Traditions. How do they start? Suggest your own.

[H3LL]

The argument "It's traditional" strikes me as just about as pathetic as you can get when justifying an activity.

It usually harks back to some rose-tinted imagining of how something was done at some unspecified time in the past and that, somehow, how things were done before that time are not traditional????

How do they get started?

Personally I would like to start a few 'traditions' of my own....

First off I think it only appropriate that when a new PM is appointed the leader of the opposition should have him/her bend over and insert a broom handle into any available orifice, thus making the recipient acutely aware of what they will do to the country in the coming years.

By tomorrow, it should be a traditional idea :cool:

So, how do they get started and suggest your own?

Off you go...


.

[shemp]

Henceforth, people who start pointless threads shall be boiled alive!

Um... on second thought, never mind.

[andyandy]

how about all international disputes to be solved through paper, scissors, stone - best of three.

[Cheesejoff]

When a prime minister is elected, he should be put in prison to save time.

Also we create a tradition that requires us to disobey every tradition.

[TragicMonkey]

I love tradition so much, I must add to it. Here's five simple, easy-to-follow customs that will add color and delight to anyone's culture. They are mandatory.

1. When someone sneezes, douse them with water to quench the fires of illness within them.

2. Newlyweds must, for good luck, demolish a doghouse at sunset on the day of their wedding.

3. As a rite of passage, all children should be shaved bald the first Tuesday in September the year they turn 12.

4. When dining, save one bite of each dish, and smear them on the ceiling as an offering to propitiate the spirits of digestion.

5. You must give your most recent ex-lover a potted plant on the feastday of St Jerome.

[loose cannon]

You have to keep in mind that tradition and custom also perform important social and psychological functions; they are an important trait in the evolution of stable society. Many traditions tend to cement the belief in the importance of the institution over the individual eg in the legal system the codes of conduct and deference in court proceedings are there to reinforce the subconscious acceptance of the power of the court. Similarily weddings are full of tradition to mark the occaision and reinforce society's idea that it is very important for the successful rearing of children (still very valid if even though ignored in western society!) Many other traditions are probably pointless, but lets face it, life can be very monochromatic without a bit of human weirdness. Isn't that why we visit this forum?

[tkingdoll]

Personally I see tradition as habit + superstition, and therefore am free to ignore it should I desire. Which I do, often.

When I got married, a lot of people had a fit at our seemingly radical and slovenly disregard for tradition - no cake, no bridesmaids, no best man...heck, my own grandmother didn't come because it "wasn't a traditional wedding". Presumably by that she meant "Christian and proper".

I was chastised for not changing my surname, until I pointed out that it's only fairly recently that such a thing has been 'traditional'. The word is useful for putting pressure on people to do what they don't want, and little else.

[SPQR]

In the same vein as tkingdool's post, I hope this doesn't derail the thread, one time in my Government class in high school, we were discussing the place of God in public places and it developed into an argument over having God in the Pledge of Allegiance and on American money.

Another student brought up the, "its tradition" argument for having God in the Pledge of Allegiance, a "tradition" which started in the 1950s, BTW. Anyway, my rebuttal to this argument was, "So was slavery, a 'tradition' in the U.S. for atleast 100 years. Just because it has been around for a while does not make it right."

This student did not have a response to my statement. :D

[Globert]

I vow to uphold the traditional birthday fireworks display that I've been doing these 2 long years. and the 4th o' july! no sissy sparklers, sky breaking, mortar launched ordinance! (my neighbors love me). 3 Shows a summer!

Also, Tradition is a suggestion. Turkey on Thanksgiving is so prevalent it's often refered to as Turkey-day, but I loves the spiral cut Ham!! Figo Tradition!

It's comfort to the Lazy. What happens on XYZ Day? Well, Traditionaly.....

I see no Social Contract rendered moot by the flaunting of tradition.
Just that if you don't dress up on halloween, don't expect any candy.

Actually, I just like traditions that go Boom.

-Globe

[shemp]

I love tradition so much, I must add to it. Here's five simple, easy-to-follow customs that will add color and delight to anyone's culture. They are mandatory.

1. When someone sneezes, douse them with water to quench the fires of illness within them.

2. Newlyweds must, for good luck, demolish a doghouse at sunset on the day of their wedding.

3. As a rite of passage, all children should be shaved bald the first Tuesday in September the year they turn 12.

4. When dining, save one bite of each dish, and smear them on the ceiling as an offering to propitiate the spirits of digestion.

5. You must give your most recent ex-lover a potted plant on the feastday of St Jerome.

These were all previously done on The Man Show.

[Art Vandelay]

I see no Social Contract rendered moot by the flaunting of tradition.Traditionally, "flout' is used in such a context.

Traditions are routines that survive. Routines that are beneficial are more likely than routines that aren't beneficial to survive. It therefore follows, all else being equal, that following tradition is better than not. "As else being equal" being the operative phrase. In the example that SPQR gives, all else is not equal, so the "it's traditional" argument doesn't wash.

There's also the factor that loose cannon mentions: traditions keep order, consistency, and stability. They provide a common collective understanding and a psychological barrier to selfish behavior.

