Amish in the City
I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sick of reality shows. Having been bitten by the fad during Survivor 2: Africa, I eventually gave up after Survivor X: New Jersey. For me, reality shows are navel gazing - a bit of “aren’t we interesting” TV that now show that, by golly, we just aren’t that interesting after all. Sorry, but if you want to contemplate your navel, try Zen instead.
That said, Amish in the City is yet the latest reality show to hit the airwaves. It’s about Amish teenagers, who get to visit the world of the English, to decide if their faith is right for them. Consider it a bit of “wild-oat sowing” for kids who do a lot of farming.
I like the Amish. I’ve visited Lancaster County numerous times over the years and respect a people who believe what they believe and aren’t interested in the slightest in making me believe it too. They are pacifist - but not in the Michael Moore way. Screw with them, and your liable to get a pitchfork in the ass - or worse. And they actually hold their beliefs sacred - unlike most of the Limousine Left.
According to the story linked to above, the kids will live with six non-Amish kids in a home in Hollywood Hills. “Among the landmarks: A visit to the beach, a resort island and a Hollywood movie premiere. The city roommates include “a fashion-forward party girl, a swim teacher and a club promoter.”
The show is premised on the assumption that the Amish kids will be overwhelmed by the “culture” of the life they are missing. How much you want to bet that the Amish kids end up showing how shallow the other kids, the producers, and more importantly the viewers are?
The fact is that the vast majority of Amish kids returns to their community after their “rumspringa” and seemingly don’t miss the supposed “culture” they are cut off from. It makes you wonder, considering the Amish have been in America for a good 200+ years and are still going strong.
July 9th, 2004 at 10:33 am
Actually, this show might be in conformity with some Amish beliefs. This Wikipedia entry notes:
July 9th, 2004 at 11:58 am
Yes, “rumspringa”.
What bothers me is the apparent expectation: Let’s take some wholesome kids who haven’t been exposed to girls wearing low-rider jeans and watch the mayhem ensue!”
I think the show will just rebound in their faces and show just how empty and spiritually bereft the non-Amish are. There’s a good reason why their “retention rate” is 90%.
I’m also thinking about the last reality show I watched “American Casino” on Discovery Channel. As a non-gambler on principle and having never been to Vegas, I was interested in seeing what I was missing.
Evidently, not much: drunken and rude behavior. Scantily clad waitresses that make $300,000 to $400,000 a year in tips. More drunken and rude behavior. After two episodes I reached a point where I felt embarrassed for the “stars” of the show.
July 9th, 2004 at 12:51 pm
Something that might make a decent reality show: In each episode, a couple of regular guys spend time doing something that the audience has always wanted to do, and we experience it through them.
Say, going to Vegas with a couple hundred grand to blow. Driving a NASCAR car.
Is there already a show like this?
July 19th, 2004 at 10:36 pm
Please see www.tolerance.org
July 25th, 2004 at 10:39 pm
Here’s a post from my blog on this:
http://www.jmbzine.com/PostNuke/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=212&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
This thing offends me greatly, partially because I’m a Mennonite but mostly because it seems like a return to the old days when prejudice was openly accepted in society.
July 28th, 2004 at 8:59 pm
I am deeply appalled and offended by this show. How the city kids are treating the amish and how much the lack of acceptance is. I thought the whole country was suppose to be offended about this kind of racism. They wouldn’t even talk to them until they changed their clothes. It shows that we are all rude and take our life and luxuries for granted. The city kids think they are all that and more and they all need an attitude adjustment. Who are their parents and why didn’t they teach them any manners. I was very shocked and will only watch the show to see the amish experience things for the first time that I have forgotten about. They think the amish kids are nothing but country bumpkins and don’t know anything. Well so far they are all very nice and they all have manners. They also hold on to their faith and don’t jump at every new fad that is out there. They don’t have to worry about electric bills or phone bills, they just have a very simple life and I envy them. They have to work harder than any of us do. They don’t need gyms or slim fast. We could learn alot from the amish culture and their belief system. The city kids have no understanding on how much the amish are having to take in on a daily level. How much they experience on a daily level. Nor do they seem to care. Or want to understand what they are going through. If I was on that show I would have already said something and set everyone straight. The best thing anyone that watches this show could take from it is to be more accepting of other people and the way they choose to lead their life. To try to have some empathy and understanding on how hard life can be for some.
