Tech Won't Save Us The Luddite Club is For Everyone w/ Amanda Hanna-McLeer & Lucy Jackson
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Feb 26, 2026 Lucy Jackson, an early member who helped grow a phone-free student movement, and Amanda Hanna-McLeer, a writer, educator, and documentary director who chronicled the group. They trace the club’s high-school origins, phone-free practices and meetings, its expansion to colleges and abroad, concerns about AI and cognitive offloading, and the making of a documentary that reframes modern Luddism.
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How The Luddite Club And Documentary Began
- Amanda found Luddite Club posters at Edward R. Murrow High School and later agreed to direct a documentary after students showed her camcorder footage.
- The New York Times piece propelled interest, but Amanda rejected network sensationalism and only filmed with club consent.
Big Tent Luddism Welcomes Different Tech Limits
- The Luddite Club intentionally created a big-tent approach to include both phone-free members and tech-critical smartphone users.
- Founders steered messaging toward anti-social media and anti-big tech to welcome diverse participants.
What Happens At A Luddite Club Meeting
- Club meetings often meet at library steps then move to parks for reading, chess, Frisbee, debates, or thrift trips without Google Maps.
- Members re-skill city navigation, conversation, and communal activities by avoiding phones during outings.
