to be a bit more liberal. A number of them keep cell phones, actually a few got in trouble when they did that emergency testing that had everybody's phone go off. Haha. They will regularly buy homes in and around people in rural areas, of course detach them from the grid. But some of them have phones at the edge of their property near the street. And some of them have no problem being driven around by other people for jobs. The uncle of one of my friends lives near a number of Amish families, and he once had some of the kids over at his house and made them frozen pizzas and it absolutely blew their mind. Haha. The Amish where I live have a sort of patriarch leader who has a lot of the final say in terms of people's businesses and things. Our community has seen a lot of infighting and it's funny when they sort of break apart, they move to the completely other side of the town. Which of course is like is a 30 minute car drive. But for them it's like a 4-Hour buggy ride. My mother also lives 4 hours away, but by car and it's like at the other side of the state. They absolutely love love love yard sales. And they've actually been able to be extremely competitive locally as construction firms. A lot of the older people seem to like them, it reminds them of the old days that their grandparents told them about. But I am a little worried about their growth potentially creating some head bumping, because it has been exponential growth. But I guess we will see.
I met an Amissh man from Maine. His church was more liberal; they had church every Sunday instead of every 2 weeks. The services were in English instead of German. A lot of Amish have adapted to cell phones. The "cultural bagaining" discussed in this video has not been as strong in the past few decades, and Amish have been less resistant to new technologies, especially if it integrates into their businesses somehow. So they have smart phones but no cars lol. The patriarch guy you mentioned is probably the bishop. The community collectively decides on their ordnung (rules), and elects a bishop who is a leader tasked with enforcing the ordnung.
In Canada, many are moving to Prince Edward Island because of the cheaper land, less urbanization and also the preference of farmer families to sell to families rather than commercial producers.
7:20 "peace in the Alsace didn't last" made me laugh. At least they avoided the next two hundred years of some of the most brutal warfare this planet has ever witnessed.
In modern German, "Gelassenheit" means equanimity, even serenity, letting go, and often coolness - but no hint of submission (Unterwerfung) which sounds almost opposite nowadays in its constraint. Yet, apparently there are older meanings of "gelassen" that mean behave, surrender to god, which became that religious technical term. The wisdom here is to stoically accept the constraints - which enriches my naive concept of the word "gelassen".
But that's just the point- the Amish, and indeed most other Christians, don't see their submission to God as a constraint. We see it as a "letting go," as a way to live peacefully. The expression I grew up with in the Baptist Church was "let go and let God," which I feel captures the same contentment in submission as Gelassenheit.
@@RebeccaGrant-ut7jb That sounds good, and b.t.w. Islam also means literally submission to God in that liberating sense. But unfortunately, many religious communities then proceed to enforce additional submission to their particular customs and traditions, and all kinds of violence is justfied to keep their members and others beyond "on the right path". My comment was more about linguistics, though, German being my first language - Gelassenheit as serene submission really rediscovers a layer of meaning that is lost to modern usage.
I know a former Amish guy. He explained that it's fairly common for families to move from one community to another to find one with rules they agree with. That said he also thinks it's a coercive cult that operates businesses on the borderlines of the law. Education amongst the Amish is curious, girls tend to be better educated as they're the ones that must keep the books while the men do the outside work. Unfortunately because women are kept indoors they have far less opportunity to exercise religious freedom and leave.
My family briefly considered joining an Amish community until we realized that us kids would be capped at an 8th grade education, and therefore effectively stuck staying in the community.
@@crypto4423because cults have a nasty habit of denying education as a control method. When people have the freedom and opportunity to gain education, they usually have more freedom and opportunity in life in general as well. As messed up as it is people dont tend to like inter generational poverty (and the associated lack of education) with someone being intelligent
There's a really nice Channel 4 series called Living with the Amish where some british teenagers live with the amish (not Old Order) for a while. The friendship between Jonathan and James made me actually tear up.
@@Austin_Niepołomice You mean like these? *Ephesians 6:5-7* _"SLAVES,_ obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as *SLAVES* of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.” *1 Timothy 2:1-3* “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people - for *KINGS* and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior.” *Luke 14:26* “If anyone comes to me and does not *HATE* their father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters - yes, even their own life - such a person cannot be my disciple."
@ReligionforBreakfast, you nailed this one. Having married a former Mennonite, and having a brother-in-law who is Beachy Amish, I was wondering how correct this video would be, but you knocked it out of the park. Well done! If you're looking for more interesting Anabaptist content, German Baptists and several of the Mennonite communities are very fascinating. German Baptists, for instance, will actually integrate into society, wear modern clothes, and even sometimes attend public school until they are baptized, at which point they adopt Plain Dress and customs.
I've lived in Amish country, and it's always amusing to walk into a traditional farm and find something like a working bulldozer hiding behind the barn. Just to stereotype the whole movement, I look at it as the Amish are trying to maintain freedom from the power/water/other grids. The carpenter who I bought piles of unfinished bits from had a forklift and kept an old PC running quicken for the books. There are a couple of Ex-Amish on RUclips if you want to hear better from the horses mouth.
Im a descendant of swiss anabaptists though my family had assimilated long before i was born. Thank you for helping me to understand how my ancestors thought and lived and there history.
There is a significant Amish community in West Michigan near where I live. I interact with them at their stores, where I shop for bulk foods, and occasionally for other services. I used Amish businesses to purchase and install my metal roof, for example. I appreciate the in depth explanation of their origins, which gives me a better understanding of their guiding principles. Though a few things have stood out to me that underscores what you've said. The relationship with technology is one significant area that tells a lot. Those that do business with the "English" will often have telephones, but virtually never have answering machines or voicemail. You just have to call until they answer. They use modern plows and cultivators, but pull them behind horses. They often have solar power installed at their homes, but usually for very limited services. The line doesn't seem to be at any technological level, but rather on how technology affects their relationship with the world. By remaining off the grid, away from motorized transport, and without external communication that is beyond informal pleasantries and customer service, they are able to keep their membership from some of the temptation of the world outside their own community.
@@romanmay2867 Amish rules are pretty much always community to community. Many communities will have a telephone for emergencies, but it will be in an outbuilding. You shouldn't call your neighbors, you should visit them. Some communities will also allow one to use power tools to build furniture, but only if you're selling it. Furniture for Amish use is handmade. I've traveled through Amish counties before, it's not "Little House on the Prairie." While Amish women wear flowing dresses and bonnets and the men wear suspenders and brimmed hats, they also love Crocs. Well, the Sketchers version.
Amazing video. Both my parents were Amish and 90% of my extended family is still Amish. We are from Holmes county Ohio. I would say our area is similar to Lancaster county. A big variety of different groups and levels of conservatism. If you’re ever in the area I can introduce you to different people show you some great food spots
Bruh hate to break it to you but your folks literally groom children into marrying adults; the Amish/Mennonites are extremely easy to dislike and there is no reason to ever be tolerant of their behavior
I really recommend listening to the back catalog of The Plain Peoples' Podcast! They sadly haven't posted since 2022, but it has so many moving stories from former Amish and Mennonites. While they are obviously critical (otherwise they wouldn't be "former") it also gives a vivid image of the diversity of rules and norms between different plain anabaptist groups.
I worked at a hospital in Goshen Indiana with a large Amish community. I would say at least 1/3 of the hospital staff was Amish. The town also had a college that was founded by the Amish Mennonite community. I always found Amish communities interesting being that they are in one since separatists, but also very integrated with the nearby communities. And some times founding members of the outside community.
Im from a Pennsylvanian Dutch family. Great grandfather left the Mennonites and started his own church in Telford called Calvary. Went through the family documents and found that my family came from East Prussia, which really shocked me. Even had a direct ancestor who was a revolutionary war veteran.
Some suggested corrections: This is based on my local Amish community, and these communities very dramatically from community to community so your millage may very. SOME Amish actually do reject modern healthcare and won't get vaccinated or allow a doctor to cut them open. But that seems to be highly variable. They don't allow phones in the home, but what they often do is have a payphone that's installed on the farm somewhere. So usually you have a farm that has multiple homes on it for the extended family. So aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc... and then those homes surround a central area that has the "Community" stuff... which would include the payphone. That way, if there's an emergency, they can call 911 or whatever. They don't like being connected to the electrical grid, but they'll often have diesel generators that will provide power for certain equipment. But they (for some reason that I don't understand) they prefer Diesel fuel, but reject regular gasoline. Also, if there's a way to use something other than electricity, they will. They would prefer to use hydraulics, or belt driven equipment if that's an option. So often their sawmills are run by belt off an standing engine... but they'll also have a small generator to provide electricity for lighting... because open flame lighting and sawdust are a bad thing.
