

They’re completely right. Luddites being anti technology is a major mischaracterization, they just didn’t want their jobs taken away when that’s how they make a living. And automation hasn’t resulted in better wages or hours for workers, only increased profit for shareholders
My headcanon is that only replicated things can be reabsorbed like that, bc otherwise you’re right and almost everything can be recycled. maybe it’s not efficient enough to do with random rocks, but if that’s the case then I don’t see how a stopwatch could be a meaningful amount of energy