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TOPIC: ISSUE147 - "Tradition and modernization are incompatible. One must choose between them."


In this much developed world, some people argue that our society can acquire only one from tradition and modernization, because they are not compatible. In my view, I think it is partly right, for tradition and modernization both contribute much to our society. I would say that our society must balance the importance between the two.

Tradition, consisting of customs, rituals, conventions, beliefs, ways of life, and so forth, is a lasting virtue inherited from generation to generation. Every tradition in a nation is a precious property from the ancestors. For example, the Spring Festival in China, which is a typical tradition for all Chinese to go back home for a family unition during that time. This custom is befenial to people for they can have some time to take care of their parents, or it maybe a recreation as well. Such tradition also occurs in orriental world, for instance, the Christmas, which is also an excellent convention for people to have a rest from the busy vocation and to have a good time with their parterners and children. At this time, the customs are benefitial to people's drastic lives.

On the other hand, modernization due to the three industrial revolution and the rapid development of science and technology, has made great progress to the whole world. Without the genetic research in agriculture, many people may still face the basic problem of hunger; without the invention of automobiles, we cannot speed up our pace of life; without the skyscrappers, people may find little space to live in, and so on. All these developments serve modern people a lot of convenience, comfort and satifaction. The achievements during the last century has been a complete astonish to all people around the world.

Admittedly, some traditions that may diminish during the process of modernization in the whole society. For example, the way of life in China has completely different from the old days. There are more and more KFC, Pizza and other fast food restaurants here and there in China cities now, in the meantime, dumplings, and some other traditional Chinese food is now playing an inappreciable role in people's lives, on the basis of the faster life pace due to the development of the society. Such phenomenon indicates the influence of modernization on decreasing the tradition in our society. But we cannot subjectively say that modernization and tradition is incompatible, for the loss of some customs.

However, there are many occasions when tradition and modernization can do good to each other. For instance, the traditional virtue of "respecting the elder and loving the younger" in China, can possibly contribute to the development of education. As we can say many commuties devoted to meet the needs of old people such as many programs about Beijing Opera or others. There are many newly donated primary school for the children in poverty. Also, modernization of education can help us recognize and implement the importance of that tradition as well. So sometimes the two are compatible and even benefit to each other.

To sum up, it is probable that some of tradition may diminish or even extinct during the rapid modernization of our society. But sometimes they are compatible and can do good to our society together, so we must make a balance in judging the contribution of them to our society, never be too subjective.