Yep. And on occasion, there are Old Order Amish who have basic (flip) cell phones for business, but do not use them for purposes outside of their business.
My aunt lives near some Amish people, and she describes them as nice and wholesome people, willing to help and socialize. They sell furniture, exchange labor, and gifted her some apples.
I really appreciate the neutral take on this. Often when I'd hear about Amish, there'd be emphasis on the lack of technology and "backwards ideas" with gender and child-rearing, and little to no talk about things like communal efforts. It's not about saying they're good or bad, but about what they actually are like, in their entirety.
I appreciate the neutral take from a scholarly perspective, but on a personal note I THOROUGHLY dislike Amish people. My family is from the Allentown & Lancaster areas, and we are Pennsylvania Dutch going back to the Colonies, so this isn't "I saw it on TV" informed, but "I've seen it firsthand" (I even grew up speaking a little PA Dutch). They have a real problem with xenophobia, misogyny, mistreatment of animals (they're notorious for puppy mills), psychological manipulation (conform or lose all familial & communal support)... So, yes, I can appreciate the academic neutrality, but I also don't want people to think the community isn't overflowing with extremely problematic and troubling behaviour.
@@Emillang1000 they literally groom children into marrying adults; the Amish/Mennonites are extremely easy to dislike and there is no reason to ever be tolerant of them
yeah its almost like this channel is run by a scholar who is mostly describing various topics while other people dont owe you ignoring misogyny and bigotry of these "wholesome" communities
I used to work at a bookstore and spent a summer remodeling the local stores overnight. There were SO many bonnet-rippers. Right next to vampires and kilts were the Amish romances.
A couple of things. The beard but no mustache originated in the 19th century when it was fashionable for military men to sport great mustaches. Also, when it comes to clothing Anabaptists don't use buttons because they're considered fancy, they use zippers and hook and loop fasteners, this is the same reason why little girl's dolls have no faces, fancy is prideful and a pretty face on a doll would be fancy.
@@LimeyLassen Married men are encouraged to grow beards because it means less time preening themselves in the morning. Just a quick trim when it gets unruly. The length and style is also dependent to some extent on the specific community's rules and personal preference. Women wear bonnets because of scripture; it is often described in the Bible as "a woman's glory" and potentially as alluring as any other part of the body.
It really depends. The Amish community in my area wear buttons on their clothes, though much of the time the buttons color match their shirts and dresses because they blend in that way. Sometimes they have an extra flap of fabric to cover the buttons once they're done up, similar to a jacket my wife has.
My long-late husband was Amish for most of his life. It's a trauma that never quite heals. He gave up that life for "fancy" English living (being poor in the Bronx) in the '80s. When he was k¡lled by A|DS his family refused his body, refused to talk to me, and refused to help me pay for his funeral. I have never forgiven them for that. I dug his grave myself with a shovel and gave him a headstone I crudely chiseled out. The àbuse is rampant in these communities and I have no qualms about calling the Amish a ¢ult.
@@ethanstewart9970 That's very much not standard for Islam. A friend of mine converted from Muslim to Jewish to marry and their two families get along well. The western public perception of Islam is equivalent to thinking of standard Christianity as being the Amish; obviously it's rather skewed. There are those ultra-conservative families of course but they're not the norm.
On the one hand I understand the appeal of chaste and wholesome romance novels (the fantasy of a guy who's a great dad and he's a skilled craftsman and he actually listens to you is pretty obvious)... On the other hand, Amish and Mennonite communities have abuse and violence the way that other very insular, high-commitment societies do, and the emphasis on collectivism and conformity can mean that you are pressured to (publicly or privately) forgive someone who hurt you to avoid drawing attention and being selfish. Not to mention the spiritual undertones of this emphasis on forgiving instead of resenting. It feels kind of icky for outsiders to romanticize these communities to the degree that it's kind of flat and dehumanizing
Great points! Also, female victims of SA tend to be blamed for "having tempted" the person who SAd them in these (often very misogynic) societies. Another problem is the lack of s*x ed. for both boys and girls and the emphasis on submissiveness for women. This must cause so many ghastly wedding nights
they literally groom children into marrying adults; the Amish/Mennonites are extremely easy to dislike and there is no reason to ever be tolerant of them
I understand this but I also feel like Americans are not afraid to criticise toxic traits in the Amish community but will en afraid to criticise toxic traits in the Muslim community or in the Black American community because it'll automatically be called racist. And romanticising these communities is considered okay lol.
Can I say I've been looking forward to this video since I first subscribed many years ago? I grew up around many Amish. Amish neighbors, Amish classmates, Amish friends. There is so much more about the Amish that could be talked about. For example its shocking how little many people who live in close proximity are so ignorant to their practices. Indeed, I often found myself shocked by how much animosity is out there towards the Amish in areas where they are present. There's also a lot to be said about conflicts between Amish communities and 'English' ones, like the danger buggies pose to both their occupants and to other motorists (e.g. a classmate of mine was killed in a buggy/4wheeler accident). We could talk about conflicts within the communities themselves, like the assaults we had a while back now where several Amish men found themselves dragged from their beds and beards shaved by Amish attackers. But of course we can also talk about how much Amish and the communities around them coexist and collaborate. Tourism, buggy lanes, community assistance, it's all there. Our Amish babysitter was basically a second mother to my siblings and I. It really is a huge and interesting topic. I think this served as a great introduction and hopefully helps dispel some of the common misconceptions about them. Cheers!
Um I am pretty sure motorized vehicles are responsible for the Vast Majority of road traffic accident fatalities. Rather disingenuous to present horse-drawn buggies as a menace to all road users, don't you think?
Shady Maple is where you go when you skip school as a senior! LOL, I knew from your accent you grew up near me in ChesCo. I love your channel. I've been watching for years now. Thank you for the high quality content. Would you consider a video on the wide variety of religious sects that early PA? I always found that topic interesting growing up in that area. I wish you and everyone who helps with this channel the best life has to offer!
My parents live near an Amish community. In mid-2020, a group showed up in their buggy at the local Walmart while my mom was there. They very rarely came into town, just a few times a year, so it drew her attention. The greeter explained to the Amish group that they needed to wear a mask. The Amish wondered why and if "a plague was sweeping the English." When my mom told me this, I cried out, "My God, protect those people at all cost!!!"
I used to know a Mennonite man who lived in Livingston County, NY. He had solar panels on the roof of his barn. It charged the battery packs that powered his tools. People liked to buy his Amish craft woodworking.
What a wonderful and fascinating video! As another former Central Pennsylvanian (Lebanon County in the house), who grew up next to an Amish family farm, this was a trip down memory lane. Thank you for this, and all your work.
I grew up Mennonite, and probably the one trait that ties all plain groups together is child Sa and other abuse. It’s often not reported or dealt with properly due to the focus on dealing with problems internally. Thankfully the group I grew up in was a bit more secular, but there was still rumors and actual cases that were dealt with properly. But none of these groups deserve the reputation of being simple wholesome folk.
I've listened to every episode of The Plain Peoples' Podcast, and it's really striking of how much of an overarching theme that is in the stories on there. I'm sure it's the case with a lot of insular communities, but sadly the way that these plain groups work really seem set up for it...
An unfortunately common thing in any group that has any involvement with kids. It doesn’t matter if a group is Secular or Religious, all that matters is if one creep has access and the means to do what they want.
I know someone who was raised Mennonite and while she didn't suffer SA herself she told me she's still not allowed to talk to her own parents because she left the community to marry an outsider, and that there's so much opportunity for the community authorities to do bad things with no accountability to a state.
@@dukeofmania6504 Sure it can happen in any group, but the problem with groups that enforce separation from the rest of the world and shun anyone who steps out of line is that there's often no recourse if the creep has respect in the group. It's however true that these kind of high control groups don't have to be religous.
@@dukeofmania6504you are discounting the particular level of this in the Amish and Mennonite communities. But yes high control groups all share this issue, but religious groups tend towards high control especially in small insular communities with no accountability.
