Is tradition an obstacle to progress?
In this fast moving world every day the lifestyle of human being changes to a greater extent. Every minute man invents something new to have a better standard of living. But the more we are advancing further the more we are trapped in the conflict between past and future, between tradition and modernity. Tradition is an obstacle to progress is indeed debatable in this conflicting society where critics say we have never been developed from our ancestor rather we are heading towards destruction by breaking the
traditional values.But what is this tradition after all? Trdition invokes the principle that old
ways of doing things are safer, more reliable and hence better than new, which are based on untested ways.In short old is gold.In tradition, old practices had value simply because they were old or at least they provide a sense of continuity with the past. In contrast modern concept of progress discards tradition as obsolete and disproven. They say if the older religious ideas are supposedly the better one the newer scientific ideas are even superior.I also personally opine that not all traditional values are good though some exception might be there.Indeed they must be judged based on the time when they were originated.One example I Can give here that in islam religion one man can marry 4 women. Freinds this tradition supposedly originated in the medieval time when there was mass killing of men in the wars happened in islamic coutries. Tuhs women outnumbered the men and hence the tradition of marrying more than 1 woman. But now that
situation does not prevail at all but the tradition still continues in many places.Likewise several examples can be given where the tradition which are still continues are not apt to
today's time and situation.Had we not abandon the old practices of cultivation we would not have seen the green revolution happening.Similarly the abolition of traditions like sacrifice of human being/animals(Bali),Sati, untouchability etc helped us in many ways for progrss towards betterment.Traditional values which advocates discriminatory practices such as keeping women in narrow and restrictive role can never be encouraged and are surely obstacles to progress. Today many developmental programme are not being implemented where tradition shows a resistance to accept the modernity. Thus I must say that traditional values should be tested over the prevailing time and situation and if it is found that those values do not have any significance today that should be replaced with modern relevant ideas.
More summaries about the Is tradition an obstacle to progress?