The Luddite Rebellion: A Tale of Technological Resistance in the Modern Age
Many people may have a narrow understanding of what it means to be a Luddite. The term is often casually thrown around at social gatherings, accompanied by fancy hors d’oeuvres and garnished cocktails. “Oh, he’s such a Luddite,” one might say while picking a Castelvetrano olive from a platter. It’s as if being a Luddite means being out of touch with the intelligentsia. But have you ever paused near a carefully arranged plate of gruyère cheese to truly grasp the essence of Luddism? Luddites are those who stubbornly resist new technology, refuse to adapt, and would rather reject our devices altogether.
Perhaps you find yourself fitting this description if you scoff at excessive screen time, prefer not to have Alexa eavesdrop on your intimate conversations, or believe that cars should be driven by humans rather than sensors and actuators. Maybe you raise an eyebrow at algorithms and question why machines should possess the ability to learn. You might even rebuff a chatbot that tries to engage in a friendly conversation with a simple “hello.”
There is a certain pride that can come with being labeled a Luddite, much like city-dwelling teenagers who willingly trade their iPhones for a taste of the analog world. Lola Shub, a high school senior at the time, shared her experience with The New York Times about what she and her friends called the Luddite Club. “When I got my flip phone, things instantly changed,” she said. “I started using my brain. It made me observe myself as a person.”
However, in today’s society, labeling someone as a Luddite often carries a hint of bemusement. It suggests that they are small-minded, old-fashioned, or simply afraid of technology. A Luddite doesn’t just reject new tech; they reject the progress and potential that accompany it.
But journalist Brian Merchant takes issue with this characterization. In his new book, “Blood in the Machine: The Origins of the Rebellion Against Big Tech,” he brings to light the forgotten story of the original Luddites and argues that their story is relevant in our current era of advanced machines. These clothworkers from the industrial era were among the first to witness machines encroaching on their livelihoods. Instead of accepting this change, they staged a covert rebellion.
In an age dominated by artificial intelligence and automation, where tech monopolies dictate the parameters of our lives and work, revisiting the story of the Luddites becomes imperative. These workers were the pioneers in recognizing the potential harm that technology could inflict. Their response might serve as a guide for navigating our new machine-driven era.
The Origins of the Luddites
According to Merchant, the textile industry was the first sector of the labor market to undergo automation. In nineteenth-century rural England, weaving was a skilled and secure craft. Clothmakers worked from home, allowing them to determine their own schedules and breaks. They earned respectable wages, often working alongside their families. However, everything changed in 1810 with the arrival of the power loom.
This new steam-powered device could weave cloth far more efficiently than human hands. Alarmed by this technological intrusion, wealthy factory owners began introducing power looms to their communities. Suddenly, clothworkers were no longer able to work from the comfort of their homes, surrounded by loved ones. To remain employed, they had to find work in factory buildings, operating dangerous machinery, inhaling fibers, and subjecting themselves to the whims of less sympathetic bosses. Wages plummeted, child labor became prevalent, and the gap between social classes widened.
The clothworkers quickly realized that the factory owners would exploit these machines to undermine their craft and enrich themselves. Instead of submitting to this fate, the workers took matters into their own hands. They began by sending anonymous letters to the factory owners, threatening to unleash a rebellion led by Ned Ludd. This fictional character, similar to Robin Hood, started as a factory worker who sabotaged his own machine before escaping victoriously into the forest. When the factory owners ignored the warnings and continued to operate their power looms, the Luddites fulfilled their promise. They gathered secretly, broke into the factories, and wielded hammers against the machines. The local newspapers began chronicling these machine-smashings, thrusting the Luddites into the spotlight.
The clothworkers’ fight against the machines was just the beginning. Scores of working-class individuals, including shoemakers and coal miners, felt the growing exploitation at the hands of machine owners and joined the cause. Factory floors became battlegrounds overnight, witnessing clashes between the rich and the poor. Sadly, with the passage of time, this defining class struggle of the industrial age has faded from collective memory. It has been oversimplified and, in some instances, derided. It is not surprising that the reasons behind the Luddites’ resistance to machines have been forgotten. We often suffer from collective amnesia regarding our opposition to new technology. For instance, few remember that half of Americans in the 1960s were against the idea of sending a man to the moon. As tech billionaires accumulate astronomical wealth and income inequality deepens, reflecting on the perceptive stance of the Luddites becomes crucial.
Lessons From the Luddites
Today, we collectively espouse the belief that technology always brings progress and innovation. However, the Luddites were the first to challenge this notion. It is essential to remember their resistance now as we find ourselves entering a new era of machines, where intelligent technology is reshaping our work and instilling fear about the potential impact on our livelihoods.
In Hollywood, writers strike to ensure that future scripts won’t be written by chatbots, and actors protest against the use of AI to recreate their likenesses on screen. Auto manufacturers picket as robot arms cast shadows on factory floors. Amazon workers organize, railing against digital systems dictating their delivery speed. Employees around the world sense that they are under constant surveillance, not by their bosses, but by software. Workers increasingly find themselves interviewing with computer-recruiters and being pushed into the gig economy, governed by algorithms. Technologists predict that AI may replace millions of human jobs within the next decade. We are left uncertain about whether our own careers will be the next targets of machines.
However, as Merchant points out, the story of modern technology did not begin decades ago—it began centuries ago. Ordinary working people of the past could foresee the emerging structures and the manner in which tech giants would reshape their society. As we contemplate how today’s machinations will shape our future, perhaps we should champion the cause of the Luddites: that the benefits of machines should be shared by everyone.
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