I spent the first part of my childhood (until 12 or 13) in Springfield, MO and there was a sizable amish community in the areas surrounding the city. I moved to just outside new orleans until college, and never saw any amish people there. Now I live in Thailand (I'm an ESL teacher) and the last time I went to the immigration office, I was surprised to see what looked like an amish family waiting for the same paperwork I was there for. Idk what branch they identify with, and I've never seen a horse and buggy here (even just horses are a rare novelty anywhere in Thailand) but it was a family of a married couple and 4 kids of varying ages, wearing the distinctive clothes and reading books while wating instead of staring at phones. It was something I hadn't expected to see until I paid a visit to my family who are still in MO.
I have lived in Lancaster county my entire life, which made this an interesting watch. I work with them every day and actually noticed a few of the clips used in this video were of my workplace. 😃
It would be interesting to hear your take on some of the things ex-Amish have said about their former communities. Some of the criticisms are simple points of difference - but some are quite shocking condemnations of certain hidden social problems.
The shady maple shout out lollol. One of the most promiscuous girls in my school grew up to join the Amish! Such a fascinating life! And that food!! Mmmm
They don't speak standard modern German; they speak a different dialect. The word has different connotations and meaning for them than it would for you. Just because you are German doesn't mean you have complete insight into their language.
@@_oaktree_ I'm from the area in Germany where the Amish are from, and Gelassenheit means just what the original commenter said. They don't speak an ancient, mysterious dialect.
@chegu613 this video is about Amish communities in the US, not Germany. German dialect here in Texas is also different from the kind of German spoken in Amish communities.
A friend of mine has a sister who married into the Plymouth Brethren. Although not Anabaptist, they live similar lives to the Amish. The sister was part of a strict sect within the Plymouth Brethren and was banned from the use of technology. However, if she wanted information, she would go to my friend's house. There, she would use the Internet, read newspapers, watch television, and so on. This is just one example of how she did not fit into the culture into which she had married. However, what shocked me more was that other members of her particular sect broke their own tenets on a regular basis. I guess that it is easier for the Amish to remain true to their beliefs because they live in rural areas. The Plymouth Brethren leads more urban lives and faces greater temptation. Personally, I find all of them to have beliefs verging on the weird, but then I do not align myself with any organised religion. If I did, it would most likely be the Unitarian Church.
As a resident of Lancaster Pennsylvania, and A descendant of the Mennonites, it's really cool to be able to trace our lineage directly back to Germany. We actually have a book that the Mennonites keep of our entire family tree
I'm in the western corner of New York, and there's a significant Amish population here, and it's not weird to see them at Walmart. I bought a shed from an Amish builder (it's fantastically well-built, too, and reasonably priced to boot) last year. I'm used to their presence around town, but I can see how they come across as so alien to the rest of mainstream American society. They're interesting, different people, but it's weird how they're treated as a tourist attraction and/or oddity.
I haven't watched the video yet, but as someone who was born into a family of practicing Roman Catholic Belgian's, and also a person who spent ages 5-8 being fostered by an Old Order Amish family in Holmes County, Ohio, I am super excited to see what you will cover! Especially as I'm pretty sure my early indoctrination into two such vastly different interpretations of what it looks like to be a good Cristian was what sparked my deep and persistent fascination with religious faith and how/why it motivates us all as human beings. Damn, now I need to see if I missed any videos on Roman Catholicism. The horror! 😊
I live a good bit away, but the few times my family has gone over to Lancaster, they always go to Shady Maple. A well deserved shoutout to an awesome business
@@HaroldHivart - What is it with you that you keep posting this over and over? Do you do stand-up and are resentful of an Amish competitors who has a lot material to draw on than you have?
I've found that the homeschooling thing doesn't quite fit into the adult baptism idea. If the devotion to the church is to be a choice of commitment, choice must exist. A child that grows up without the necessary know-how to live outside the community can not fully make the conscious commitment to fully enter the community of their own will and agency. In that aspect, Amish communities (especially the more restrictive ones) gain a certain cult-like aspect. The shunning in particular is a pretty strong psychological manipulation tool that ensures compliance. It is an interesting paradox in itself - to ensure the purity of the devotion, the devotion is not allowed to be pure.
I remember as a teenager we were camping, and the campground had a volleyball court. There was a group of amish there playing against a group of english, and absolutely just wiping the floor with them.
Love this video, I live in Lancaster PA and the times I talk to my parents and ask why ppl are so fascinated with them makes me forget I basically grew up next to them on a farm
A terrific, insightful video, thank you. Your next video should be on hasidism! They live lives surprisingly similar in many ways to the amish/mennonites, by the sounds of it
@kickasschemist7229 - The books are also a refection on the sexual fantasies of Amish women who have desires and wants like everyone else (both the writers AND the readers). In a Cinderella-type way, though, longing for rescue from sin by the equivalent of a noble and dashing Prince Charming.
Great video:) I would love to see your scholarly perspective on Thai Forest Buddhism or Theravada as a whole, I feel like Theravada often gets passed over by western educators which is a shame! The history of Buddhism's southern transmission is beautiful and rich
There’s an Amish community near where I live (south of Buffalo NY) that, among other things, has an honest to god dry goods store. Everything is super cheap, my wife and I have afforded to eat pretty well thanks to them
Although I'd never be Amish I will always respect the fact they're an example of close communities that actually care for each other and they have a culture that's been kept for centuries
@@robertwarner-ev7wp true, but don’t underestimate the power of a desperate mob. Those who win the fall of societies are usually upper echelon society who can afford to keep people with weapons around. See the fall of rome or the Bronze Age collapse.
@@robertwarner-ev7wpthey got broke legs or sumthin lol they ain’t the only ones with horses either And are these guys packing old school rifles or are they loaded for bear like every other good ole boi And in worst case scenarios they gettin wiped like most of us Unless your a billionaire with underground bunkers bruh
@@Dap1ssmonk - The vicious may be better armed, but they are not prepared to farm acres of land and raise herds of livestock or build builds from scratch. If they harm the Amish, they shoot themselves in the foot.
Perhaps you should consider a vid on the Buddhists that live in Scranton. Now, there's a good story. I don't know if you've been, but the temple interior is stunning!
In the beginning, you mentioned that pop culture has brought the Amish to the attention of millions of people. It's so true that, the more you try to pay attention to something, even if it's an attempt to make it go away or make it obscure, the more preponderant it tends to become. 6:15 this criticism that Christians were mingling too much with the secular world, how exactly do they resolve issues of syncretism? For example, celebrating Christmas etc? 7:57 George Eliot Howard's books about divorce and marriage in the early American colonies doesn't mention the Amish at all but the states were always making accommodations for Quakers and Jews. Connecticut was particularly liberal about religion. 8:47 I knew someone who lived in Bolivia and interacted with the Mennonites there, she said they were very sweet people but they only spoke German. Or was it Dutch...? 11:19 the fact that they refused to hook up to the electrical grid and instead ran the refrigerator is off of diesel fuel is pretty hilarious. 12:37 fascinating that they were able to avoid being drafted in World War II. I want to read that case in detail. 18:35 the Amish fundamental belief in "submission" has so many parallels in Islam, very interesting. 19:54 this spike in Amish romance novels is so fascinating. I wonder what the overlap with zombie fiction is, both consumers and producers. I have a feeling it's similar: people inundated with technological society and the democratic process wanting a good break from it all to just focus on family, food, and shelter. Great vid thanks! Eric
Lancaster has actually built up a tourism scene center around the Amish/Mennonite. There is a busy main road that the local population shares with the tourist and they have not built a separate lane on the side for the buggies. Too many accidents happen it's quite infuriating. It's been a long time and they haven't seen fit to expand the roads to accommodate the tourist traffic and make it safe for the locals.
I lived in a Philly suburb and made a couple trips a year to visit friends in Ephrata and go to Shady Maple! The smorgasbord is huge...WAY too much food for my smaller appetite, but if that's your thing, it's quite the destination! My target was always to shop at the large grocery market! *Also, in 2021, I had a doctor's prescription for Iver_mectin, however after trying 9 pharmacies in my area and was denied by all, I called Shady Maple Pharmacy, and they filled it with no issues whatsoever! THANK YOU to SHADY MAPLE PHARMACY❤!
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So I live around plenty of Amish, their all about the money, it's Amish built, the Amish don't lie, the Amish a great... not true they use their Amishness to jump up prices on everything, don't be fooled, they treat their women like their animals...poorly. they try to capitalize on the Amish name. Don't fall into their trap
Can you do a video on Eastern Orthodox "Old Believers"?
