Yes, Chris, you are correct.
There is nothing simple about a plane - western or eastern, and 'luddite' has become a stereotype twisted from its original meaning.
I should have been more clear that I was referring to specific discussions over beers with a self proclaimed 'luddite' traditional woodworker - the stereotypical definition - and we batted around the talk of the western vs. eastern style plane, milling your own timber (board stock), mechanization, etc. and where lines are crossed or gray areas are waded into. It was a great mental exercise - we crossed into talk of the shift to fuel injection and ingnition computers in cars, frames too big to raise by hand, air drying vs. kiln drying, etc. etc. etc. All good.
Specifically on planes was the simplicity in design of the Japanese style wooden bodied plane vs. the complicated western style (think iconic image of a metal bodied plane with wooden handle) - and what it takes to produce and use such a tool, embodied energy, complicated machinery, technology, infrastructure, and the market and economies to support it, etc.
I did not intend to use simple as disparaging way to describe the plane. Many things, when reduced to their essence are simple and beautiful. Which is what I intended, but did not state clearly.
And when it comes to certain things, I drag my knuckles too, in a luddite technophobe sort of way - like microwave ovens, television, 'entertainment', car culture, etc. etc. etc.
