Traditions, rituals and superstitions…

Societies keep changing in time. They pick up new found knowledge about things as days go by and become wiser. (Not always for the good!). ‘Tradition’ I guess is an easy way of passing on this wisdom to the coming generations. To remove the need for explaining the accumulated wisdom, time and again, ‘rituals’ were concocted. After some generations, no one knows, why some things are done in a certain way, but we just do it as it is a tradition, in form of a ritual.

Still, there will be many who will question the tradition. So another tight layer was added on top, in the name of ‘religion’, so that the rituals are followed, with a fear of God. I feel, wherever there is a gap between a tradition and the ritual enforcing the tradition, the filler is usually some form of ‘superstition’.

Traditions make a lot of sense especially when you put the fundamental reasons in perspective. It is an extremely cost effective and least time consuming way of passing on information/facts across the society (I remember reading this some where and it made a lot of sense.)

In time, some traditions might and will lose their relevance. New traditions will emerge in tune with the changes. However, the superstitions of the past and the rituals tend to remain. Coupled with religion, these are powerful influences in our daily life.

Non-conformists or someone who is more logical than normal would start questioning these influences. A conflict arises in the mind of individuals and also some times among the collective societal psyche as well. These conflicts will always exist and are necessary to bring forth positive changes.

I was reading this post by S and that triggered this thought process. Yes, the issues that S has put in her post are very much prevalent in our society. While I think some of the ritualistic behaviors are getting altered for the better but a lot are pretty much the de facto situation still.

This is turning out to be a kind of heavy post. It is the result of idling in office on a saturday during a quarter end, as that is a 'tradition', you know.

;-)!

To continue the Oct 2006 post… (!!!)

It is well past midnight but sleep seems elusive. The good part is that I have a blog entry after couple of years. And I want to beat my own blogging records by keying in two in the same day as a measure of having broken a kind of jinx.

In the two-years-back-post, I had mentioned about the reorganizing that’s happening in my work place. That happened and a lot happened after that. But the most amazing thing is that, in the long run (that the two year period is) nothing has actually changed! The wise Roman General was right with his wisdom. The thing is, there is yet another financial year-end round the corner and so would be the changes.

It will be fun to watch the whole circus act repeating itself. Clowns and ringmasters can be identified. So would be the contortionists and tight rope walkers. There will be the odd strong man and the juggler. There will be trapeze artists who would fly around, hoping that they will catch on to some thing at the end of their flight to hang on to the dear life! In short, it will be the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’ in every one of my offices!

Hmm…now I am sleepy, so, good night.

Just another day…?!!

I have not posted a blog for some time now and that ‘some time’ is a period of just under two years. That’s at once a pointer to my own inactivity and the relentlessly furious march of time. Cutting that English down, it does not feel good at all, actually it sucks..! Am back, egged on by a friend to blog again, rather challenged that I would be hard pressed to key in any length of coherent words!

I am one of those, who, very fashionably (heheh) exhibit that sense of cool detachment when it comes to remembering incidental things like, anniversaries and birthdays. Especially ones own birthday is typically ‘Just another day’. Sometimes you remember it during the day, or reminded by some colleague at work, someone from the family calls up or when a friend remembers. Personally, I do not remember any of my birthdays from past. Nor do I have any funny birthday stories to recollect. However, it is really something to get a message from a client from work at exactly at mid-night wishing me a happy birthday! There was also this other message from a friend (which was also equally surprising!). Thanks to those two.

Actually it is a strangely empty feeling. However, now that I am reminded, it feels nice to be wished! But by a client..??! I am not sure how to react and am sure some of my pals will have fabulous reactions..!! ;-)

That’s that ‘Just another day’ when I have decided to blog back..!