Not very much is known about them and they rarely get discussed.
To borrow from the aforementioned sociological description of how high-commitment subcultures continuously negotiate their relationships with modernity, I'm calling your smooth segues to your sponsorship promotion "content-provider cultural bargaining".
These people are a creepy misogynistic cult. I can't believe people find them charming.
I taught English at a community college in Los Angeles and one semester I had an Amish student on rumspringa in my 101 class. Her "running around" involved wearing make-up, painting her fingernail in all different colors, and dressing like she was in the cast of Godspell! She was a FANTASTIC writer...except... she was evidently never taught punctuation! But she essentially memorized the rules over one weekend! Planned on returning to her community (I guess it was a tiny one in Oregon) after the semester but had always wanted to see what college life was like! As a gift, she made me an apple-peach pie, which was something of a speciality in her community. I remember her bright personality and insatiable curiosity! She wasn't shy at all and enjoyed participating in class discussions.
I worked at an amusement park, where the Amish kids would show up in full Amish dress and change into mainstream clothes for the day in the first restroom they saw. Then back in Mom-approved clothing in time for the 6PM pickup.
And now she's forever back trapped in her cult, likely with fond memories of you and the other people she met when she was allowed off her leash.
I feel sorry for them. Especially the women, who are treated like second class citizens.
@@JackieDaytona1776That’s a pretty terrible thing to say about a person you don’t know from a group of people that just want to live and worship the way their families have for centuries. Who are we to tell them their way is wrong?
@peytonalexander5300 it's not us defining it that way, it's the dictionary.
Cult, noun, a group who tightly controls its members, requiring unwavering devotion to a set of beliefs and practices which are considered deviant (outside the norms of society).
Can a member of the group choose to leave without cutting ties with their entire community or family? No.
Can a member of the group choose to dress in their own fashion and stay in the group? No.
Can a woman in the group choose to marry someone not in this group? No.
Should I go on? Because when people are victims of oppression, it's wrong not to call it out.
If you live in an area where there's a lot of Amish, they don't go under the radar at all. They are everywhere, and a huge part of the community. You run into them at the store, on the road, and it's impossible to do any sort of business without running into them because their needs are often unique. Some don't wear the outfit most people are used to, and even work "normal jobs" others are hard-core no-technology and all that. If you want Organic food? or really, organic anything? You can't get any more organic than buying your stuff from the Amish. You want some hardwood for projects? Like walnut? oak? cherry? It's actually pretty hard to find that sort of the thing at the hardware store these days... and very expensive. But every Amish community has a giant, old school, sawmill that runs 24/7 selling that very sort of thing. They buy land/houses, farms... they're often surprisingly independently wealthy. If the Amish buy your house? They pay CASH. So most communities love their Amish folks, though, they don't use modern deodorants and soaps so they often smell bad. But they are also incredibly generous and helpful so, if there's any sort of disaster or problem in the community, the Amish are usually the first people there offering help, prayers, whatever... they'll show up with a dozen very muscular young men and just get to work, because that's what the amish are all about. They are a hard people to dislike.
Their rich because they’re frugal and they don’t borrow from banks and buy crap they don’t need on credit. The ones in my area have really nice bass boats but then pay someone to haul them to the lake.
they literally groom children into marrying adults wtf are you on about. They are extremely easy to dislike
Wait until you hear about their misogyny and child SA
Their produce usually is not organic as most use pesticides, chemical fertilizers and gmo seeds.
@@lb2791 "most" is a very broad term. It really depends on your local Amish community. Those around me do not use chemical fertilizers and pesticides, but like I said, each Amish community varies widely so you have to do your own checking. It's also important to note that "Organic" is a meaningless term to most of them, so it's not like they are going to bother to get certified (regardless of how meaningful that term is in reality) but they are also very unlikely to lie to you about if they use chemicals or not. That's not to say there aren't dishonest Amish... they're just like any social group... they have their bad people just like everyone else. But if they DO lie to you about stuff, and you take that up with Other Amish people, they'll get shunned. It's not like the Amish feel like "Sticking it to the normal people" is "ok" like some subcultures feel. If the person was the type that wanted to "Cheat" it would make more sense for them to just leave the Amish community, than it would to become a "bad amish person" lol
thank you for specifying that you weren't paid to promote that store, for a second I was worried Big Amish finally got to you
@ianbarnard5883 - .^_^.
It’s an increasing problem!
😂😂😂
Really though big Amish is a thing. They make a boat load of money in Indiana and other places.
You think this is a problem?? What about the trout population!?!!
I am infertile from eating scented candles. The
This is almost as shocking as the uss liberty incident! Free palestine 🇵🇸
This happened to my buddy eric
This also happened to my buddy eric
😮
are we all here because we saw the tweet?
Years ago, I used to hang out in a Goth club in Detroit. There was a guy who came in on his rumspringa and went wild. He was about six foot five, very handsome, entirely sweet-natured and soon became the darling of the club...in every way imaginable. I always found it funny that he went from one place where everyone dressed in dark clothing to the libertine opposite where everyone dressed in dark clothing.
Was this at Leland city club?
@@Babyfrootbat Yup
Do you know if he returned to the Amish? Wouldn’t be surprised as 90%+ return
@@barbecueman6352 I have no idea. We lost touch once I quit going there.
I work at a library in Pennsylvania and the popularity of bonnet ripper Amish romance is genuinely astounding. Amish and English alike just want to read the sweet nothings of a strapping young Amish bishop apparently.
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
What type of people usually do you see reading those book? Is it what he said? Can you tell us a little bit more about it?
Female romance novels are literally something I don't understand....
@@VihMelchior the readers range between the non Amish and the buggy riding devout. The books themselves are pretty typical romance novels, but the Amish setting means they’re a bit more reserved and less sexual and there’s an added layer of forbidden love. There’s an entire series of Amish romance novels set in the Old West, so at a time when the Amish would not have been seen as technologically behind or oddly devout, which leads me to believe the books are mainly for the set up of one partner being religious and conservative and the other partner being an outsider.
weird because "strapping young amish" men seem to only want to groom young girls into marrying them
Yep, he said his homies say he looks good in Black, and they're going to party like it's 1699.
🤣Good one
Is Justice Alito Amish.
@@hfranklin2009 Hardly. It's against their rules to sue someone or become a lawyer.
Alito is trying his o take us back to that era.
@@hfranklin2009 In some important ways it sure feels that way. But that is not very Amish of him. The Amish generally do not think that it is appropriate to force people to believe as they do.
My father knew a Mennonite man who bought a car (his faith allowed that), but as soon as he owned it, he cut the cable going to the car radio so no one his his family could listen to it. Working in Chicago, I would often see Amish people at Union Station boarding Amtrak trains. Since a horse and buggy couldn’t go super long distances, they make an exception when that need arises. Married Amish men have beards but no mustaches. This goes back to the 17th century in parts of Europe military men had to have mustaches. Having facial hair everywhere except there meant that the Amish were anti-war.
All of the Amish around here have cars, but they have to be black. A few months ago I saw an Amish woman with a black car with a LOT of chrome. She was really pushing the edge of that simple life! I have heard that they can have technology and phones, but only for business.
@@EinsteinsHair They are the Mennoites after their founder Jacob Menno. Yes, the Mennonite family i grew up with did tell me their cars are black.
Yes, i saw Mennonites at train and bus depots when they have to go for long distances. Probably, more conservative Amish, too, since they can't own cars. My grandma knew German and sometimes talk to them, but she told me it is difficult, because they have different dialect. Video explained they spoke an older version of German. That explains it. It is like talking to someone who spoke like King James version of the Bible.
Interesting about the mustache
I have often seen them on the Empire Builder train. I was talking with one fellow from Ohio and they appear to have been buying up a lot of farmland there and are no longer just around Millersburg, Ohio. His family farm was in Highland County, only a few miles from my grandparents old farm.
Ah, one of my favorite types of content:
Taking something I had a vague idea about, and giving me a more comprehensive view.
I grew up mainstream Mennonite, so living fully integrated in society but with Anabaptist beliefs and many life practices, particularly around pacifism, simple living, and mutualism. I'm really impressed by the depth of your research and understanding.
One thing I'd like to add is that one of the other reasons for the split between Amish and Mennonites is around the "halb-täufer" or half baptized. Many anabaptists received help from sympathetic non-church members during persecution, and the question was were these people outside the church condemned to hell or not? Mennonites took the view that they were saved while the amish viewed everyone living outside of the community as part of the "Devil's playground". I think this is also useful in understanding the different mindsets of the communities.
