Think of a
friend or family member who is completely against cell phones. They may often tell you to put your phone
away, but do people like them dislike technology so much that they would be
willing to smash it? During the
Industrial revolution there were people who would do such things. They were called the luddites, and they were
not really anti-tech. Instead they had
specific motives and reasons for sabotaging machines and factories, and most
had to do with the fact that luddites were losing their jobs. The luddites were skilled workers, with
excellent weaving and mechanical skills, and when they started their attacks,
they followed the mythical figure, Ned Ludd.
When the Industrial Revolution kicked off, many luddites started to be
replaced by new machines. Many lost
their well-paid wages, and many lost their jobs. Below is a mock primary source letter from
the perspective of a skilled weaver who is currently struggling to earn money
to maintain for his family. With
machines replacing him, supplying for his family will become a challenge.
Dear Mother and Father,
I am
writing to you regarding the rough times in the factories. Just a few weeks ago I was earning a fair and
reasonable amount of money for my work as a weaver. Fellow workers often complemented me for
being the most skilled in the factory.
My boss has also mentioned the possibility of a promotion... and I was
thrilled to hear that he wanted me to interview for it! As the weeks went by, there were less workers
showing up each day. Some workers who I
have befriended began not showing up, and I was nervous that they had become
ill. But as the days went by, I noticed new
machines and technology being brought into the factory and fulfilling the jobs
some of my old friends had. I began to
realize that the issue was more complex than I thought. I was still quite confused with the
situation, and when my boss called me into his office, not two weeks ago, my
heart began to pound. I thought it was time
to be interviewed for the promotion. I
sat down, and has he continued to speak I slowly began to understand that these
circumstances were nothing more than the opposite. He was... well, I'll just say that it ended
with me losing my job. He said that no
one needs to be promoted or work as a simple weaver as I was previously because
the new technology and machines would do those jobs for us. I was shocked, furious, yet still holding
back my emotions, trying to understand his perspective and motives for his
actions. That quickly stopped when I
heard that factories were hiring young girls to work with the machines. These girls have had no skill or experience. My fellow employees and I had been working
for years and were quite skilled with our jobs, so why are they firing us and
hiring them? I knew that I couldn't just
let this happen in front of me, as I need work to supply for both of you. I know my brother is making some money, but
we need at least two jobs in the family to live a happy and healthy life.
I have
decided to live a new life. This
negative impact of machines replacing me has lingered over me for weeks now,
and it is time to stand up and make a difference. I have decided to join some of my friends and
fellow employers in a group known as the luddites. Luddites consist of people who are going through
similar experiences as me, and they destroy factory machines, and sometimes,
even the factories themselves if necessary.
After talking with my former boss twice since being fired, I am now
aware that he has no sympathy for us and will not change his mind easily. He will lean from his mistakes after we break
his new machines, showing him that he cannot run his factory without them. He will regret his decision of firing
us. Please keep in mind that all of this
is confidential and shall not be shared with anyone. The date, time, and other specifics are also
classified. After our attack of the
factory, I plan to move on and look for a different job. I cannot just leave you behind. Do not worry for me, as if everything in the operation
goes as planned, nothing unfortunate shall happen to any of us. I miss you all very much and hope I can earn enough
money in the future to return home and visit you. I will be careful and I look forward to
moving on to different paths in the future.
Warmly,
John
No comments:
Post a Comment