A luddite was a name given to a textile worker who rebelled against machines introduced during the early Industrial Revolution. The term is used today for anyone who violently rejects new technology.
The movement was named for a fictitious Ned Ludd, an apprentice alleged to have destroyed stocking frames in England in 1779. Changes in textile production threatened the livelihood of craftsmen and their apprentices, replacing them with unskilled labor.
Features of a luddite:
(1) anger about changes brought on by a change in technology
(2) anger based on loss of prestige, income, employment, security or position
(3) the anger resulted in violence directed against machines or other sources of change
Some luddites also displayed a humor or swagger in their communications.
Current usage indicates resistance to a new technology without the need for violence.There also may be anger about how technology values profit over human values.
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