Should cultural traditions be preserved or changed?

Answer 1

Cultural traditions, in my opinion, should not be changed. It provides variety in a multi-cultural country and moreover, shows us different and colourful cultures. We saw wha happened when the British tried to destroy cultural traditions with Aborigines. Not keeping cultural traditions and not preserving them is like ultural genecide.
No. Some people carry their heritage and are very patriotic about their backgrounds.

I'd say it depends on the traditions. Usually, the answer would be no, but I believe that if it includes anything harmful (Ritual scarring, for example) then yes, it should be challenged. I appreciate your answer, as well, I feel they should not be challenged but should be understood and adopted in the right way as it may help you to become a more decent human being.
There are all kinds of traditions, some of which are more useful than others, and furthermore, a tradition which serves one person well, might be much less workable for some other person. So in the end, you have to consider the specific circumstances relating to a given tradition, and preserve some traditions and reject others, as needed.

Answer 2

Some cultural traditions may seem odd at first, but they may be so beneficial, they actually spread to other cultures. For example, many cultures in Asia, Africa, and Europe have traditionally removed their street shoes before entering their homes, and expect their guests to do the same. This tradition is actually spreading to the United States, because people realize that it keeps their floors cleaner.

But if a cultural tradition has a victim, maybe it is is something we should challenge. For example, what if your South Korean neighbors were raising puppies in their yard, slaughtering them, and barbecuing them, a practice that is perfectly legal in most U.S. states? Would you join them for dinner? Would you respect their cultural tradition?

What if your Ethiopian neighbors were arranging the marriage of their 12-year old daughter to a 40-year-old man, a practice that is not illegal in many U.S. states? Would you respect their cultural tradition? What if you discovered that the child had undergone female genital mutilation, a practice only recently outlawed in the U.S., but which is still sometimes done in secret? Is that a cultural tradition you can respect?

What if your Lebanese neighbor confided to you that she was pressured into marrying her rapist to preserve her honor and so that her rapist wouldn’t be charged with a crime? Is that a cultural tradition you respect?

On August 17, 2017, the 45th President of the United States tweeted, “Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments.” Do you agree that confederate monuments are a cultural tradition that should be preserved? How about white supremacy? Is that a cultural tradition that should be challenged?

Maybe we should challenge harmful, antiquated, and downright oppressive cultural traditions.

Answer 3

Some cultural traditions may seem odd at first, but they may be so beneficial, they actually spread to other cultures. For example, many cultures in Asia, Africa, and Europe have traditionally removed their street shoes before entering their homes, and expect their guests to do the same. This tradition is actually spreading to the United States, because people realize that it keeps their floors cleaner.

But if a cultural tradition has a victim, maybe it is is something we should change. For example, what if your South Korean neighbors were raising puppies in their yard, slaughtering them, and barbecuing them, a practice that is perfectly legal in most U.S. states? Would you join them for dinner? Would you want to preserve their cultural tradition?

What if your Ethiopian neighbors were arranging the marriage of their 12-year old daughter to a 40-year-old man, a practice that is not illegal in many U.S. states? Would you want to preserve their cultural tradition? What if you discovered that the child had undergone female genital mutilation, a practice only recently outlawed in the U.S., but which is still sometimes done in secret? Is that a cultural tradition you should preserve?

What if your Lebanese neighbor confided to you that she was pressured into marrying her rapist to preserve her honor and so that her rapist wouldn’t be charged with a crime? Is that a cultural tradition you should preserve?

On August 17, 2017, the 45th President of the United States tweeted, “Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments.” Do you agree that confederate monuments are a cultural tradition that should be preserved? How about white supremacy? Is that a cultural tradition that should be preserved or changed?

Maybe we should change harmful, antiquated, and downright oppressive cultural traditions.