[AussieWog93]

>I honestly couldn't come up with anything...

How about the entire idea of economic growth?

It made perfect sense to strive for increases in GDP during the 19th and 20th centuries, where economic gains directly correlated with improvements in material wealth and a better quality of life.

Now, I don't think anyone really understands why we're still doing it.

[hnfong]

To keep up the various Ponzi schemes established under the assumption that population and GDP will keep growing at an exponential rate.

[dm3]

How would a person follow a tradition of economic growth?

Do you mean consumerism? I don't think that one fits either as it's something people choose to do because it provides satisfaction.

[AussieWog93]

It was in reference to GP's post.

As a society, we measure, celebrate and strive to achieve economic growth (in terms of increased per capita GDP. inflation-adjusted). People do this on an individual as well as broader group level.

In the past, the push for growth was an effective solution to the very real problem of widespread absolute poverty caused by the inability to provide sufficient consumer goods to the broader population.

In more recent times, pushing for economic growth seems to be causing more problems than it solves. Yet, we still do it anyway because that's what we've "always" done (at least, since the start of the industrial revolution).

[dm3]

I understood the "traditions" GP mentioned as cargo-culted practices tied to the decision a single person makes going through his life. Like not eating pork, brushing teeth or boiling pasta uncovered.

I agree that you can easily find abstract ideas people hold true about the world which would require serious re-education in order for the opinions to change.

[AussieWog93]

>brushing teeth

I don't mean to nitpick, but on the off chance you share the same views as Richard Feynmann on this matter, please understand that tooth brushing is not a cargo cult behaviour!

People who do not brush and floss regularly undergo extreme pain (physical or financial) later in life and genuinely repulse others whenever they open their mouth to speak.

[dm3]

Don't worry! I gave it as an example of a behaviour we learn as kids which is easily explained because we know about microbes and the process of teeth decay.

However, people have been cleaning teeth for thousands of years. My (naive) belief is that people associated the procedure with good health but weren't able to explain why it works. It was mostly tradition or good habit passed on through generations. Citing Wikipedia[1]:

> The Indian method of using wood for brushing was presented by the Chinese Monk Yijing (635–713 CE) when he described the rules for monks in his book:

> Every day in the morning, a monk must chew a piece of tooth wood to brush his teeth and scrape his tongue, and this must be done in the proper way. Only after one has washed one's hands and mouth may one make salutations. Otherwise both the saluter and the saluted are at fault.

[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tooth_brushing

[AussieWog93]

>Don't worry!

Thank God for that!

>My (naive) belief is that people associated the procedure with good health but weren't able to explain why it works.

Also a naive assumption, but I suspect our ancestors understood completely that bad dental hygiene lead to both unpleasant smells and toothache. People are very good at avoiding both disgusting stimuli and pain!