What does tradition mean to you?

[Ifreann]

Tradition for its own sake is for those who think that people alive today are so inferior to our ancestors that to even question their way of doing things is foolish.

[Galloism]

Tradition for its own sake is for those who think that people alive today are so inferior to our ancestors that to even question their way of doing things is foolish.

Welcome to Costco. I love you.

[West Failure]

Different musical temperaments

[Jordaxia]

Traditions mean nothing positive to me. Most-traditions-as-events tend to be harmless enough, but not something I've any interest in. However, most traditions-as-beliefs/actions on the other hand, sicken me for the simple reason that if it's traditional, that makes it old. And one thing our ancestors managed to do excellently, is foster an amazing amount of fucked up, pointless beliefs that they wanted perpetuated regardless of how they hurt people. 'Tradition' as it is called, has become its armour against change. And by change, I mean destruction. Because I'm fairly sure that there's absolutely no ethical belief that people had in the 3rd century, or even 1899, that we haven't vastly improved on, and subsequent generations will continue to improve on. Traditions as beliefs are just societal stagnation made manifest, as evidenced by the fact that when someone asks 'why we follow tradition?' the answer tends to be 'because we always have.' like that's a good reason.

[The Northern Baltic]

I think my argument is best summed up with this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRdfX7ut8gw

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

I've been staring at this thread, reading through it and trying to guess what to post in regards to tradition. What does it mean to me? I don't want to say tradition is being stubbornly stuck in the past and refusing to evolve. I don't want to say tradition is essential, because I don't think it is. I don't want to place the word ''values'' on it because I don't think they're necessary in tradition, but that's just me. I don't know if I ascribe traditions, tbh.

[UnhealthyTruthseeker]

What does tradition mean to you?

Not a whole hell of a lot, that's for sure.

[The Northern Baltic]

I've been staring at this thread, reading through it and trying to guess what to post in regards to tradition. What does it mean to me? I don't want to say tradition is being stubbornly stuck in the past and refusing to evolve. I don't want to say tradition is essential, because I don't think it is. I don't want to place the word ''values'' on it because I don't think they're necessary in tradition, but that's just me. I don't know if I ascribe traditions, tbh.

Tradition does evolve. Look at Chinese tradition: very hierarchical and such because of the amount of civil wars, peasant rebellions, and death they've had in their past. Traditional evolves slowly, but it most definitely evolves. Values are just a component of culture, which tradition belongs to as well.

[Antilon]

Cheese rolling? Really? That's just silly, and a perfectly good waste of cheese I might add.

Well, at least it's a good humored kind of silly and not ridiculously-defying-common-sense- silly. It brings people together to have fun. Kinda wish I had something like this. Don't you?

[Bewilder]

Tradition is a crutch for those who don't want to find their own ways of doing things, and a weapon for those who want to control others.

[Ifreann]

Tradition is a crutch for those who don't want to find their own ways of doing things, and a weapon for those who want to control others.

Tradition is a walking stick......I like this idea.

[Cameroi]

usually its a phoney bullshit excuse for rejecting REAL morality (and moral and social responsibilities, especially but not limited to, those of government) out of hand.

unless we're talking about INDIGINOUS traditions (which are derived from thousands of years of living in a particular place and learning from that place itself how to live in harmony with it).

[Buffett and Colbert]

Tradition is a word people use to try to cling to beliefs and practices that our now unnecessary, unwanted, or even amoral.

[Augmark]

In my firehouse, and every other firehouse, tradition is an integral part. Though methods and gear and society changes, traditions still remain. Do we technically need them? No, but its part of who we are, part of our respect for the fallen, and part of the brotherhood.

The same can be said for other services such as police, EMS, and military.

Traditions on the political level, which I assume everyone means "conservative" can be good or bad.

[Cameroi]

i'm certainly not saying traditions can't be good ones.

just that pseudo-conservative politicians keep inventing phoney ones as excuses a majority of people seem to buy, or at least be influenced by, for their complete lunacy, by which i mean putting their ideological fanatacisms ahead of real people, places and things.

that's why i make that distinction for indiginous traditions,
that may well also go for a good many in many aspects of maintaining services and infrastructure.

helping each other out is more then a tradition, nor limited to any one tradition or culture,
but the whole and only reason for having such a thing as communities and even human society at all.