Tradition?

[DamnthePants]

Yes, I guess you are right, we cannot escape that we were raised by some form of tradition. My main point it we should not blindly assume that the way we were raised, or the way things are done are the right way, or the best way. We must be willing to dare, for if no one dared to go against tradition, we would not have progress.

Don’t worry, I didn’t expect my views to be accepted by everyone, or in fact everyone. The way I see things is only applicable to me. I can understand how you would see my views as wrong. As a person I am Solipsistic and self-centered. Though I respect everything in the world, I also hold nothing as sacred.

Though this will really insult people, I say it with no shame. If I so feel; I will take anyone’s cultural uniqueness and co-opt it into my own should I think it cool, interesting, or otherwise better then something I already have. Just as I will drop and kick to the curb anything about MY cultural uniqueness should I one day decide it to be of no use or something better comes along.

I am not a slave to history, fashion, culture, tradition, or anyone else. If I wear white shoes with black socks, and someone tells me that for the occasion, it is wrong; I will weigh it against the ‘right’ thing to wear, and if by some chance the way I have decided to dress is better in my opinion then the so-called right way to dress, then I will not hesitate to keep my white shoes and black socks.

To keep it kilt related, I was once wearing my kilt, looking in the mirror, and the front apron came undone and fell to the side, hanging low. I was struck by how beautiful it looked just hanging there, the ragged edge just hanging off my side. There is nothing to say this is an appropriate way to wear a kilt. But if I have an occasion where I want to appear that rugged in a kilt, I will wear it that way.

[davedove]

Yes, I guess you are right, we cannot escape that we were raised by some form of tradition. My main point it we should not blindly assume that the way we were raised, or the way things are done are the right way, or the best way. We must be willing to dare, for if no one dared to go against tradition, we would not have progress.

Don’t worry, I didn’t expect my views to be accepted by everyone, or in fact everyone. The way I see things is only applicable to me. I can understand how you would see my views as wrong. As a person I am Solipsistic and self-centered. Though I respect everything in the world, I also hold nothing as sacred.

Though this will really insult people, I say it with no shame. If I so feel; I will take anyone’s cultural uniqueness and co-opt it into my own should I think it cool, interesting, or otherwise better then something I already have. Just as I will drop and kick to the curb anything about MY cultural uniqueness should I one day decide it to be of no use or something better comes along.

I am not a slave to history, fashion, culture, tradition, or anyone else. If I wear white shoes with black socks, and someone tells me that for the occasion, it is wrong; I will weigh it against the ‘right’ thing to wear, and if by some chance the way I have decided to dress is better in my opinion then the so-called right way to dress, then I will not hesitate to keep my white shoes and black socks.

To keep it kilt related, I was once wearing my kilt, looking in the mirror, and the front apron came undone and fell to the side, hanging low. I was struck by how beautiful it looked just hanging there, the ragged edge just hanging off my side. There is nothing to say this is an appropriate way to wear a kilt. But if I have an occasion where I want to appear that rugged in a kilt, I will wear it that way.

I don't disagree with your sentiments. Sometimes traditions should be questioned. I have never been one to do something just because everyone else does it. I like to know why they do it.

For example, let's say that everyone in a culture wears one trouser leg three inches shorter than the other (go with me here, I know it's silly). When asked why, one is told because that's the traditional way to do it. Going back through the years, one finds that people have been doing it for a long time. Then, finally, one find's the origin of the tradition. A king had a disfigured leg and the only way to make his trousers comfortable was to cut one leg three inches shorter. His subjects, as subjects often do, began to mimic the practice and cut one trouser leg shorter to "be like the king." Such a tradition, while widespread, really doesn't make sense anymore, but people continue it anyway. It doesn't hurt anyone, but to outsiders seems a bit strange.

Now, how long is required to make a tradition? I would say there is no defined time period. For some, it it's not several hundred years old, it's still a fad. For others, if their father did it, that's all that's needed. And for a few, if you've done it two years in a row, that's good enough.

I would personally say that if the surrounding society has been doing it for a few generations, it can be considered traditional.