Luddite

/[ˈlʌ.ɾaɪt]/ adj, noun, slang

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Alternative letter-case form of Luddite. alt-of

    "For me, what luddite success would look like would be a societal shift where we ask ourselves, ‘Why are we burning our planet? Making our lives shittier? Getting rid of every last bit of our autonomy and privacy just to make a few guys rich?’"

Noun
  1. 1
    Any of a group of early-19th-century English textile workers who destroyed machinery because it would harm their livelihood. historical

    "For instance, the Luddites, so maligned as technology-fearing machine breakers, were a highly sophisticated insurrectionary movement, composed of small, well-disciplined groups who used disguises and watchwords, raised funds and gathered arms, terrorized their opponents, and carried out well-planned, targeted attacks. (And, while it is true the Luddite movement ultimately failed, it was only after Parliament had mobilized twelve thousand troops to put it down – more troops than had fought in the Peninsular War.)"

  2. 2
    Alternative letter-case form of Luddite. alt-of
  3. 3
    one of the 19th century English workmen who destroyed laborsaving machinery that they thought would cause unemployment wordnet
  4. 4
    Someone who opposes technological change. broadly, derogatory, often

    "[Benjamin Friedman] added, "How long does it take the Luddites to be wrong — a few years, a decade, a couple of decades?" Perhaps just as important, what happens to the workers who happen to be living during a time when the Luddite argument has some truth to it?"

  5. 5
    any opponent of technological progress wordnet
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  1. 6
    One who lives among nature, forsaking technology. broadly, informal

Etymology

Named after Ned Ludd, a legendary 18th century example, + -ite. The surname is uncommon and of uncertain origin, but compare Old English hlud (“loud, famous”).

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