Habits and Truths Rooted in Tradition: Societal Practices Analysis

This essay delves into the exploration of habits and truths that are deeply embedded within societal traditions, examining practices that persist across generations despite lacking practical explanations. The discussion highlights various examples, including nail-biting, procrastination, and knuckle cracking, illustrating how these behaviors, often performed to alleviate stress or anxiety, have become ingrained habits even in the absence of scientific evidence supporting their benefits. The essay references key literature to support the claims, analyzing the generational inheritance of these actions, and concludes that these practices, though lacking tangible justifications, are integral parts of the societal fabric. The paper underscores the impact of tradition and belief on individual behavior, demonstrating how habits can become deeply rooted within the culture, influencing actions regardless of their practical implications.

Running head: HABITS AND TRUTHS ROOTED IN TRADITION
Habits and Truths Rooted in Tradition
Name of the Student:
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Author Note:

1HABITS AND TRUTHS ROOTED IN TRADITION
Tradition is identified as a set of beliefs or behaviour that is passed down from one
generation to another (Yves Congar 2016). Tradition may also be recognized as a series of
habits that carry significant meaning with them. Moreover, it can be witnessed that habit and
tradition both share major common aspects. They are both characterized by repetitive acts
that one feels or adopts as compulsory. The focal point of this discussion is to identify certain
practices that are deep rooted in tradition yet they do not have any practical explanations
behind them.
Habits, truth and phenomena have been severely ingrained deeply in the roots of
society. Moreover, an individual performs these actions because they perceive that they are
deriving certain benefits from them. Hence, due to this belief, an individual performs these
actions on a repetitive basis. Though these personal habits may not always be practical in
nature, they are performed because they have become an ingrained habit. For instance, one
of these habits may be the biting of nails. This habit is considered to be an action
performed when an individual is excessively nervous (Ellington 2017). Moreover, this habit
is considered to reduce stress as well. Even though there is no practical evidence that nail
biting reduces nervousness, many individuals still perform this due to habit.
Another example of this is procrastinating. Procrastination is a common habit that
refers to the delaying of tasks by focusing on activities that are usually less important. This is
a practice that is believed to be an ardent stress reliever (Sirois 2014). Even though
procrastination has been developed as a practice, there are no evidences present that prove the
benefits of this habit. Hence, this has been ingrained into the foundation level of the society.
Moreover, it is also identified that an individual procrastinates even though there are no
practical implication of this habit. Hence, it can be witnessed that procrastination is a practice
that has woven itself into the fabric of society’s culture.

2HABITS AND TRUTHS ROOTED IN TRADITION
Another habitual practice that may be recognized is knuckle cracking. This
practice is performed by many individuals to alleviate their anxiety and stress levels. It is
traditionally believed that knuckle cracking causes arthritis (Powers, Kelsberg and Safranek
2016). Even though there is no proof of this fact, this information has been passed down for
many generations. This information was sourced in an era where there was a lack of scientific
and technological information. However, modern studies have discovered that there is no
connection between knuckle cracking and arthritis. Even though the correct piece of
information is widely available in the present times, many have yet to believe this.
Thus, it may be concluded that there are many practices that are deeply rooted within
society that does not have justifiable evidence. These are notions that have been passed on
from one generation to the next. Even though many studies and researches may not find
justifiable reasons to support the action, one still believes or performs the action because it
has been followed in every generation. Hence, it can be concluded that these practices are
generational inheritances; actions that have been sewn into the fabric of society.

3HABITS AND TRUTHS ROOTED IN TRADITION
References
Ellington, E., 2017. Chronic nail biting in youth. Journal of psychosocial nursing and mental
health services, 55(2), pp.23-26.
Powers, T., Kelsberg, G. and Safranek, S., 2016. Does knuckle popping lead to arthritis?.
Sirois, F.M., 2014. Procrastination and stress: Exploring the role of self-compassion. Self and
Identity, 13(2), pp.128-145.
Yves Congar, O.P., 2016. The meaning of tradition. Ignatius Press.