July 29th, 2004 at 7:07 pm
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
July 30th, 2004 at 12:56 pm
This show is GREAT! I am ffended by horrible the city kids are. THe Amish kids are kind and interesting. The city kids are rude, mean, self centered, and just nasty. I am embaressed for city people.
July 31st, 2004 at 12:22 am
I agree with the comment made by jessica. I am ashamed to be a “city kid”. I though they treated the amish horribly. They have no respect for anyone else and need to be slapped in the face.
July 31st, 2004 at 2:12 pm
The show is entertaining and the Amish acquited themselves well in the first episode. (Isn’t that what theshow’s producers have in mind afterall?).
I grew up on the edge of a large Amish community. Let me explode some myths. A large majority of Amish men and unmarried women (Like Ruth) work in factories or small businesses or in tourism. Farming is not profitable on their scale, but it does provide some income, feed for horses, and a source of work for the kids. They shop in local grocery stores and shops. I can still remember the “clip-clop” of horse hooves and buggies in my small town in Indiana. I went to school with Amish kids, am friends with some who left the church, and partied with them. I have even ridden in a buggy.
They live very close to the English world. (American culture) and assimilate more of it thru the years. But they remain essentially Amish. And most Amish kids partake of rumspringa to some degree. In fact, an Amish father likes it when their adolescent kids have cars and cell phones. The kid can drive him where he wants to go and he can use the phone. I suppose if AMish kids get laptops now, the families might use them. Many Amish businesses use technology, but the power is provided by generators.
The retention rate of young peopleis not 90%, however. It is closer to 66%.
I hope the show can avoid typoical realitu show staged fights and stuff. It might be worth watchin. UPN thinks it has a hit on its hands.
August 1st, 2004 at 11:22 pm
I watched the premiere and I’m hooked. I mean, I know that there’s a lot of controversy over the show and that it doesn’t have a lot of support from the Amish community (shame on you, UPN), but I absolutely love the Amish kids! I felt so ashamed that I’ve never noticed the ocean the way Ruth and Mose did. I’ve never taken my life or afterlife as seriously either. I really hope the kids don’t change. They don’t need to dress trendy or anything to be wholesome people. They already are. And I agree with everyone else; shame on the city kids! I couldn’t believe that there are people out there who are so blatantlly rude and self absorbed. Actually, I can. I grew up in CA too!
August 2nd, 2004 at 8:58 pm
i believe in Jesus Christ too and I am so relieved that others felt as I felt. Shame on the city kids…………
August 4th, 2004 at 10:33 am
So far so good. Entertaining yet insightful (as opposed to inciteful). The reactions and comments of the “city” kids really provoked some thought into our reality. Their ignorance to the sensitivity of the Amish is reflective on our prejudgmental society. Wonderful job in “personifying” a previously ridiculed, voiceless culture. Whether or not this was done to silence critics is trivial. This show, perhaps inadvertently, shows us our own flaws and intolerance. Myself being an initial skeptic (most likely due to the asinine title for the series - Amish in the City…could you SOUND anymore offensive?) after watching the first few episodes I would have to retract my original assumptions. Let’s hope this show does not sacrifice the “positive” in order to get ratings.
August 16th, 2004 at 8:39 am
Like the above statements, the city kids are a bunch of conceited selfabsorbed brats. The Amish kids are so nice down to earth and they accept people as they are.
August 19th, 2004 at 1:23 am
I think the show is good you get to learn how they live i think that 5 city youths should have to go and live the way the Amish do so that they can see how the other 1/2 lives
September 18th, 2004 at 3:27 pm
Actually when I first heard the word “rumspringa” it reminded my quite a lot of Swedish. It would mean “runaround” as if it was written as a word, without any spaces between the two words.
Does anyone knows the origin of the word?
Love the show!
;) Martin
Malmstrom Family Page
September 27th, 2004 at 7:32 am
Someone Please tell me what happened! I missed the very last show. What did they decide?
November 5th, 2004 at 3:44 pm
I would also like to know what happened on the show and who returned to the Amish???