Funny because it seems that these groups have practises that are collectivist and mutualist which is the dream of anarchists and socialists but their implementation of it in practise seems to be much more successful than the socialist theorising of it which is very often only theoretical.
They really think everyone else in the world is condemned? That's a bit frightening.
Yeah the Amish and the rest of us PA Dutch can ride a high horse better than anyone in the county. All while making America think we’re just old timey homegrown farmers. Great food tho
@@LimeyLassen - Don't the majority of religions preach along those lines? "Join _US_ or spend eternity in hellfire!"
@@LimeyLassenand very arrogant.
My grandfathers best friend lived directly next to an Amish community, they had told him that they could use technological equipment, but just not own it. So they would often come over and ask to borrow his power tools and newer farm equipment at times. He was paid back generously though.
Here in Mexico there are some menonite communities, specially in the north. It is quite easy to see them selling cheese on the roadside.
Yo that’s awesome
they literally groom children into marrying adults. It's quite easy to arrest them but some corrupt politicians won't set a minimum marriage age because of the amish in their states.
I think there are some communities in South America as well. More affordable farm land and less urban intrusion in general.
@@pcd261Belize, Bolivia, and Paraguay all have quite a few Mennonite colonies. I've met and worked with some people who left those colonies and moved to Canada.
Most of those colonies, at least all of the ones I've heard about, use plenty of gas and diesel vehicles, but they do limit some technology use, and often have uniform dress, tho that tends to be followed more consistently by women than by men in many cases.
Here in Mexico, Mennonite schools are registered with the Secretrariat of Public Educational, with an slightly adjusted variation of the program, including, like Indigenous Mexican programs, classes in their own language, although they are required to learn Spanish as a second language (for most Mexicans the required second language is English).
OK, the idea of bonnet-rippers being made by, basically, Amish-weebs makes so much sense.
It’s not weebs. It’s just another subset of cottagecore geeks.
Ameeabos
"amish-weebs" is taking me out
I live in an area where there has been a large influx of Amish people moving to in Maine. It's been pretty fascinating. The individuals that seemed to move away from the core populations in Pennsylvania appear to be a bit more liberal. A number of them keep cell phones, actually a few got in trouble when they did that emergency testing that had everybody's phone go off. Haha. They will regularly buy homes in and around people in rural areas, of course detach them from the grid. But some of them have phones at the edge of their property near the street. And some of them have no problem being driven around by other people for jobs.
The uncle of one of my friends lives near a number of Amish families, and he once had some of the kids over at his house and made them frozen pizzas and it absolutely blew their mind. Haha.
The Amish where I live have a sort of patriarch leader who has a lot of the final say in terms of people's businesses and things. Our community has seen a lot of infighting and it's funny when they sort of break apart, they move to the completely other side of the town. Which of course is like is a 30 minute car drive. But for them it's like a 4-Hour buggy ride. My mother also lives 4 hours away, but by car and it's like at the other side of the state.
They absolutely love love love yard sales. And they've actually been able to be extremely competitive locally as construction firms.
A lot of the older people seem to like them, it reminds them of the old days that their grandparents told them about. But I am a little worried about their growth potentially creating some head bumping, because it has been exponential growth.
But I guess we will see.
I met an Amissh man from Maine. His church was more liberal; they had church every Sunday instead of every 2 weeks. The services were in English instead of German.
A lot of Amish have adapted to cell phones. The "cultural bagaining" discussed in this video has not been as strong in the past few decades, and Amish have been less resistant to new technologies, especially if it integrates into their businesses somehow. So they have smart phones but no cars lol.
The patriarch guy you mentioned is probably the bishop. The community collectively decides on their ordnung (rules), and elects a bishop who is a leader tasked with enforcing the ordnung.
In Canada, many are moving to Prince Edward Island because of the cheaper land, less urbanization and also the preference of farmer families to sell to families rather than commercial producers.
7:20 "peace in the Alsace didn't last" made me laugh. At least they avoided the next two hundred years of some of the most brutal warfare this planet has ever witnessed.
In modern German, "Gelassenheit" means equanimity, even serenity, letting go, and often coolness - but no hint of submission (Unterwerfung) which sounds almost opposite nowadays in its constraint. Yet, apparently there are older meanings of "gelassen" that mean behave, surrender to god, which became that religious technical term. The wisdom here is to stoically accept the constraints - which enriches my naive concept of the word "gelassen".
But that's just the point- the Amish, and indeed most other Christians, don't see their submission to God as a constraint. We see it as a "letting go," as a way to live peacefully. The expression I grew up with in the Baptist Church was "let go and let God," which I feel captures the same contentment in submission as Gelassenheit.
@@RebeccaGrant-ut7jb That sounds good, and b.t.w. Islam also means literally submission to God in that liberating sense. But unfortunately, many religious communities then proceed to enforce additional submission to their particular customs and traditions, and all kinds of violence is justfied to keep their members and others beyond "on the right path".
My comment was more about linguistics, though, German being my first language - Gelassenheit as serene submission really rediscovers a layer of meaning that is lost to modern usage.
I know a former Amish guy. He explained that it's fairly common for families to move from one community to another to find one with rules they agree with. That said he also thinks it's a coercive cult that operates businesses on the borderlines of the law.
Education amongst the Amish is curious, girls tend to be better educated as they're the ones that must keep the books while the men do the outside work. Unfortunately because women are kept indoors they have far less opportunity to exercise religious freedom and leave.
My family briefly considered joining an Amish community until we realized that us kids would be capped at an 8th grade education, and therefore effectively stuck staying in the community.
That's the whole point Jehovah Witnesses do the same. Nothing higher than high school.
What were some of the reasons your family were considering joining?
Why are education and intelligence conflated?
@@crypto4423because cults have a nasty habit of denying education as a control method.
When people have the freedom and opportunity to gain education, they usually have more freedom and opportunity in life in general as well.
As messed up as it is people dont tend to like inter generational poverty (and the associated lack of education) with someone being intelligent
@@crypto4423 Who said they were?
There's a really nice Channel 4 series called Living with the Amish where some british teenagers live with the amish (not Old Order) for a while. The friendship between Jonathan and James made me actually tear up.
I was born Amish and this is about as well researched and articulated as any video I’ve ever seen about the Amish great work
What was it like?
I enjoy hearing your take. Non-emotional. Just good information.
While listing none of their sources in the description......
@@Austin_Niepołomice You mean like these? *Ephesians 6:5-7* _"SLAVES,_ obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as *SLAVES* of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.”
*1 Timothy 2:1-3* “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people - for *KINGS* and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior.”
*Luke 14:26* “If anyone comes to me and does not *HATE* their father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters - yes, even their own life - such a person cannot be my disciple."
@ReligionforBreakfast, you nailed this one. Having married a former Mennonite, and having a brother-in-law who is Beachy Amish, I was wondering how correct this video would be, but you knocked it out of the park. Well done! If you're looking for more interesting Anabaptist content, German Baptists and several of the Mennonite communities are very fascinating. German Baptists, for instance, will actually integrate into society, wear modern clothes, and even sometimes attend public school until they are baptized, at which point they adopt Plain Dress and customs.
Those amish don't seem very funny though..
“Beachy Amish” makes me think of a surfer dude riding waves in plain dress
@@HaroldHivart - How many Amish people do you know? I know lots of non-Amish who are not very funny, either.
I've lived in Amish country, and it's always amusing to walk into a traditional farm and find something like a working bulldozer hiding behind the barn. Just to stereotype the whole movement, I look at it as the Amish are trying to maintain freedom from the power/water/other grids. The carpenter who I bought piles of unfinished bits from had a forklift and kept an old PC running quicken for the books.
There are a couple of Ex-Amish on RUclips if you want to hear better from the horses mouth.
Weird Al Yankovic explained it perfectly
*Yankovic :)
Most accurate portrayal of them😁
They're just technologically imparted
I was just thinking about Al!
They sell quilts at discount price living in the Amish paradise
Im a descendant of swiss anabaptists though my family had assimilated long before i was born. Thank you for helping me to understand how my ancestors thought and lived and there history.
Me too, with Hans Herr. Who’s yours?
Spectacular organization and presentation!
