UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN

MARACAS, ST. JOSEPH, TRINIDAD

Traditionalism Reflection

An Assignment
Presented in Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Course
COUN 635 Family Therapy

INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Kenneth Niles

By

Shakiel Gibbons

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Approval…………………
 Reaction to traditionalism

Is it dead?

We live in a society that is constantly evolving, a world where governing concepts are

likened to that of a river changing daily. An example of such a concept includes the family,

which according to Sarkisian n.d., “is a group of two or more people who define themselves as

related by blood, marriage, or some other bond”. Through families’ value systems are passed

down in the form of tradition. However, even tradition is not exempted from the evolution of our

societal framework.

According to dictionary.apa.org, traditionalism is “a set of social practices and conditions

considered typical of societies that are economically and technologically undeveloped, relatively

static in their structures and customs, rural rather than urban, and religious rather than secular

and that tend to emphasize family or collective responsibilities rather than individual rights and

aspirations.” Simply put its the upholding or maintenance of tradition, especially so as to resist

change. However, change is inevitable.

Today we are witnessing the erosion of traditions that have been passed down through the

ages. Usually, change in most cases is always associated with growth and betterment. The 21st-

century youth ‘generation z’ can be defined by the theme of liberation. Children of this era tend

to be defiant and rebellious. Seeking to break away for the systems and norms that once

governed their elders. It can be argued that the growth and influence of modernization have

contributed to the fall of traditionalism. Modernization has provided many technological

advancements for humanity which to this day continues to fuel the curiosity of today’s youth. It

has made a big world appear to be small through the lens of social media platforms. This has

further enabled people to dream and push against the social boundaries which confined them.
One area that has greatly benefited from modernization is education, for children are no longer

being limited to the idea and desires of their family.

Modernization has also affected social agencies in the form of empowering them. Due to

modernization agencies and charities have been able to infiltrate poorer, more traditional

societies in an effort to provide educational opportunities to children who would not have had the

opportunity otherwise. These opportunities for gaining an education allow students to dream of

possibilities that they would have never dreamt about. Access to the internet helps fuel these

dreams and aspirations and allows individuals to get a glimpse of ways in which they can

improve their social standing, even if it means breaking away from their family’s traditional

ways of life.

In addition, I believe that children from traditional rural areas that experience the effects

of poverty, familial breakdowns, and frustration within the home, will be easily influenced by the

effects of modernization. However, we must consider the positive significance of traditionalism

on the family. Raymond Williams (1983), emphasis on the role of tradition as “an actively

shaping force” draws attention to the fact that it also provides some of the most significant

symbolic materials for the formation of identity, both at the individual and at the collective level.

According to Halpin, Power, & Fitz, (1997), “The sense of oneself and the sense of belonging

are both shaped – to varying degrees, depending on social context – by the values, beliefs, and

forms of behavior which are transmitted from the past.

It should be noted that people with more of a traditional cultural identity reject cultural

innovations, especially under mortality salience. Individuals high on traditionalism are the ones

who support the predictions of social identity theory, which is defined by Vinney, (2019) as “the
part of the self that is defined by one’s group memberships.” From this, I deduce that the essence

of a family stems from that of tradition.

Furthermore, when the traditional family structure and the governmental systems collapse

the psychological ramifications on the mind of a child are catastrophic. According to Jaffee

(2017), “Children and adults who are exposed to abuse or neglect in childhood are at risk for a

range of poor mental health outcomes, including internalizing and externalizing

psychopathology, posttraumatic stress disorder, psychotic symptoms, and personality disorders”.

The question is, how do we deal with the pieces of shattered glass in a person’s life?

As a counselor how do we cope or meet the growing problem of traditionalism vs

modernism in our society? First and foremost, I think we need to accept the fact that the tides are

changing and treat this situation like the evolution of the cell phone. A long time ago it a square

block with an antenna that couldn’t fit in your pocket, Today it's integrated into everything

around us from watches, earpieces, computers, and glasses. The cell phone has evolved with the

times and traditionalism can and should do that too. Traditionalists should try to bridge the gap

between them and their modernism counterpart, keeping the fundamentals that work while

integrating new ideas from modernism.

We’ll do well to remember that a family doesn’t need to sit around the dinner table like

they once did to bond or talk. A traditionalist should realize that sitting in front of a TV doesn’t

inhibit bonding. Bonds are formed through shared moments, that bring happiness, memories, and

laughter. So to solve the societal rift between traditionalism and modernism, I believe we as

counselors need to bring the proponents from both sides into a system where they can see the

benefits of the other.

 Reference

Halpin, D., Power, S., & Fitz, J. (1997). In the grip of the past? Tradition, traditionalism and

contemporary schooling. International Studies in Sociology of Education, 7(1), 3–20. DOI:

10.1080/09620219700200002

Jaffee, S. R. (2017). Child Maltreatment and Risk for Psychopathology in Childhood and

Adulthood. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 13(1), 525–551. DOI: 10.1146/annurev-

clinpsy-032816-045005

Sarkisian, N. (2015, August 7). Family. Retrieved from

https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychpedia/what-is-family.

Vinney, C. (2019, July 22). Social Identity Theory and Its Impact on Behavior. Retrieved from

https://www.thoughtco.com/social-identity-theory-4174315.

Williams, R. (1983). Keywords a vocabulary of culture and society. London: Fontana.