Contrary to popular belief, the Amish do use technology — just not all of it. They use appliances powered by batteries and ride buses to go to “Amish Vegas” where they play shuffleboard. But how do they decide which technologies to adopt and which to forsake? They deliberate on their effects on the community; if it diminishes community interaction, like how phones reduce the need to meet in person, then they ignore its existence. Read full article here
Oddities
Why Do Modern Pop Songs Have So Many Credited Writers?
The music industry has changed dramatically over the last few decades – with the number of songwriters credited on number one hits more than doubling. This is due to a combination of factors, including money, the computer and a changing definition of what songwriting is. For example, if The Beatles’ classic “I Feel Fine” was released today, it would likely have four writers credited instead of two, due to the influence of producers, samples and interpolations. With the rise of lawsuits, artists now preemptively add songwriter credits to their songs, even if the similarities between their song and the source material are coincidental. It all goes to show that the music industry is becoming more complex and competitive. Read full article here