We Have Always Done It This Way
* From “The A**HOLE’S Guide To Arguing (Or, How To Succeed In Politics)”
Sometimes in an argument you will hear statements along the lines of,
“But we’ve always done it this way.”
“It’s been like this for hundreds and thousands of years. Why should we change it now?”
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
These are examples of an appeal to tradition, which may as well be labelled an assault on progressive ideas.
People who pull out this card do not like change. They are the ones who will tell you that 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it', when what they really mean is that 'I can't be bothered', or 'It doesn't bother me.' Share on X
All the major societal changes, such as the transition from the monarchy to a republic, the abolition of slavery, women’s right to vote and so on, did not happen over night. People fought just as vigorously against them as they did for them.
People are on the whole conservative, in the sense that they prefer what they are already familiar with to the new. Unless they see that a change is in their best interest. Or as Tony Robbins puts it,
“Change happens when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change.”
In other words, when you are sick of oligarchs holding all the power, you may decide it is time to fight for democracy. When you are tired of being a slave, you rise up against the master. When you find that you no longer in good conscience can support the status quo, you demand change.
Until then, you might find yourself saying the same thing:
“It has always been this way.”
When you hear others making an appeal to tradition, know that what they are really saying is:
“I can not be bothered to change. It is too much work.”
“It does not benefit me at all and I am better off with the status quo.”
“The benefit does not outweigh the hassle.”
Knowing this will make it easier for you to convince the other person to back the changes you are proposing.
Focus on explaining how they will benefit from the changes and that it really is no hassle at all. Make the benefits appear large and the problems small.
Or, resort to the old knee-jerk response of,
“Rape, murder and stealing have been going on for thousands of years too. Think we should just continue with all that just because it’s always been that way?”
Which will get you nothing but an eye roll from your opponent.
It’s up to you.
© Merlyn Gabriel Miller