There is a significant Amish community in West Michigan near where I live. I interact with them at their stores, where I shop for bulk foods, and occasionally for other services. I used Amish businesses to purchase and install my metal roof, for example.
I appreciate the in depth explanation of their origins, which gives me a better understanding of their guiding principles. Though a few things have stood out to me that underscores what you've said.
The relationship with technology is one significant area that tells a lot. Those that do business with the "English" will often have telephones, but virtually never have answering machines or voicemail. You just have to call until they answer.
They use modern plows and cultivators, but pull them behind horses.
They often have solar power installed at their homes, but usually for very limited services.
The line doesn't seem to be at any technological level, but rather on how technology affects their relationship with the world. By remaining off the grid, away from motorized transport, and without external communication that is beyond informal pleasantries and customer service, they are able to keep their membership from some of the temptation of the world outside their own community.
very interesting, i knew it was always complex but i didn’t know they had telephones let alone solar panels
@@romanmay2867 Amish rules are pretty much always community to community. Many communities will have a telephone for emergencies, but it will be in an outbuilding. You shouldn't call your neighbors, you should visit them.
Some communities will also allow one to use power tools to build furniture, but only if you're selling it. Furniture for Amish use is handmade.
I've traveled through Amish counties before, it's not "Little House on the Prairie." While Amish women wear flowing dresses and bonnets and the men wear suspenders and brimmed hats, they also love Crocs. Well, the Sketchers version.
Those amish don't seem very funny though..
@@romanmay2867 Only some, and then only for limited use.
@@HaroldHivart All their jokes are about farm animals.
Amazing video. Both my parents were Amish and 90% of my extended family is still Amish. We are from Holmes county Ohio. I would say our area is similar to Lancaster county. A big variety of different groups and levels of conservatism. If you’re ever in the area I can introduce you to different people show you some great food spots
Bruh hate to break it to you but your folks literally groom children into marrying adults; the Amish/Mennonites are extremely easy to dislike and there is no reason to ever be tolerant of their behavior
I really recommend listening to the back catalog of The Plain Peoples' Podcast! They sadly haven't posted since 2022, but it has so many moving stories from former Amish and Mennonites. While they are obviously critical (otherwise they wouldn't be "former") it also gives a vivid image of the diversity of rules and norms between different plain anabaptist groups.
From what I hear, a new season is coming.
As someone that grew up eating candles, I can say its only the scented ones that make you infertile
wheres the infertile candle eating guy
Top comment
as someone allergic to candles, i am incredibly fertile
This is some joke i do not get it
@@jameswatson5807 If you saw the comment he/she was joking about, you would know. It said "I am infertile from eating scented candles".
@@Republic_Of_Vicoria_Official 😂I get it now
The term "bonnet ripper" absolutely cracks me up.
I worked at a hospital that handled Amish. They had an insurance plan set up with the hospital that was basically Medicare rates.
I worked at a hospital in Goshen Indiana with a large Amish community. I would say at least 1/3 of the hospital staff was Amish. The town also had a college that was founded by the Amish Mennonite community.
I always found Amish communities interesting being that they are in one since separatists, but also very integrated with the nearby communities. And some times founding members of the outside community.
Im from a Pennsylvanian Dutch family. Great grandfather left the Mennonites and started his own church in Telford called Calvary. Went through the family documents and found that my family came from East Prussia, which really shocked me. Even had a direct ancestor who was a revolutionary war veteran.
Some suggested corrections: This is based on my local Amish community, and these communities very dramatically from community to community so your millage may very. SOME Amish actually do reject modern healthcare and won't get vaccinated or allow a doctor to cut them open. But that seems to be highly variable. They don't allow phones in the home, but what they often do is have a payphone that's installed on the farm somewhere. So usually you have a farm that has multiple homes on it for the extended family. So aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc... and then those homes surround a central area that has the "Community" stuff... which would include the payphone. That way, if there's an emergency, they can call 911 or whatever. They don't like being connected to the electrical grid, but they'll often have diesel generators that will provide power for certain equipment. But they (for some reason that I don't understand) they prefer Diesel fuel, but reject regular gasoline. Also, if there's a way to use something other than electricity, they will. They would prefer to use hydraulics, or belt driven equipment if that's an option. So often their sawmills are run by belt off an standing engine... but they'll also have a small generator to provide electricity for lighting... because open flame lighting and sawdust are a bad thing.
Yep. And on occasion, there are Old Order Amish who have basic (flip) cell phones for business, but do not use them for purposes outside of their business.
I imagine though, that most of those communities who reject modern healthcare are _not_ the ones doubling in population every two decades.
@@digitaljanus if they breed a lot to make up for the infant mortality they could
@@digitaljanus Do they allow contraception ?
@@chendaforestThe YT channel Amish America goes into far more detail about daily life and the answer is no to birth control.
My aunt lives near some Amish people, and she describes them as nice and wholesome people, willing to help and socialize. They sell furniture, exchange labor, and gifted her some apples.
I really appreciate the neutral take on this. Often when I'd hear about Amish, there'd be emphasis on the lack of technology and "backwards ideas" with gender and child-rearing, and little to no talk about things like communal efforts. It's not about saying they're good or bad, but about what they actually are like, in their entirety.
I appreciate the neutral take from a scholarly perspective, but on a personal note I THOROUGHLY dislike Amish people. My family is from the Allentown & Lancaster areas, and we are Pennsylvania Dutch going back to the Colonies, so this isn't "I saw it on TV" informed, but "I've seen it firsthand" (I even grew up speaking a little PA Dutch). They have a real problem with xenophobia, misogyny, mistreatment of animals (they're notorious for puppy mills), psychological manipulation (conform or lose all familial & communal support)...
So, yes, I can appreciate the academic neutrality, but I also don't want people to think the community isn't overflowing with extremely problematic and troubling behaviour.
@@Emillang1000 Oh for sure, there's certainly a time and place to call out the problematic aspects
Fair
@@Emillang1000 they literally groom children into marrying adults; the Amish/Mennonites are extremely easy to dislike and there is no reason to ever be tolerant of them
yeah its almost like this channel is run by a scholar who is mostly describing various topics while other people dont owe you ignoring misogyny and bigotry of these "wholesome" communities
I used to work at a bookstore and spent a summer remodeling the local stores overnight. There were SO many bonnet-rippers. Right next to vampires and kilts were the Amish romances.
A couple of things. The beard but no mustache originated in the 19th century when it was fashionable for military men to sport great mustaches. Also, when it comes to clothing Anabaptists don't use buttons because they're considered fancy, they use zippers and hook and loop fasteners, this is the same reason why little girl's dolls have no faces, fancy is prideful and a pretty face on a doll would be fancy.
It strikes me as hypocritical that the women have to cover their hair but the men can show off their luxurious beards without shame 😅
@@LimeyLassen Married men are encouraged to grow beards because it means less time preening themselves in the morning. Just a quick trim when it gets unruly. The length and style is also dependent to some extent on the specific community's rules and personal preference.
Women wear bonnets because of scripture; it is often described in the Bible as "a woman's glory" and potentially as alluring as any other part of the body.
It really depends. The Amish community in my area wear buttons on their clothes, though much of the time the buttons color match their shirts and dresses because they blend in that way. Sometimes they have an extra flap of fabric to cover the buttons once they're done up, similar to a jacket my wife has.
@@OtakuUnitedStudio Are beards not alluring? 🤔
@@LimeyLassen That's a personal question with a personal answer only you can decide. Be you in your beard-lovingness.
This is fantastic. I’ve been needing a condensed explanation about this very topic.
Thanks!
is it true that eating candles makes you infertile
i don’t know man, ask Icp9929
My long-late husband was Amish for most of his life. It's a trauma that never quite heals. He gave up that life for "fancy" English living (being poor in the Bronx) in the '80s. When he was k¡lled by A|DS his family refused his body, refused to talk to me, and refused to help me pay for his funeral. I have never forgiven them for that. I dug his grave myself with a shovel and gave him a headstone I crudely chiseled out. The àbuse is rampant in these communities and I have no qualms about calling the Amish a ¢ult.
Sad ofcourse they looked at it as a sin and his fault discusting wont ask how he got h
honestly reminds me of apostasy in islam. no contact, no touching, no funerals. or apostasy in 15th century europe.
I'm so sorry that happened to you and to him.
@@ethanstewart9970 Apostasy in these situations usually meant execution, no?
