My family is of Amish and Mennonite background and growing up, I used to visit the Amish relatives in northern Indiana. My view of the Amish as a "simple" people changed the first time I walked into an Amish "mini-mansion." In other words, the assumptions that the Amish are a "rustic" folk is a characterization that comes from the outside world rather from the Amish themselves. Disparities between wealthy and poor Amish do exist, but they are not expressed the same way as the broader culture.

Among Amish and Old Order Mennonite groups, wealth has historically expressed itself in "practical" items -- land, houses, farm equipment, etc. What may have changed recently is that some Amish have pursued their versions of luxury goods, but I think that is too be expected, as these communities deal with the continual influence of broader American society.

The idea that the Amish are somehow "purer" from the rest of us is a misnomer. These are real communities populated by real human beings.

These are interesting observations about the Amish in Indiana. Here in central Pennsylvania, the Amish are at our local farmer's market one block off the University on Friday's and we see them on a Sunday on our way to a hike at a local State Park. And every spring I drive about 30 minutes out of town to buy plants for my summer garden at an Amish greenhouse over the mountain. I have not seen evidence of the things described in the article. I may have missed them but my gut tells me the central Pennsylvania Amish are in a different situation.

google the nickel mines murders before you make any rash generalizations.I'm an atheist but I have complete respect for these people. And I deal with them on a weekly basis.

.....whoa....you gave me a moment I thought I would never experience - a reference to Peachey's Greenhouse (I think that's what you meant by over the mountain) in the Salon letters section.

I agree with you on the central PA Amish. Elsewhere, much of the Lancaster "Amish" wealth is actually held by Mennonites.

Jeez, if this were any other group, such a biased article based on a such stereotypical drivel would stick in the craws of the offended class.

What's next an article on "How the Recession Has Affected Welfare Queens in Harlem? What? They're not buying any more spinners for their Lexus? Oh, yeah, that's just plain offensiveness based on tired stereotype...

Even if you get beyond the offensive bugaboo, where's the corroborating evidence? Before spouting second or third hand "evidence" of Amish excess, maybe you should actually talk to an Amish person... Where's the quote from the Hedonistic Amish faction representative?

One might make think this article reinforces the stereotype of the lazy journalist...

Me too.

The Amish are great people, and tend to be honest and open and welcoming. They're strict about their religion ... but they have a belief system that's very clearly defined and not even slightly hypocritical and which emphasises all the stuff that the crazy loon evangelicals conveniently ignore.

This article did strike me as 'laugh at the different people for being more like us than we thought'. Eh ... pick on the people who caused the problem, not the ones who are suffering (a bit) from the results.

No doubt many in the United States are overextended, some in the extreme.

But I am certain that there are a great many of us out here who are not. We have been diligent about keeping debt to a minimum or out of our lives entirely.

The notion that there is "the rest of us" that have been derelict in our responsibility is hyping a probem with enough

seriousness. It does not need to be exaggerated.

We have lost the accuracy in language, a sin particularly egregious in the media outlets. The use of a word such as "Some" when referring to those of us who have neglected good fiduciary stewardship in our personal finances would help alleviate the little hackle that rises on the back of my neck.

larryjack: seems to believe that its a rational procedure to dismiss "Stereotypes" instantly and put your faith into the opposite idea, whatever it is. Question, yes, but verify! It usually turns out that stereotypes carry a lot of truth, otherwise they would be soon forgotten..Science, after all , is a rational collection of stereotypes...disigny