I have never cared much for traditions. Traditions insinuate that you do the same thing — whether day after day or year after year — and it always stays the same. Because that’s the way it’s always been and the way it’s always going to be. That doesn’t seem to allow much flexibility to me.
Maybe that’s why everywhere you look, traditions are dying.
I laugh when opponents of same-sex marriage bring up the idea that the institution destroys traditional households. I’ve got a newsflash for you: traditional households are dying regardless. Even without same-sex marriage, divorce rates are higher than they were a couple of decades ago. Single-parent households or households with stepparents are no longer a rarity. Such households are the new traditon. What was once traditional – a household where both parents are involved – is now remarkable.
When my wife and I got married, we decided against the traditional ceremony. Some people were disappointed that we didn’t have a traditional wedding where everyone could attend, but it wasn’t what we wanted to do. Instead, we opted to get married in fabulous Las Vegas at The Little White Wedding Chapel. If nothing else, the experience has given us a good story that we can retell again and again. A nontraditional story, if you will.
The traditional business and labor environment are dying. Working in the same factory and doing the same job for 40 years is an option for fewer and fewer people. Traditional job titles are being outsourced to cities you can’t pronounce in countries you probably can’t find on a globe.
The traditional retirement age is being extended for many Baby Boomers. The current economic situation is forcing them to postpone their dreams as they continue to grind it out to replenish their retirement funds.
Even media can’t be spared from the death of all things traditional. The traditional channels of communication — television, radio, and print — are losing their effectiveness. We’re seeing an evolution of communication – well, it’s happening whether you see it or not.
Traditionally, the White House was a dwelling for old white dudes. Now, the White House is home to a young black man who strives to relate to younger generations.
I wonder how long some things will stay traditional. How long will business schools teach traditional advertising and business structures? How long will record companies think they can control every aspect of their artists’ works?
Where else do you see traditions dying? What opportunities do you see rising from these changes?