[Elind]

The argument "It's traditional" strikes me as just about as pathetic as you can get when justifying an activity.


Sounds like you had some specific activity in mind. Care to share with us?

[TragicMonkey]

The argument "It's traditional" strikes me as just about as pathetic as you can get when justifying an activity.

I once read a compilation of proverbs from various cultures. This Hausa one stuck in my mind: "Custom is the tethering peg of fools."

[Elind]

Does that apply to cooking too?

[aerosolben]

When I was in college, I belonged to an organization with over a hundred years of history which had a great number of traditions that had evolved over time (no, not a fraternity). They were observed, fought over, occasionally discarded and added to. Frankly, I think it gave a sense of history and community, and lets people feel as if they are part of something bigger. I rather enjoyed it.

I think of traditions as fun, generally nonsensical rules which add value to the organizations and activities they are attached to. When you try to apply them to something serious, they don't work (logic is a better substitute). When nobody gets value from them anymore, they should be dropped.

[CapelDodger]

I once read a compilation of proverbs from various cultures. This Hausa one stuck in my mind: "Custom is the tethering peg of fools."
The heroes of Hausa folk-tales are the smart guys, the ones that think outside the box and take down the haughty and powerful. King Arthur would be a figure of fun in that ... tradition. Oops.

[CapelDodger]

Sounds like you had some specific activity in mind. Care to share with us?
Personally, I wonder what's going to happen when Good Queen Liz drops of the perch. "Tradition" will be invoked on all sides, and the still, small voice of the republicans - "Isn't this a good time to just, you know, drop it?" - will go unheard. So I'll go with the tradition of abbreviating the reign - and stature - of kings named Charles.

[Dustin Kesselberg]

It should be tradition to critically and scientifically examine all beliefs before holding them.

[peptoabysmal]

I love tradition so much, I must add to it. Here's five simple, easy-to-follow customs that will add color and delight to anyone's culture. They are mandatory.

1. When someone sneezes, douse them with water to quench the fires of illness within them.

2. Newlyweds must, for good luck, demolish a doghouse at sunset on the day of their wedding.

3. As a rite of passage, all children should be shaved bald the first Tuesday in September the year they turn 12.

4. When dining, save one bite of each dish, and smear them on the ceiling as an offering to propitiate the spirits of digestion.

5. You must give your most recent ex-lover a potted plant on the feastday of St Jerome.
It only becomes tradition if you can get other people to follow it. Ortherwise, it is just obsessive-compulsive behavior. :p

[Mojo]

So I'll go with the tradition of abbreviating the reign - and stature - of kings named Charles.We have a 50% record so far!

[Mojo]

I can't find a link for this at the moment, but I think the legal definition of a tradition (in the UK) is something that has been done for more than 20 years.

[Elind]

Personally, I wonder what's going to happen when Good Queen Liz drops of the perch. "Tradition" will be invoked on all sides, and the still, small voice of the republicans - "Isn't this a good time to just, you know, drop it?" - will go unheard. So I'll go with the tradition of abbreviating the reign - and stature - of kings named Charles.

How about presidents named Bush?

[TragicMonkey]

It only becomes tradition if you can get other people to follow it. Ortherwise, it is just obsessive-compulsive behavior. :p

It's only obsessive-compulsive if you count aloud while doing it, then wash your hands twenty times afterward.

One, two, three, four!

[brodski]

Personally, I wonder what's going to happen when Good Queen Liz drops of the perch. "Tradition" will be invoked on all sides, and the still, small voice of the republicans - "Isn't this a good time to just, you know, drop it?" - will go unheard. So I'll go with the tradition of abbreviating the reign - and stature - of kings named Charles.
I seem to remember a couple of years ago Charlie-boy announced that when he became king, he wouldn't be crowed as Charles III for this very reason (I can't remember what name he chose, possible King Tampax I ;) ).
I think this was a couple of years after he had declared that he did not want to be "defender of the faith", rather he would be "defender of faith".
To which the universal public reaction was "I'm sorry, did I miss something?".

[TragicMonkey]

I seem to remember a couple of years ago Charlie-boy announced that when he became king, he wouldn't be crowed as Charles III for this very reason (I can't remember what name he chose, possible King Tampax I ;) ).
I think this was a couple of years after he had declared that he did not want to be "defender of the faith", rather he would be "defender of faith".
To which the universal public reaction was "I'm sorry, did I miss something?".

Charles wants to take the throne under the name of King Pay Attention To Me. It won't work.

Just give it straight to William. She's such a pretty girl!

[Tricky]

Actually, I have started a tradition which I would love to see become established in the skeptic community. Every Friday the 13th I deliberately violate every rule of superstition I can think of. I walk under a ladder, spill salt, break a mirror (usually one of my wife's old compacts), open an umbrella in the house, hang a horseshoe pointed downwards etc. (We have a mostly-black cat, so I can only mostly violate that one.)

So far, I've had nothing that could be considered abnormally bad luck. One time I got a promotion on the Monday after my ritual.

The next Friday the 13th is in October. Mark your calendars.