The Luddites (1811 – 1816) were a group of men who named themselves after a possibly mythical figure from Robin Hood days known as Ned Ludd. The Luddites banded together in secret groups and organized expeditions to destroy the new industrial machines that were being used in the English textile industry. The Luddites were mostly craftsmen who believed (probably correctly) that the new machines had put them out of business. They smashed knitting machines and industrial looms. The delicate lace-making machines could be destroyed with one wallop of a hammer. They even burned down mills. Eventually most of them were rounded up and executed.
Nowadays, the term “Luddite” has come to mean someone who stands in the way of technological progress.
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I didn’t know their was a real Ludd. Thanks for sharing!
And by “their” I mean “there.” This is all before coffee.
I feel your pain. I sent an email to an editor once with “it’s” instead of “its” and I still have flashbacks.