Difference Between Tradition And Modernity

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radition and modernity are two polar opposite societies that have been compared, contrasted, and debated for decades. Although tradition and modernity both have their strengths and weaknesses, modernity tends to benefit the interests of the individual better whereas traditional society focuses on the benefits of the group. While traditional society can often come across as a cruder way of life than modernity, there are certain aspects of the society that modernity lacks. Where traditional society succeeds in the enforcement of its beliefs and social controls modernity struggles causing significant problems for modern society as a whole. Both societies demonstrate valuable practices however modernity is able to sustain itself while also benefiting …show more content…
The traditional society is constructed from family units made by blood and marriage. “In principle all its (the families) members are held responsible for the action of any other member.” (Campbell, 101) Each family unit regulates itself by this societies universal concept that all members of a family are responsible for, and affected by the actions of all other family members. The traditional society maintains order by having clearly outlined roles based on ones status, age, and gender. “The solidarity of the family group restricts the expression of purely individual feelings, opinions, and personality.” (Campbell, 102) Due to the focus on the benefit of the family unit, the individuality and human nature of individuals is suppressed by the society in order to keep individuals in their assigned roles; in contrast to this negative form of control, loss of prestige for the family keeps individuals from participating in negative acts such as gambling or putting the families resources at risk “a father who squanders the wealth of his family through gambling or inattention to his duties is despised. If the community discovers that he punishes his wife and children too harshly, or without reason, he will lose prestige.” (Campbell, 103) Returning to negative treatment of family members, the individual …show more content…
When comparing tradition and modernity it is important to look at the strength of the social controls in each society. The more concrete and direct social expectations of traditional society limit unwanted behaviour and create a society that adheres to its morals and values better than modernity; child labour is an excellent example of this. “There was a drastic increase in the exploitation of child labour between 1780 and 1840, and every historian acquainted with the sources knows that this is so.” (Thompson 121) During the industrial revolution, a noteworthy transition period from tradition to modernity, child labour exploitation erupted. Child labour has been around for centuries however in traditional society it is primarily found in the home where strongly enforced social controls prohibit the exploitation of child labour by those outside the family. The dramatic increase of child labour exploitation in modern society was largely due to the fact that children began working outside the home where the responsibility of the family no longer protected them from being put in worse conditions than that of an adult in the workforce who can advocate for his or her fair treatment “the most prevalent form of child labour was in the home or within the family economy.” (Thompson 121) On the downside of traditional child

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