284 - The Amish Life: Quaint or Terrible?

Are the Amish nothing more than a peaceful group of interestingly-dressed, technology-averse Christians who just enjoy a quiet, simple life? Or, are they the descendants of generations of people who have "chosen" to remain in a largely joyless community mostly because if they depart from the Amish belief system, they will be shunned and banished from the only community they have ever known?