@@ethanstewart9970 That's very much not standard for Islam. A friend of mine converted from Muslim to Jewish to marry and their two families get along well. The western public perception of Islam is equivalent to thinking of standard Christianity as being the Amish; obviously it's rather skewed. There are those ultra-conservative families of course but they're not the norm.
On the one hand I understand the appeal of chaste and wholesome romance novels (the fantasy of a guy who's a great dad and he's a skilled craftsman and he actually listens to you is pretty obvious)...
On the other hand, Amish and Mennonite communities have abuse and violence the way that other very insular, high-commitment societies do, and the emphasis on collectivism and conformity can mean that you are pressured to (publicly or privately) forgive someone who hurt you to avoid drawing attention and being selfish. Not to mention the spiritual undertones of this emphasis on forgiving instead of resenting.
It feels kind of icky for outsiders to romanticize these communities to the degree that it's kind of flat and dehumanizing
Great points!
Also, female victims of SA tend to be blamed for "having tempted" the person who SAd them in these (often very misogynic) societies. Another problem is the lack of s*x ed. for both boys and girls and the emphasis on submissiveness for women. This must cause so many ghastly wedding nights
they literally groom children into marrying adults; the Amish/Mennonites are extremely easy to dislike and there is no reason to ever be tolerant of them
@@mailill "ghastly wedding nights" indeed. I feel so sorry for them... men and women both. Totally avoidable suffering is my least favorite kind :(
I understand this but I also feel like Americans are not afraid to criticise toxic traits in the Amish community but will en afraid to criticise toxic traits in the Muslim community or in the Black American community because it'll automatically be called racist. And romanticising these communities is considered okay lol.
@@gamermapperYouve not got out much if you think Amish get more hate than black and brown people in America.
Can I say I've been looking forward to this video since I first subscribed many years ago?
I grew up around many Amish. Amish neighbors, Amish classmates, Amish friends. There is so much more about the Amish that could be talked about. For example its shocking how little many people who live in close proximity are so ignorant to their practices. Indeed, I often found myself shocked by how much animosity is out there towards the Amish in areas where they are present. There's also a lot to be said about conflicts between Amish communities and 'English' ones, like the danger buggies pose to both their occupants and to other motorists (e.g. a classmate of mine was killed in a buggy/4wheeler accident). We could talk about conflicts within the communities themselves, like the assaults we had a while back now where several Amish men found themselves dragged from their beds and beards shaved by Amish attackers. But of course we can also talk about how much Amish and the communities around them coexist and collaborate. Tourism, buggy lanes, community assistance, it's all there. Our Amish babysitter was basically a second mother to my siblings and I.
It really is a huge and interesting topic. I think this served as a great introduction and hopefully helps dispel some of the common misconceptions about them.
Cheers!
Um I am pretty sure motorized vehicles are responsible for the Vast Majority of road traffic accident fatalities. Rather disingenuous to present horse-drawn buggies as a menace to all road users, don't you think?
Shady Maple is where you go when you skip school as a senior! LOL, I knew from your accent you grew up near me in ChesCo. I love your channel. I've been watching for years now. Thank you for the high quality content. Would you consider a video on the wide variety of religious sects that early PA? I always found that topic interesting growing up in that area. I wish you and everyone who helps with this channel the best life has to offer!
My parents live near an Amish community. In mid-2020, a group showed up in their buggy at the local Walmart while my mom was there. They very rarely came into town, just a few times a year, so it drew her attention. The greeter explained to the Amish group that they needed to wear a mask. The Amish wondered why and if "a plague was sweeping the English." When my mom told me this, I cried out, "My God, protect those people at all cost!!!"
I used to know a Mennonite man who lived in Livingston County, NY.
He had solar panels on the roof of his barn. It charged the battery packs that powered his tools.
People liked to buy his Amish craft woodworking.
What a wonderful and fascinating video! As another former Central Pennsylvanian (Lebanon County in the house), who grew up next to an Amish family farm, this was a trip down memory lane. Thank you for this, and all your work.
Thank for the most useful PA travel tip ever! The Shady Maple Smorgasbord!
It's fantastic! I have cousins that worked there for years.
I miss that place - bring a few friends and it was free on your birthday
Shady Maple is amazing
8:39 There are roughly 600.000 amish in canada and there is ONE small amish bloke in Australia
I grew up Mennonite, and probably the one trait that ties all plain groups together is child Sa and other abuse. It’s often not reported or dealt with properly due to the focus on dealing with problems internally. Thankfully the group I grew up in was a bit more secular, but there was still rumors and actual cases that were dealt with properly.
But none of these groups deserve the reputation of being simple wholesome folk.
I've listened to every episode of The Plain Peoples' Podcast, and it's really striking of how much of an overarching theme that is in the stories on there.
I'm sure it's the case with a lot of insular communities, but sadly the way that these plain groups work really seem set up for it...
An unfortunately common thing in any group that has any involvement with kids. It doesn’t matter if a group is Secular or Religious, all that matters is if one creep has access and the means to do what they want.
I know someone who was raised Mennonite and while she didn't suffer SA herself she told me she's still not allowed to talk to her own parents because she left the community to marry an outsider, and that there's so much opportunity for the community authorities to do bad things with no accountability to a state.
@@dukeofmania6504 Sure it can happen in any group, but the problem with groups that enforce separation from the rest of the world and shun anyone who steps out of line is that there's often no recourse if the creep has respect in the group.
It's however true that these kind of high control groups don't have to be religous.
@@dukeofmania6504you are discounting the particular level of this in the Amish and Mennonite communities. But yes high control groups all share this issue, but religious groups tend towards high control especially in small insular communities with no accountability.
I drove a Greyhound bus for many years, and I used to see the Amish all the time whenever I drove passengers up into the Wooster Ohio area.
As an Amish I can say this is my favorite yt channel
what are you doing online?
@@Godfrey544 - Apparently, the same as you.
@@MossyMozart I'm not amish though, so for me its not forbidden
@@Godfrey544 Perhaps he/she is on Rumspringa?
@@LangThoughts I suppose.
I spent the first part of my childhood (until 12 or 13) in Springfield, MO and there was a sizable amish community in the areas surrounding the city. I moved to just outside new orleans until college, and never saw any amish people there. Now I live in Thailand (I'm an ESL teacher) and the last time I went to the immigration office, I was surprised to see what looked like an amish family waiting for the same paperwork I was there for. Idk what branch they identify with, and I've never seen a horse and buggy here (even just horses are a rare novelty anywhere in Thailand) but it was a family of a married couple and 4 kids of varying ages, wearing the distinctive clothes and reading books while wating instead of staring at phones. It was something I hadn't expected to see until I paid a visit to my family who are still in MO.
I have lived in Lancaster county my entire life, which made this an interesting watch. I work with them every day and actually noticed a few of the clips used in this video were of my workplace. 😃
It would be interesting to hear your take on some of the things ex-Amish have said about their former communities. Some of the criticisms are simple points of difference - but some are quite shocking condemnations of certain hidden social problems.
where is candle. The
The shady maple shout out lollol. One of the most promiscuous girls in my school grew up to join the Amish! Such a fascinating life! And that food!! Mmmm
As a german, I would say, "Gelassenheit" is better translated as "Chillness"
Ich zweite dies. Obwohl ich die hier gestellte Definition auch sehr akkurat finde.
Especially in this context - being chill because you can only accept what God is doing with your life.
They don't speak standard modern German; they speak a different dialect. The word has different connotations and meaning for them than it would for you. Just because you are German doesn't mean you have complete insight into their language.
@@_oaktree_ I'm from the area in Germany where the Amish are from, and Gelassenheit means just what the original commenter said. They don't speak an ancient, mysterious dialect.
@chegu613 this video is about Amish communities in the US, not Germany. German dialect here in Texas is also different from the kind of German spoken in Amish communities.
Hearing homeboy say "Amish romance novel industry" was my moment of zen. I have attained nirvana.
where is candleman. The
He is building wax powered rockets 🚀.
Im from Pennsylvania and from my personal experience they are one of the most hardworking, level headed and kind people ive ever met
A friend of mine has a sister who married into the Plymouth Brethren. Although not Anabaptist, they live similar lives to the Amish.
The sister was part of a strict sect within the Plymouth Brethren and was banned from the use of technology. However, if she wanted information, she would go to my friend's house. There, she would use the Internet, read newspapers, watch television, and so on. This is just one example of how she did not fit into the culture into which she had married.
