Emily M. Bender: As a linguist, I'm really curious to watch how a better understanding of history might change the modern use of the word Luddite. As someone concerned about how tech is being used to concentrate power, I want everyone to learn from this, stat.

As a linguist, I'm really curious to watch how a better understanding of history might change the modern use of the word Luddite. As someone concerned about how tech is being used to concentrate power, I want everyone to learn from this, stat.

The Luddites weren’t technophobes. They saw factory owners using tech to degrade their livelihoods and fought back—first by trying to negotiate, then writing to Parliament, and finally smashing the machines. @bcmerchant.bsky.social talks to @parismarx.bsky.social about what we can learn from them.

The Real History of the Luddites w/ Brian Merchant - Tech Won't Save Uswww.buzzsprout.com Paris Marx is joined by Brian Merchant to discuss the history of the Luddites, why we have their story all wrong, and what we can learn from them today. Brian Merchant is the technology columnist at ...

as the tech vampire strangles and sucks the blood from everyone in a desperate attempt to continue its infinite growth Luddism (colloquial definition) will become more popular and tech sector workers have an opportunity to advance Luddism (original definition) as an alternative

The Nib did an excellent story on this: thenib.com/im-a-luddite/

Love @tomhumberstone.bsky.social ‘s piece — I assigned it for class.

I’m a Luddite in the original sense.

Understanding who the tools are benefiting is so important

software engineer for 35 years reporting for duty

of course we don't have the Luddites to thank for our colloquial, derogatory use of "luddite." we have technology, the engine of capital, to thank for erasing all but the popular pejorative usage. clever to turn the very name of enemies against infinite growth, into a depersonalized four-letter word

99 percent invisible just did an incredible episode on this 99percentinvisible.org/episode/bloo...

Blood in the Machine - 99% Invisible99percentinvisible.org Brian Merchant is a tech reporter, and he’d been covering the industry for years when he started to notice a term that kept coming up. Especially when he wrote a story that was critical of tech, he�...

You could make a butlerian jihad outta this

I also want everyone everywhere to start thinking about how technology moves power and money around, so I am on Team Lud. But so far the word "Luddite" is mostly getting me funny looks. Do you think the meaning will shift back?

Cory Doctorow insists on using it in its original context. I read his newsletter, and it's starting to take on a double-meaning. Let's hope everyone catches up with Cory!

I certainly never learned the real story in any history class. I learned about it from reading a biography of the Brontë family.

Yes, exactly. I wish more people understood this. Thank you.

It's an interesting factoid, but I'm not sure how that would change the conversation around technology any more than knowing the origin of the word "spoon" would change fine dining

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