Is there space for traditions in modern-day life

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I landed in Bulgaria in the middle of old and not-so-old traditional holidays spanning over a week and about to end on Monday. In my last post, I wrote about the first holiday I witnessed on Sunday, videos included. Then Bulgarians took time off work for May 1^st – Labor Day. Tomorrow, Friday begins their Easter. Then, on Monday, right after, they celebrate St. George's Day - a national holiday combining the celebration of St. George, the patron saint of shepherds and farmers, with ancient pre-Christian traditions related to spring and agriculture.

Meanwhile, the package I sent from California can't get to me due to all the holiday time off, and I really need my Lululemon yoga pants. Just kidding. I don't own Lululemon yoga pants, but not kidding about that package. Per the tracking app, it appears to be stuck in transit from the airport to the customs processing center.

In anticipation of the long weekend, the city woke up this morning half-empty. According to the news, about a million Bulgarians headed out of the country to the beaches in Greece and cheap shopping in Turkey, all just a few hours away by car. The entire population of Bulgaria is just over 6 million people. So, that's 16% of the population. Imagine if 53 million Americans head out in one weekend! For residents of the Central Coast of California, this would be very nice…

These holidays made me think of traditions and their role in a person's well-being. Then I realized that looking at the positives would be incomplete without addressing the negatives because it would be like buying a car and only listening to the car salesman's pitch.

The Good.

Preserving old traditions can play a significant role in enhancing psychological well-being. Traditions often serve as a bridge between the past and present, offering a sense of continuity that can be deeply reassuring. This connection can strengthen one's identity and self-concept by fostering a sense of belonging to a larger narrative. For many people, traditions tie cultural and family heritage, providing a context through which they can understand themselves and their place in the world. This can be especially important in a fast-paced, ever-changing society where such anchors provide a sense of stability and grounding.

Traditions are a means of transmitting values, wisdom, and coping mechanisms across generations. This transmission of cultural knowledge often provides individuals with practical strategies and a philosophical perspective that aids in navigating personal difficulties.

Traditions often involve communal gatherings and shared experiences, whether family reunions or a whole community coming together for a local festival or celebration like the one I witnessed last Sunday. These events are crucial for building and maintaining social bonds, essential for emotional support, and preventing loneliness and isolation. Shared experiences contribute to the "collective effervescence" — a term coined by sociologist Émile Durkheim to describe the energy and harmony people feel when they come together in a group around a shared purpose.

Shared activities create relationships that offer support during difficult times and enhance joy during celebrations, fostering psychological resilience by embedding individuals within a supportive framework. Traditions can provide a predictable structure and routine, which can be comforting in times of uncertainty or change. Additionally, the rituals and practices involved often carry inherent coping mechanisms, such as storytelling, music, communal meals, or spending time with neighbors and family members, which have therapeutic benefits and help manage emotions.

Therefore, the loss of traditions could cause people to lose their sense of identity, continuity, and connection to their roots. In a world where people live in many places over their lifetime, weakening family and community bonds and losing friendships and the emotional support these connections provide becomes easier. Life may seem more chaotic and unpredictable without the structure of traditions, contributing to feelings of stress and anxiety.

When traditions are lost, it can create a disconnect between generations. Younger people might feel a gap in guidance and wisdom. In contrast, older generations might feel a sense of obsolescence or irrelevance, each of which can contribute to distress and generational tension, loss of purpose, loss of support, and loss of perspective.

The loss of traditions also means a loss of cultural diversity, as unique practices and ways of life disappear. This not only impoverishes the cultural landscape but can also impact individual mental health by diminishing the sense of belonging to a unique and rich cultural heritage. I remember the first time I went to Thailand, it was very much Thailand. Years later, I revisited to find America embedded within Thailand. I found the same products advertised, the same gadgets, and a similar way of life, especially among the younger generation. Thank God for the street food and cheap foot massages still everywhere!

The Bad

Tradition can stifle innovation as people cling to the same old. Since traditions emphasize maintaining the status quo, the concept of change, which involves making things different from what they are or were, conflicts with it, making it harder for people to adapt to a changing world. Novelty stands in contrast to the repetitive and heritage-focused nature of traditions as well and often causes friction. Tradition is synonymous with conservativism. Theoretically, the Republican party in the US represents traditional (conservative) values while the Democratic party champions progressive values; thus, the two frequently go to war with each other.