However, what shocked me more was that other members of her particular sect broke their own tenets on a regular basis. I guess that it is easier for the Amish to remain true to their beliefs because they live in rural areas. The Plymouth Brethren leads more urban lives and faces greater temptation.
Personally, I find all of them to have beliefs verging on the weird, but then I do not align myself with any organised religion. If I did, it would most likely be the Unitarian Church.
The name Pymouth Brethren evokes an ominous feeling.
As a resident of Lancaster Pennsylvania, and A descendant of the Mennonites, it's really cool to be able to trace our lineage directly back to Germany. We actually have a book that the Mennonites keep of our entire family tree
Been to Lancaster a couple times (20ya) and ate with an Amish family a couple times. Very nice people and interesting to a kid like me.
I'm in the western corner of New York, and there's a significant Amish population here, and it's not weird to see them at Walmart. I bought a shed from an Amish builder (it's fantastically well-built, too, and reasonably priced to boot) last year. I'm used to their presence around town, but I can see how they come across as so alien to the rest of mainstream American society. They're interesting, different people, but it's weird how they're treated as a tourist attraction and/or oddity.
I haven't watched the video yet, but as someone who was born into a family of practicing Roman Catholic Belgian's, and also a person who spent ages 5-8 being fostered by an Old Order Amish family in Holmes County, Ohio, I am super excited to see what you will cover!
Especially as I'm pretty sure my early indoctrination into two such vastly different interpretations of what it looks like to be a good Cristian was what sparked my deep and persistent fascination with religious faith and how/why it motivates us all as human beings.
Damn, now I need to see if I missed any videos on Roman Catholicism. The horror! 😊
I live a good bit away, but the few times my family has gone over to Lancaster, they always go to Shady Maple. A well deserved shoutout to an awesome business
I grew up by an Amish community, loved going to their markets they had the best apple butter
Those amish don't seem very funny though..
@@HaroldHivart - What is it with you that you keep posting this over and over? Do you do stand-up and are resentful of an Amish competitors who has a lot material to draw on than you have?
Legitimately the smoothest ad transition I have ever witnessed. *chefs kiss* Completely threw me off my buggy once I realized what was going on.
I've found that the homeschooling thing doesn't quite fit into the adult baptism idea. If the devotion to the church is to be a choice of commitment, choice must exist. A child that grows up without the necessary know-how to live outside the community can not fully make the conscious commitment to fully enter the community of their own will and agency.
In that aspect, Amish communities (especially the more restrictive ones) gain a certain cult-like aspect. The shunning in particular is a pretty strong psychological manipulation tool that ensures compliance. It is an interesting paradox in itself - to ensure the purity of the devotion, the devotion is not allowed to be pure.
When I was in highschool, there was an annual senior skip day where the seniors would skip school and go to Shady Maple. Good times
I remember as a teenager we were camping, and the campground had a volleyball court. There was a group of amish there playing against a group of english, and absolutely just wiping the floor with them.
they don't have internet, they probably have nothing better to do with their free time but work on their volleyball strats.
Love this video, I live in Lancaster PA and the times I talk to my parents and ask why ppl are so fascinated with them makes me forget I basically grew up next to them on a farm
As a local Lancastrian, I applaud you pronouncing Lancaster correctly!!! Which county did you grow up in? York, Lebanon, or somewhere else?
As someone who isn’t Amish I really like how informative this video is. I just subscribed to your channel.
A terrific, insightful video, thank you. Your next video should be on hasidism! They live lives surprisingly similar in many ways to the amish/mennonites, by the sounds of it
This is such a well done video. Extremely detailed and a wide range of topics covered.
The Bonnet Rippers section was wild lol. Always learn something new watchin Religion for Breakfast.
It’s been a thing since at least the 90s
I'm live about 40min from Shady Maple. Best breakfast after skipping school EVER...And that was almost 30 years ago.
I appreciate the bit about romance novels. They’re such an interesting reflection of social status and wants but get dismissed as total junk.
@kickasschemist7229 - The books are also a refection on the sexual fantasies of Amish women who have desires and wants like everyone else (both the writers AND the readers). In a Cinderella-type way, though, longing for rescue from sin by the equivalent of a noble and dashing Prince Charming.
Great video:) I would love to see your scholarly perspective on Thai Forest Buddhism or Theravada as a whole, I feel like Theravada often gets passed over by western educators which is a shame! The history of Buddhism's southern transmission is beautiful and rich
There’s an Amish community near where I live (south of Buffalo NY) that, among other things, has an honest to god dry goods store. Everything is super cheap, my wife and I have afforded to eat pretty well thanks to them
Although I'd never be Amish I will always respect the fact they're an example of close communities that actually care for each other and they have a culture that's been kept for centuries
When the apocalypse comes, they’ll have the last laugh. The ultimate preppers.
Until enough people who are better armed decide that god won’t stop brigands. You don’t need to know how to farm to carry a gun.
@@Dap1ssmonk They have guns and they don’t require fuel to get around. Fantasy preppers are stuck as soon as the gas tank runs dry.
@@robertwarner-ev7wp true, but don’t underestimate the power of a desperate mob. Those who win the fall of societies are usually upper echelon society who can afford to keep people with weapons around. See the fall of rome or the Bronze Age collapse.
@@robertwarner-ev7wpthey got broke legs or sumthin lol they ain’t the only ones with horses either
And are these guys packing old school rifles or are they loaded for bear like every other good ole boi
And in worst case scenarios they gettin wiped like most of us
Unless your a billionaire with underground bunkers bruh
@@Dap1ssmonk - The vicious may be better armed, but they are not prepared to farm acres of land and raise herds of livestock or build builds from scratch. If they harm the Amish, they shoot themselves in the foot.
Cool to know you're a neighbor! I grew up in Lancaster and this video is 100% spot on.
1:53 Sorry, what is that community called?
Very good video I learned a lot from this and I appreciate having the sponsor at the very end of the video.
Perhaps you should consider a vid on the Buddhists that live in Scranton. Now, there's a good story. I don't know if you've been, but the temple interior is stunning!
This was excellent. Especially the bit about the Evangelical romance novels. Well done.
A very humanizing detail, too.
this is the best SMOSH video i’ve seen in a long time
Ian is getting real serious lately eh?
In the beginning, you mentioned that pop culture has brought the Amish to the attention of millions of people. It's so true that, the more you try to pay attention to something, even if it's an attempt to make it go away or make it obscure, the more preponderant it tends to become.
6:15 this criticism that Christians were mingling too much with the secular world, how exactly do they resolve issues of syncretism? For example, celebrating Christmas etc?
7:57 George Eliot Howard's books about divorce and marriage in the early American colonies doesn't mention the Amish at all but the states were always making accommodations for Quakers and Jews. Connecticut was particularly liberal about religion.
8:47 I knew someone who lived in Bolivia and interacted with the Mennonites there, she said they were very sweet people but they only spoke German. Or was it Dutch...?
11:19 the fact that they refused to hook up to the electrical grid and instead ran the refrigerator is off of diesel fuel is pretty hilarious.
12:37 fascinating that they were able to avoid being drafted in World War II. I want to read that case in detail.
18:35 the Amish fundamental belief in "submission" has so many parallels in Islam, very interesting.
19:54 this spike in Amish romance novels is so fascinating. I wonder what the overlap with zombie fiction is, both consumers and producers. I have a feeling it's similar: people inundated with technological society and the democratic process wanting a good break from it all to just focus on family, food, and shelter.
Great vid thanks!
Eric
where is he. the
Who’s here eating they candles rn?
🙋♂️
Lancaster has actually built up a tourism scene center around the Amish/Mennonite. There is a busy main road that the local population shares with the tourist and they have not built a separate lane on the side for the buggies. Too many accidents happen it's quite infuriating. It's been a long time and they haven't seen fit to expand the roads to accommodate the tourist traffic and make it safe for the locals.
candleman where are you
I lived in a Philly suburb and made a couple trips a year to visit friends in Ephrata and go to Shady Maple! The smorgasbord is huge...WAY too much food for my smaller appetite, but if that's your thing, it's quite the destination! My target was always to shop at the large grocery market! *Also, in 2021, I had a doctor's prescription for Iver_mectin, however after trying 9 pharmacies in my area and was denied by all, I called Shady Maple Pharmacy, and they filled it with no issues whatsoever! THANK YOU to SHADY MAPLE PHARMACY❤!