مکالمه ی فعالانه قسمت د

ACTIVE SPEAKING / PART D

IDENTITY CRISIS

Today we accept new technology as being inevitable, but the Luddites decided they weren’t going to take it lying down.

What do most people think is inevitable? Most people think new technology is inevitable. Did the Luddites think the machines were inevitable? No, the Luddites didn’t think the machines were inevitable. Were they going to take it lying down? No, they weren’t going to take it lying down.

Soon letters from a mysterious General Ludd started to be posted around town and sent to factory owners.

Who were the letters from? The letters were from a mysterious General Ludd. Who were they sent to? They were sent to factory owners.

The letters demanded that the factories get rid of the new machines.

What did the letters demand? The letters demanded that the factories get rid of the new machines.

And if the factory owners refused, General Ludd would send his soldiers to destroy it and burn the factories down.

What would General Ludd do if the factory owners refused? If the factory owners refused, General Ludd would send his soldiers to destroy it and burn the factories down.

These weren’t empty threats.

Were these empty threats? No, these weren’t empty threats.

Mobs of men were showing up in the dead of night at factories and destroying machinery all over England.

Were the mobs showing up in the middle of the day? No, the mobs weren’t showing up in the middle of the day. They were showing up in the dead of night. What were the mobs destroying? They were destroying machinery all over England.

In a short time, there were dozens of attacks around the country.

Were there a couple of attacks around the country? No, there weren’t a couple of attacks around the country. There were dozens of attacks around the country.

People were starting to panic about this underground army, so the government stepped in.

Who stepped in? The government stepped in.

A new law was passed that made destroying machines punishable by death.

What kind of new law was passed? A new law was passed that made destroying machines punishable by death.

The army sent out thousands of soldiers to look for the Luddites, and the factory owners got armed guards to protect themselves.

Back to that fateful Saturday night in 1811, a showdown was inevitable.

What was inevitable? A showdown was inevitable.

The factory owner and his guards were ready and waiting for the mob of Luddites.

Was the government ready and waiting? No, the government wasn’t ready and waiting. The factory owner and his guards were ready and waiting.

The 150-man Luddite army attacked the factory.

Did the guards attack the factory? No, the guards didn’t attack the factory. The 150-man Luddite army attacked the factory.

They broke the windows and tried to break through the door, but they couldn’t get through.

What did they break? They broke the windows. Did they also break through the door? No, they tried to break through the door, but they couldn’t get through.

The guards fired at the Luddites, and the Luddites fired back.

Who fired at the Luddites? The guards fired at the Luddites. Did the Luddites fire back? Yes, the Luddites fired back.

The Luddites eventually retreated, but not before 2 of them were killed in front of the factory, and a handful of others were arrested.

Did the guards retreat or did the Luddites retreat? The Luddites retreated. How many of them were killed? Two of them were killed. How many of them were arrested? A handful of others were arrested.

A trial was held, and many of them were found guilty and sentenced to death.

What happened to the men who were arrested? The men who were arrested were found guilty and sentenced to death.

These executions were the end of the Luddites.

What was the end of the Luddites? These executions were the end of the Luddites.

The factory owners won, the government won, technology won, and the workers lost.

Who won? The factory owners, the government and technology won. Who lost? The workers lost.

By 1850, the number of weavers in England had decreased from 250,000 to zero.

How many weavers were left in England by 1850? By 1850 zero weavers were left in England.

Ned Ludd, on the other hand, was never caught.

What happened to Ned Ludd? Ned Ludd was never caught.

Many people think he never actually existed and was just a clever way to terrorize the factory owners.

Do many people think Ned Ludd was real? No, many people don’t think Ned Ludd was real. Many people think he never actually existed.

In hindsight, the Luddites’ battle against technology was a lost cause, but some would say that attacking their jobs was an attack on their identities and their very existence.

In hindsight, was the Luddites’ battle against technology a lost cause? Yes, in hindsight, the Luddites’ battle against technology was a lost cause. Were the machines attacking their jobs or their identities? Some would say the machines were attacking both their jobs and their identities.