Since people in the same community can hold vastly different values, especially in places where neighbors come from different parts of the country or the world, local community building becomes very difficult. As we can see in the US now, people find themselves divided ideologically with fewer and fewer things to hold them together. This, in turn, contributes to misunderstandings, feelings of anger and isolation, social anxiety, and mistrust, making life much more complex and unpleasant.

The Ugly

Traditions and traditional values can violate rights as they become more incompatible with modern life. You are probably thinking of gender roles, the right of women to vote, and ending slavery and marriage inequality, and how much effort it took to get there. Still, not everyone is on the same page, even though this country has laws protecting these rights.

Many traditions and cultural norms worldwide might restrict women from pursuing education or careers or expect men to adhere to rigid standards of masculinity. Many Middle Eastern countries do not allow women to drive, while honor killings are part of everyday life. Gender roles seriously stifle individual growth and contribute to mental health issues like depression and anxiety, at the very least.

How about female genital mutilation still practiced in many African and Middle Eastern countries, even in specific communities in Malaysia, India, and Indonesia, mostly among Muslims. However, Europe and North America are not immune either, as people from these regions of the world move in and form diasporas, bringing with them their way of life and traditions. Some 200 million (living) females worldwide have had to endure this practice, and it will continue.

How about traditional practices conflicting with science and denying people the medical help they need? This can include resistance to medical treatments due to religious and traditional beliefs, such as opposition to blood transfusions, vaccinations, or psychiatric interventions, seriously impacting public health and individual well-being. The Amish are not the only ones. Christian Scientists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities, Rastafarians, Romani (Gypsy) communities, the Zulu of South Africa, and the Ashanti in Ghana, as well as many other groups, tribes and religious communities all over the world, fall in this category.

Many Muslims believe women should be stoned to death for adultery and gay men should be hung, and they do it. In some conservative Muslim countries, they also throw acid on women's faces when not fully covered.

Meanwhile, vegetarian Hindus still practice ritualistic animal sacrifice during certain festivals and religious events, such as during the Gadhimai festival in Nepal or Kali Puja in parts of India. The practice aims to appease deities and ensure blessings, though it has faced increasing opposition from animal rights groups and changes in societal attitudes.

Animal sacrifice is an integral part of the Islamic festival of Eid al-Adha, commemorating the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son in obedience to God's command. Muslims around the world sacrifice sheep, goats, cows, and camels. The meat from the sacrificed animal is usually divided into three parts: one part for the family, one for friends and relatives, and one for the poor and needy.

I hate to say this, but the beloved Bulgarian St. George's Day would be a bad day for you if you were a lamb. On this holiday, traditionally, people sacrifice a lamb to St. George. Modern-day Bulgarians don't think of it this way. They think of it as the day you buy a whole lamb, roast it, and enjoy it with your entire family, packing the leftovers in the freezer, kind of like Thanksgiving in America. The ritualistic lines faded long ago here, but the net effect is the same.

What to do about traditions

Navigating old traditions, especially when considering their impact on modern life, requires a balanced approach that respects cultural heritage while promoting individual well-being and societal progress. Sounds pretty easy. It is not! But every generation finds a way to progress or regress, depending on how one looks at it. Overall, the world is improving, especially in Western and developed countries.

There's more we could do, such as:

• Critical Evaluation: We could regularly assess traditions to understand their origins, meanings, and impacts on current society. This helps distinguish between beneficial practices and those that may be harmful or outdated. Like the little flower celebration I witnessed last Sunday, some traditions add color and texture to community living and do no harm.

• Education and Awareness: We could educate communities about the effects of certain traditions, especially those that may harm health, well-being, or social equity. Education can empower individuals to make informed choices and may encourage shifts in perspective, particularly among younger generations… Assuming those societies are open to change. My experience from working at the UN showed me how much resistance well-meaning organizations and institutions meet when they attempt to bring awareness and education to deeply traditional communities. Often, more progressive individuals in these communities must leave and look for more supportive environments or stay and suffer.

• Adaptation and Evolution: People could adapt their traditions to align with modern values and laws. This might involve reinterpreting or modifying certain aspects of a tradition to uphold its cultural significance while removing harmful practices. For example, replacing harmful rites of passage with symbolic yet harmless alternatives, as many in the traditional Muslim and Christian communities are trying to do by "reforming" their religions.

