TRADITION versus Modernity. This is the theme of a competition                                                                                        
being held by the Malaysian Institute of Management for young                                                                                         
executives who will be future leaders in our society.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
What are traditions? Where do they come from? Should some                                                                                             
traditions be preserved as carefully as endangered species are                                                                                        
protected? Are some social problems, such as lepak and bohsia,                                                                                        
that our society is facing, due to the death of valued                                                                                                
traditions?                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
There are several traditions that should be preserved in the                                                                                          
face of the march of modernity, because these traditions have                                                                                         
roots in the basic human values that are as valid today as                                                                                            
hundreds or even thousands of years ago: an indomitable spirit                                                                                        
in the face of adversity, love of fellow men, honesty,                                                                                                
integrity, optimism, creativity.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
However, owing to increasing emphasis on materialism and                                                                                              
"external show," these traditions are in danger of dying out                                                                                
and we run the danger of losing our focus on these important,                                                                                         
basic values.                                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
But, having said that, there are some traditions that are                                                                                             
gradually being discarded and the society as a whole has                                                                                              
benefited.                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
For example, the tradition of not emphasising education for                                                                                           
females.                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
It used to be a tradition for Chinese families that it is not                                                                                         
important to educate their daughters since they are going to                                                                                          
end up as home-makers anyway, and the education will "go to                                                                                      
waste."                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
However, with better-educated mothers, better citizens are                                                                                            
produced.                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
What causes the demise of traditions? One could argue that                                                                                            
since a tradition can die, it must be of no use to try to                                                                                             
preserve it once its useful life is up.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
Why should one hang on to something which is no longer useful?                                                                                        
If a tradition has outlived its use, then let it die a natural                                                                                        
death.                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
According to Webster's dictionary, tradition is the Handing                                                                                           
down of customs, practices, doctrines, etc. Modern, on the                                                                                            
other hand, means of present or recent times.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
A tradition is a customary practice which has been handed                                                                                             
down, consciously or unconsciously, through the generations.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
It can have its origin in beliefs religious teachings,                                                                                                
cultural norms and human values.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
For example, many societies emphasise honesty in their                                                                                                
traditional teachings.                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
Some traditions which we should preserve are:                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
- one should respect one's elders,                                                                                                                    
- tradition of "waste not, want not,"                                                                                                       
- an honest day's work for an honest day's pay,                                                                                                       
- education is of utmost importance, and                                                                                                              
- "old fashioned" courtesy.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
Is it practical to try to preserve or even reinstate                                                                                                  
traditions?                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
Some societies are trying to do so -Singapore, for example, by                                                                                        
a return to Confucius' teachings. Shouldn't we just let                                                                                               
traditions, which have outlived their usefulness, die a                                                                                               
natural death instead of resurrecting them ?                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
Traditions, like any other human institution, are fluid and                                                                                           
subject to change.                                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                      
However, qualities such as cour tesy, thrift, honesty,                                                                                                
integrity are as vital today as several centuries ago.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
Let us take the tradition of taking care of parents.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
It used to be, and still is, the norm that parents do their                                                                                           
very best to give their children the best education that they                                                                                         
can afford.                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
The tradition was that parents then expected their children to                                                                                        
take care of them in their old age.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                      
However, modern parents are planning for their retirement as                                                                                          
well, and do not expect to depend solely on their children for                                                                                        
their upkeep in the golden years.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                      
This is mainly due to the rising cost of living.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
Young, modern couples have their hands full, taking care of                                                                                           
their own growing children, and may not have the capacity to                                                                                          
bear the additional cost of paying for their parents as well.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
However, this does not mean that young people will ignore and                                                                                         
forget their parents. The care, love and respect is still                                                                                             
there for their elders.                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
This sense of respect for the older generation is what we                                                                                             
should try to preserve.                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
Respect, on the other hand, has to be earned. Just because                                                                                            
someone is older sometimes does not mean he deserves to be                                                                                            
respected, unfortunately.                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
This can be seen in many recent cases of child abuse. Older                                                                                           
but no wiser.                                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
Instead of taking care of their wards, these elders have been                                                                                         
the cause of grievous harm to young children who are unable to                                                                                        
defend themselves.                                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                      
Hence the tradition of respect should actually go both ways.                                                                                          
Problems which have surfaced in Malaysia are lepak and bohsia                                                                                         
among youths.                                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
Why are youths loitering around the complexes?                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      
The introduction of youth progrmmes by the Government is a                                                                                            
step in the right direction.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
Children modern society appear to have l:ost; the innocence                                                                                           
and fun of childhood.                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
Added to that is the fear of kidnappings.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
Active kids have no decent outIets to expend their abundant                                                                                           
energy, being cooped up in the house In front of the                                                                                                  
television set.                                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
Modern life in-the city exerts pressure and stress hot only.                                                                                          
on'the parents but on their children as well.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
Perhaps by realising this, parents may be able to mitigate the                                                                                        
boredom of being a teen with nowhere to go except the shopping                                                                                        
complexes.                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
What can one do? Definitely one would not be able to stop the                                                                                         
march of modernisation.                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
However, some traditions as mentioned above have their base in                                                                                        
ordinary, basic human qualities.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
These qualities can be inculcated from young, albeit with a                                                                                           
little bit more effort.                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
Parents may consider spending more time with their children.                                                                                          
In some cases, it may perhaps even require something as                                                                                               
drastic as a career change for one of the partners.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                      
There are couples who have come to this decision, with usually                                                                                        
the wife sacrificing her career to have time with the family.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
But in future, there may also be husbands who may decide to                                                                                           
stay home rather than go to work outside the home.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                      
Traditional or modern, the important things are actually still                                                                                        
the same.                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
There should be a concerted effort by all citizens-teachers,                                                                                          
parents, managers and the man in the street, to preserve these                                                                                        
values.                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
Be they in traditions, or other forms, we should preserve                                                                                             
them, especially in the face of the rapid modernisation and                                                                                           
urbanisation which seem to dehumanise the population.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
We do not wish to become a developed nation with no heart and                                                                                         
no soul.                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
It is, therefore, necessary to preserve some traditions simply                                                                                        
because they reflect the very basic human values and                                                                                                  
principles in our daily lives. Modern ways which destroy these                                                                                        
traditions and, thereby, the values, should be kept at bay.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
In-order to influence the youth of the future,everyone has a                                                                                          
responsibility, besides the parents, teachers and the media.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
By-the-year 2020, we should be a developed society which also                                                                                         
enjoys a stable and highly regarded culture of human values.                                                                                          
Not one where the law of the jungle reigns.