[ClumsyPilot]

There are many traditions that survived for thousands of years:

Genital mutilation circumcision, human sacrifice, using poisonous body paints, using lead in water pipes, asbestos, etc.

It often takes a great effort to stop a stupid and harmful tradition.

[weberc2]

Fair enough. The system is statistical; I’m not claiming every harmful tradition is eliminated and tradition is optimal; only that the most harmful traditions are eliminated or minimized (e.g., human sacrifice is only practiced among very primitive civilizations).