• Legal Frameworks: Obviously, in multicultural societies, the rule of law should supersede everything else. Laws help protect individuals, especially minors, from practices that they are unable or unwilling to consent to. Many European countries that accepted millions of migrants over the last few years due to the Sirian war and economic factors in Africa and the Middle East found themselves unprepared to protect their own citizens from the conflict that arose due to incompatible traditions and lifestyles. Meanwhile, the United States currently struggles with its own migration challenges. As world populations become increasingly more marginalized, impoverished, plagued by natural disasters and wars, and mobile, enabled by technology, the legal framework of many receiving countries will face more and more strain. It remains to be seen how it all works out.

• Document and Preserve: We could document and preserve the historical and cultural significance of traditions through museums, books, and education. This allows future generations to understand their cultural heritage without necessarily needing to live out all aspects of it.

Personally…

Transplanting myself from Bulgaria to the United States and living there for decades, I feel a difference in myself upon my return. I am definitely an amalgamation of both cultures, but mostly an American on an extended vacation. How do I know that?

I appreciate family and friends here, but I've noticed myself judging their mindset, which, to me, feels very limiting. No one ever said Bulgaria was the land of opportunity. Bulgarians identify with endurance more than they do with innovation. These are generalities, of course, as we find varieties of people in every society. Although realistically speaking, many Americans complain about the lack of opportunity and difficulty making meaningful economic progress.

I am much more tuned in to American politics and watch the stock market in the US, both of which feel more relevant to me than anything politically and economically happening in Bulgaria. My American dollars insulate me from the financial worries most Bulgarians complain about.

At the same time, my particularly healthy California lifestyle seems strange to most Bulgarians. They question the need for supplements, HRT, and working out every day - not in the American kind of way but more in a "what's that" kind of way. I appear unreasonably spoiled and fussy in this regard, while I consider myself disciplined and them "uneducated and uninformed." My cousin made the point that "organic" is just labeling. "Don't waste your money," she said, despite not knowing how foods could get this European Union-approved certification.

I wanted to find a dentist for my 6-month teeth cleaning, which is about due and discovered that most people never do this in Bulgaria. Preventative care is not at all anyone's priority. Women see an OBGYN when pregnant, and that's it. Unless something is wrong, no one bothers checking up on themselves.

I treat Lulu like a little person in contrast to all the dogs I see tied up to lines in people's yards. This bothers me. It also bothers me that people litter expecting "the municipality" to clean up after them. It happens but there are a lot more people littering than municipality workers cleaning up. So, trash appears almost immediately after it has been removed. Yet, I like how neighbors band together and tend little flower gardens in front of their apartment buildings, paint their benches, and hang out to chat after work. I don't like feeling obligated to stop and chat when all I want to do is go inside and read something.

Even though I didn't have to tip anyone, I did tip the truck driver delivering materials for my bathroom remodel project. Instead of leaving the boxes at the front door, he carried them up the stairs and helped me inspect them for damage. No one expects tips more than just rounding up to the nearest whole number. And NO SALES TAX. To be fair, it's there. It's called a value-added tax, but it is already included in the price of all goods and services. So, the price you see on tags in the store is exactly what you pay at the cash register. No surprises.

I like the plethora of public transportation, most of it electric – such as the metro, trams, trolleys, and even electric buses. It keeps the city quiet and the air clean. At the same time, I keep wanting to drive everywhere, kind of panicking about returning my rental car in a week. I ended up extending the rental for another two weeks. That's definitely a living-in-America side effect because, in most cases, it makes a lot more sense to go by public transportation. I drove to a tango event a few days ago. It took me 15 minutes to get there and 20 minutes to find parking… According to Google, it would have taken me 28 minutes to get there by public transportation and zero stress.

It's unusual to me that people call each other multiple times daily to see how they are doing, ask questions, and talk about something they just saw on TV. My cousin invited me over to hang out while she was making cookies. We had a nice time chatting after we had a nice time chatting earlier in the day. At 10:00 pm, she called me again to tell me she finished her massive batch of cookies. Then she told me about her hairdresser and various other things. I see my mom doing the same thing with her friends. I see people in the supper market stop to answer the call, pull over to the side, and have an extended chat. No one seems in a hurry. Meanwhile, I overheard my mom telling a friend she couldn't believe all the things I get done in a single day. That's probably because I don't idly chant as much.

The question is, what am I missing??? What is the social opportunity cost of my American productivity? Can I overcome it or find a balance? Should I?

How do you feel about traditions? Where do you come from, and what is your experience?

Thank you for reading.

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Yours truly,

V