Tradition - Good & Bad ? Options

[Ben Higgins]

I was having a random chat with our very own Wee Pee and the subject randomly turned to draft horses. A draft horse is a heavy horse bred for working, which included activities such as pulling logs to clear areas of woodland, ploughing fields and pulling wagons laden with beer from a brewery to local pubs. As the world became more mechanized, the need for working horses has decreased dramatically. These heavy breeds can still be kept just like other horses, being ridden or taken to shows, but their former roles are no longer important to certain industries.



However, there are still quite a few breweries in the UK (and many more abroad) who use draft horses to deliver beer to pubs in the local vicinity. Even though it may be more convenient for them to use lorries to deliver, they've chosen to maintain the tradition of using horses. Not only does it give a purpose to maintain these fit and healthy animals but people enjoy seeing them and it's a link to our past. It's in cases like this where I think tradition is a good thing. People are using an older method out of personal choice and they feel that it has its benefits, not just to them but to others. In much the same way, cultures around the world maintain their age old traditions which serve to educate, entertain and ensure the survival of their history.

Tradition can sometimes hold us back, though. There's not much that man fears more than change. The response to change is often stubborn refusal to acknowledge another way. I've touched upon the issue of extended range guitars recently, and how many people can't stand the idea of guitars with more than 6 strings. I've seen some Facebook discussions get intensely personal with the threat of violence just because people have been so opposed to the idea of even a 7 string. Our very own Todd Simpson and Uncreator will back me up on that one, they were in one of them !

Sometimes, it's just a case of If it ain't broke, don't fix it. That's cool. You don't have to do something differently, just because something new has come along. But you should allow yourself to be open to the idea, at least. Then you might still decide it's not for you anyway but it can be an informed decision rather than a knee jerk reaction, right ? You tried it, didn't like it. A bit like tofu.

To Hell with you, tofu.



From non threatening activities like guitar playing to another world where tradition has an effect;

If any of you are into Martial Arts you'll be aware that all styles are basically founded on, and grow around, tradition. There's nothing wrong with keeping some tradition out of historical respect but a lot of what gets taught may not be relevant in 2015. Some of it may not ever have been relevant because it wasn't even tested. Many of the teachers themselves have never looked beyond the tradition and questioned what they've been taught and are teaching themselves. A lot of MA instructors are hamstrung by having to maintain tradition instead of growing and evolving.

Having said that, many people practise martial arts FOR the tradition. I think it's important to distinguish between learning a martial ART and learning self defence or modern combat. They are completely different. Different parameters and different goals. Different results. If you're going into it knowing you're learning a traditional ART then it's fine. But if your goal is to learn combative techniques that may work in a civilian world, which won't get you arrested or killed, then I think it's in cases like this where tradition can actually be a burden. Real, dynamic roles such as the military, law enforcement etc are always having to adapt to new threats. They can't afford to be taught something based on tradition. It has to be based on effectiveness. So in this case, tradition loses out.

So, tradition can be both good and bad. It can help us maintain an emotional bond with the past, help to educate people about history. It can also provide roles to those whose way of lives depended on these outmoded activities.

Tradition can also tie us to outdated practises which, in non 'serious' cases don't cause any harm but in serious cases, can actually get you killed.

Can you think of any traditions which you think are beneficial or any that you think hold us back ? Should we be constantly evolving, casting away all the old ways ?

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This post has been edited by Ben Higgins: Feb 22 2015, 01:39 PM