The word pithiness is probably not one you hear every day. You might be thinking of the more commonly known pithy, as in a stalk of celery that’s past its prime, but pithiness is also about concise, perhaps terse words, full of meaning or significance.

Amish pithiness is, without a doubt, more about terseness than significance or meaning. In fact, Amish people focus on action far more than they do on words so the whole idea of an Amish brain spouting words is a weird paradox. It is a paradox that has caused intense internal dissonance in my brain, especially when I found myself immersed in the academic world, because unlike the Amish, academics seem to be all about words—and only words.

Although I never dreamed of writing the next great novel or adding to the already overwhelming amount of words whirling around our world, it seems I am doing just that. Like many others, I feel my voice is unique and if I can clear up some of the confusing and cretinous words that have been broadcast about the Amish in recent decades then I will put my aversion aside for a while.

I will also tell you that until five years ago, I did not know what a blog was nor did I care to learn, but again, I have nevertheless joined the blogging community. Please feel free to add your own pithy comments or ask questions. I will do my best to answer them, if you promise not to feel upset at my terse, pithy answers. Deal?