The Amish have maintained their identity for centuries. Do you think they will be able to continue to do this? Give reasons for your answer.
We part from the premise that identity refers to distinctiveness from others, to certain individuality or uniqueness that makes a person or a group different from the rest. The Amish have certainly demonstrated that they have very specific personality traits as well as self-characteristics, which distinguish them from society. In response to the question;
Yes, I do believe that the Amish people will be able to maintain their identity, just as they have done until now. I believe that the Amish are a group of dedicated, self-sufficient human beings who really exercise their beliefs, for all this I believe that they are a very strong community. Throughout the years, the Amish have conserved their heritage and their customs by following specific rules created by their ancestors. By doing this they have established an order or a set of rules for them to live by. I believe that as long as they continue to obey and follow their own rules, they will succeed in maintaining their culture. Throughout the years the Amish have managed to remain faithful to their life chores and religious duties and although they are constantly exposed to influences by the surrounding world and the new inventions they make, the Amish have always managed to reject any object that might interfere with the order they follow.
We cannot say that they will not adopt any new technology for farming purposes as well as transportation, but as long as their essential values and beliefs are not affected or corrupted by this, they will still maintain their identity. I think that the Amish have many qualities by which they stand out, one of this being their strong beliefs in working as a group, caring for each other and serving God. Their way of life revolves according to their strong beliefs, demonstrating how seriously they take their rules. In the future it is possible that the Amish change some of the instruments or objects they use but this in no way means that their identity or culture is being lost. Their identity is not based on the objects they use; those are just a reflection of their beliefs. The Amish are very humble people who don?t need to possess material objects to be happy; they find that happiness in other things such as religion, family and work. They really are an example of consistency, and they have demonstrated that throughout time.
In conclusion, I believe that the Amish will be able to preserve their identity just as they have done until now. The reason I believe this is because they are a group of strong, religious-oriented human beings who have a committed relationship not only with God but with their families and communities as well. This makes them persistent in the way they live their lives and the way they exercise their beliefs. A culture like this, with such high standards, I believe would be difficult to change.