The technology in the valleys has been stagnant for hundreds of years, so that simple mechanical devices we use to get by on a daily basis in the modern world were unknown in the rural mountain landscape. "Before our arrival, there had never been an alarm clock in the village; indeed there had been no clocks or watches at all. The people had timed their days by sunrise and sundown. We were surprised to see how the alarm clock seized the imagination of the peasants... Everyone came to consult the clock, as though out house on stilts was really a temple" (Sijie 14). This shows how even though the villagers may seem not to have an urge to want new technology, if exposed to it, they are captivated by its simple uses. This could progress into obsessions, which could hypothetically ruin the ways of life for rural China. I doubt Mao considered this when he began his re-education process. It was an overlooked detail.
pic: http://www.cksinfo.com/clipart/household/clocks/alarm-clock.png
