They whisper to me every day.
You, so young and rich,
Make assumptions with absolute assurance.
I vacillate between superstition and tradition.
You don't need to question.
Tradition is the oral delivery of rites and customs from generation to generation. Superstition is belief inconsistent with what society generally considers true and rational. When tradition and superstition become bound together, it is a sign of trouble. For example, a woman was once taught not to wash her hair on anybody's birthday. Whenever she protested this, the answer was "Don't question!" Years later, she learned that in the old country, letting one's hair down was a sign of mourning and thus inauspicious on a birthday. What was etiquette in one generation became superstition in another.Those raised with traditions and superstitions are often torn between the extremes of biculturalism. Their inbred beliefs conflict with current knowledge and quickly changing culture, creating doubt and uncertainty.
There has to be informed revision to all tradition if it is not to degenerate into superstition. The true substance of any tradition will take new form without compromising its inherent character. If not, it will just become the outmoded beliefs of old people, and it will fade into ghostly whispers.
Personal Interpretation
Superstition has its root in tradition that is never questioned. When the context is lost and we don't stop to reflect on the meaning of our actions, we find ourselves going through the motions without knowing why we do it. This is an unmindful and ignorant way of living our lives. Let us not fear that tradition will be lost to time. When we truly understand what's important we can translate it in a way that makes sense in the place and time we ourselves occupy. Fear and hatred can arise from superstition, and there's no reason to allow these vices to muddy our vision for the future.
No comments:
Post a Comment