Young old order Mennonite boy

[Manfred M]

I caught this shot of a young old order Mennonite boy working at the family stand at the St Jacobs Farmer's Market, working at the family stall at the St Jacobs Farmers Market, in St Jacobs, Canada.

The old order Mennonites dress in traditional clothing, use horse drawn carriages for transportation and do not have any electricity in their homes or farms. There are many that live near Waterloo, Canada.






Did I mention that Mennonites do not want to have their pictures taken, so one has to be a bit sneaky to get some shots in?

[Shadowman]

Nicely framed.

[rpcrowe]

They won't use electricity but, seem to be O.K. with Styrofoam cups

[bje07]

the back in the BG is disturbing, as well as plastic bag in FG. I 'd concentrate on the profile of the boy, like this:

[madcrow]

Nice capture. If i had to pick your or Jean edit, Jeans by a nose.

[Manfred M]

Thanks Jean, but that is not the crop I chose to show. The plastic bag and styrofoam cup are there because they add contrast to the lifestyle that these people live. They are astute businessmen who shun parts of the modern world, yet use their lifestyle to market their products extremely well. Maple syrup, meats, cider (which is what this boy was selling),home baking as well as Mennonite made furniture are big businesses.

Much like the Amish (who split from the Mennonites), their reputation and honesty helps move moves product.

[rpcrowe]

I should not have made a statement like I did. It is belittling someone for their beliefs which I don't understand. I try to place everything in the world of logic which certainly is not the case when considering peoples cultural and religious concepts.

I sometimes I tend to group a society and blame them for the faults of a minority of that society. In this case, I am thin skinned about the Puppy Mills for which both the Mennonite and Amish are quite well known. Just Google: "Mennonite Puppy Mills".

[NorthernFocus]

That title is a tongue tier, Manfred. I was thoroughly confused by the "young old order..." until I read the interesting back story. Perhaps a little more of the shelf/jars included in the frame would help tell the story. IMO the only distracting thing about the BG is the strap across the person's back. That looks like a pretty straight forward clone job.

Here in Alaska there are several communities of people of Russian heritage who call themselves True Believers. I'm not sure exactly what there belief system entails but it seems to selectively include modernity. It is hard not to take notice when they climb out of a current model vehicle dressed in 18th century Russian style clothing while talking on a cell phone. Definitely some photo ops that I'll have to keep in mind for future reference.

I should not have made a statement like I did. It is belittling someone for their beliefs which I don't understand....

Richard, perhaps you should have stopped with the above.

... I try to place everything in the world of logic which certainly is not the case when considering peoples cultural and religious concepts.

You might consider that 85 percent of the six plus billion people on Earth do not believe that man is the supreme being. And if one argues that it is only the other 15 percent who are logical, then also consider the long list of scientists throughout history, (including Albert Einstein) who believe in a Creator. As a person educated, trained, and having made a profession of the application of logic, it is the very thing which ultimately led me to agree with Einstein. Like him I now also recognize the ego driven rationalization to argue that the intricate, ordered complexity of the universe is random. It is contrary to the very natural laws observed and documented by science and defies statistical analysis. So with all due respect for your own beliefs, I take exception at the suggestion that believing otherwise is illogical.

I sometimes I tend to group a society and blame them for the faults of a minority of that society. In this case, I am thin skinned about the Puppy Mills for which both the Mennonite and Amish are quite well known. Just Google: "Mennonite Puppy Mills".

It is also worth considering that the vast majority of the people on the planet fail to see the logic in how so many Americans treat our pets like children when there are millions of the latter suffering and starving in the world. And indeed it is a moral dilemma with which I personally struggle.

Not sure what any of this had to do with Manfred's photograph

[D L]

Manfred, I like the storytelling. The picture works well given the context you provide.

"peoples cultural and religious concepts"

Dan, perhaps the "cultural and religious concept" that defies logic in this instance, for Richard, is not the Mennonite's belief in God. The concept he was referring to, I think, is that the Mennonnite's shun the evils of the modern world, while apparently using one of those evils on a regular basis. On the surface, this does appear to defy logic, and this contributes to the success of the picture in my opinion.

[mugge]

I think Manfred is right on the button. The styrofoam cup and the plastic bag serves as contrast to the lives they live. These articles may also be a portend of what may come.
Cheers Ole

[Dave A]

Nice image Manfred. I go to that market often when I'm in Kitchener where much of my family now lives.

Dave

[NorthernFocus]

Manfred, I like the storytelling. The picture works well given the context you provide....the Mennonnite's shun the evils of the modern world, while apparently using one of those evils on a regular basis. On the surface, this does appear to defy logic, and this contributes to the success of the picture in my opinion.

I completely agree that including the signs of modernity in the photo contribute to its success. Clearly based on the discussion the photo is provocative by definition. What it provokes in each of us is a personal challenge. In it one can simply see validation of one's own world view and the hypocritical/nonsensical beliefs/behavior of others. Or, hopefully, it makes one wonder at the apparent contradiction and seek to understand.