Tradition Vs Modernity?? Strike a balance!!!

 

Jose Andres Puerta has very aptly said, “The modernity of yesterday is the tradition of today and the modernity of today will be the tradition tomorrow.”

We know that Tradition is a time-honoured practice, which is an inherited, established or customary pattern of thought, action or behaviour passed down from generation to generation. They are rooted in the past and represent the actual identity of a particular society.

Modernity is more of a contemporary behaviour or way of doing things. It connotes a certain type of culture whose quality is determined by rationality, the liberal spirit, plurality of opinion and centres of decision making, autonomy in various fields of experience, secular ethics and respect for the private world of an individual.

Traditions vary depending on the society. They vary from place to place, brewed intricately into the sensibilities of the region. At times, they may not have any superficial scientific rationale but the faith of people decides their longevity for ages. The strength of ages bestowed on the traditions gives them sanctity and the belongingness of an individual to the clan is often symptomized by his adherence to the traditions. It becomes a super-identity of the person, separate from his individual skills, achievements and recognitions.

These inherited patterns of thoughts and actions trace their origin to several ages back in the history of time. Any individual growing up in present times would naturally find many of them different from the other activities of his time. The perceived idea of “modernity” simply arises from the fact that change is the only constant in the universe. Individuals’ sensibilities are linked to the society he grows up in and in the times when the pace of change has intensified by bounds, present day norms often clash with the demands of traditions.

Tradition and Modernity are considered to be polar opposites in a linear theory of social change. Yes it is a fact that if any society is holding onto the traditions strictly by being closed to change ultimately becomes a fossilized society, however, it’ll be unfair to view traditional societies as strictly static and structurally homogeneous. A society is constantly evolving and is putting forth new challenges to the traditional customs and ideals. What is needed is to remove the unwanted and retain what is necessary. It is not mandatory to involve displacement, conflict or exclusiveness to strike a balance between “Tradition “and “Modernity”. Both Tradition and Modernity form the bases of ideologies and movements in which the polar opposites are converted into aspirations, but traditional forms may supply support for, as well as against, change.

Home is the perfect location where friendship between tradition and modernity can seep into an individual. Most of the traditions of religions which survive till date can be traced back to our holy scriptures. They even have some or other scientific rationale mentioned therein. This fact is generally overlooked and the explanations hardly known by the ignorant elders to the querying minds. The very reason of survival of traditions has been their mass acceptance as nothing counterfeit can claim to have such survivability.

Traditions link us to our rich heritage. They involve generations into a big , family bound by an intangible emotional linkage. A set of traditions go on to define the way of life and this cultural connectedness provides a distinct flavor and identity. Every individual must be made aware of this belongingness to a fraternity, which must be a matter of pride and privilege. It is this valued belongingness which is recognized globally as the rich cultural heritage of our nation. It may not have tangible manifestations but the spiritual connectivity which blesses every soul is enlightening.

Traditions must be cherished and never forced upon an unwilling mind. The survival of traditions stands testimony to the feature of flexibility. It must grant freedom to the individual and a choice to disconnect oneself from the bigger identity it imparts. Some rituals associated with the traditions may appear time consuming and impractical to a “modern” mind. Tradition must grant space for every “modern” individual to exercise the choice of following or leaving certain rituals. Rigidity is stiffening. Rigidity breeds discontent.

The supreme values of old Indian tradition are still relevant in modern Indian Society, such as, simplicity, values and ethics which need to be upheld. The rich tradition and culture of India provide a bridge for the masses between the present and the future. It’s good to modernise, but for that you don’t have to seek inspiration solely from a culture which is not a part of your culture and tradition. We don’t really need modernity in order to exist totally and fully, a healthy blend of both, imbibing the best of each, is the right path for a progressive society. Both need to have mutual respect for each other, with a scope of constructive criticism, by adapting the good in both for an ideal development of a society.