Technology and Tradition

It is inevitable that as technology develops traditional cultures must be lost. Technology and tradition are incompatible-you can’t have both together.
To what extend do you agree or disagree with this statement?

I strongly disagree with this statement. There are several compelling arguments in support of the view that technology and tradition are indeed compatible.

Firstly, we can today see many countries around the world where tradition and new technology live side by side very comfortably. Japan, for instance, is a leader in technology but still strongly holds its traditional values, such as respect for elders. Whether Japanese people post hand-written letters to their parents or send them e-mails, the traditional values remain unchallenged and unchanged, although the technology has changed.

Secondly, there are innumerable cases throughout history where we can see that a change in technology did not actually lead to a change in traditional culture. For example, when farmers all around the world started using tractors instead of animals to plough their fields, their productivity and lifestyle improved, but there was no significant change in their behaviour, beliefs and customs. The technology was incorporated into their traditional culture without challenging it.

Finally, we know that technology can actually help preserve traditional cultures. It not only aids us to preserve ancient manuscripts and artifacts and to understand the roots of culture by exploring history. It also helps with communication, and communication is the basis of all cultures. Communication devices such as satellite televisions and cellular telephones are, for example, of great benefit to geographically scattered cultures. Improved telecommunication technology enhances the ability of these cultural groups to stay in touch with one another and find ways of safeguarding their culture.

For these reasons, it is easy to support the view that technology and tradition are indeed compatible. As technology develops, traditional cultures are not necessarily lost.