Modern or Traditional: Why Can’t I be Both?

So here is another age old debate picking up steam on Indispire.

Traditional or Modern
Am I Traditional or Modern?

By Definition, Modern is something pertaining to current times and Traditional is something that has been long established.

While these two may seem to be opposites at the first glance, take a pause and think about it again. A fact or an act long established may be as relevant in the current time as ages ago. Marriage is an age old tradition and isn’t it still relevant?
And honestly, I have never quite understood the need to be modern or traditional.

Why can I not be modern and traditional at the same time?

I have always believed that being Modern is about adopting the new, the relevant. Take clothes for example. A sari is traditional and Jeans is a more modern attire for Indian women. The sari looks elegant and is relevant even today. Tons of women wear it on the daily basis. But we cannot deny that it is a high maintenance garment. Jeans on the other hand is practically no maintenance. So if I want to slip into jeans for my daily chores and make the effort of wearing a sari on an important occasion, what does it make me?
If I were to stick to the traditional all the time, then wouldn’t I miss out on all that the new world has to offer? And yet, if I were to forget my traditions I would lose out on the wisdom gathered over years that gave birth to those traditions. The key I think is to choose what gives you happiness, what gives you fulfillment and go with that.

The Society will judge be for being too Modern or too Traditional

This is the biggest fear we have. Don’t we? But honestly, if someone calls me traditional looking at my salwaar kameez and modern looking at my sheath… its there problem. They are the ones judging me and they are the ones forming baseless opinions. My outlook depends on what I do. How does someone’s opinion matter? I dont get why we care so much and why we try so hard to fit in…!

 

Hope you enjoyed reading this post. Let me know your thoughts :)