Luddites and AI datacenters

A deep dive into the historical Luddite movement of the 1810s, examining who the Luddites were, what tactics they used, and whether their approach offers a useful model for today's anti-AI movement. The Luddites were skilled artisans whose jobs were being automated away; they organized in decentralized local cells, smashed machines, and resisted government crackdowns for years. The analysis concludes that modern anti-AI activism cannot replicate Luddism because AI's impact is global rather than local — a datacenter anywhere can replace jobs everywhere — making the core Luddist strategy of local direct action ineffective. The post argues that voting and legislative reform are more viable tools for today's workers than property destruction.