Should we sacrifice progress for tradition?
Are we Sri Lankans laid back as a nation? I have a sneaky feeling that we are, particularly, during New Year celebrations. No doubt, it is a wonderful tradition for family and friends to get together and celebrate. But aren’t the celebrations carried too far, in terms of time! In fact, it has become an excuse for dragging the holiday period further by several more days on account of transport issues and fuel shortages.
In our ancient past, life moved at an easy pace. There was adequate time for fulfilling customs and rituals according to astrological times such as ceasing work, ceasing cooking, lighting the hearth, partaking of meals, bathing, anointing with oil and starting work.
Isn’t it a little anachronistic for us to continue celebrating New Year in an identical manner in this modern era when our economic and social patterns have drastically changed from a largely pastoral to an industrial setting? – When the pace of life has increased exponentially and as global players require us to be internationally accountable – When speed has become a crucial factor in all what we do as it is a function of cost, quality and efficiency.
It is indeed sad that our leaders have neither the wisdom nor the vision to lead the change required to transform our cultural ethos from the ancient to the modern while continuing to maintain the core cultural values that distinguish us from the rest of the world. In fact, they continue to promote unimportant rituals like the anointing with oil with state pomp and pageantry. An amusing sight at least to some of us! Undoubtedly, ancient rituals and traditions must be recorded and remembered for progeny but their practice must be modified in keeping with the times if we are to progress and keep pace with the rest of the world.
Isn’t it time that we educated the public on the financial loss to the nation due to the virtual closing down of the public and private sector for one whole week every year in addition to the numerous national holidays that our nation is reputed for. Can we afford such financial excesses whilst operating in a globalized world which requires meeting stringent dead lines in business if we are to compete successfully with other nations on a level playing field-? Â -without GSP plus, for example. Definitely not!
Its time for the masses to be informed of the adverse economic consequences of over-celebrating New Year and other religious occasions, in particular, Vesak which results in an unconscionable consumption of electrical power through the construction of massive Thoranas, irrespective of public or private funding. Notwithstanding the great religious significance of the occasion, the nation has to be cautious of the frivolity in over-celebrating. Ironically, Vesak day which should be recognized with greater emphasis on meditation and contemplation has taken a unnatural turn towards the more fun and frolic nature of the occasion typifying the saying ‘Yamang Bando Vesak balanda’.
Most Sinhala Buddhist extremists will be outraged by this article. But alas! it is the bitter truth and hopefully the message will get  through.
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I agree. But the change should come from within. Sinhalese-Buddhists have shown time and time again that they wouldn’t allow anything imposed on them, even if they would die without it.
You write like a hostile, pontificating, condescending outsider. You will always be an outsider in their minds. And alas, the message will never get through. In fact, if they get your hands on you they will stuff your message down your throat. This is the problem with peaceniks and ngots. What we need are progressive, rational, modern Sinhalese who have the intestinal fortitude to drive change from within without being labelled traitors, kalu suddas and lumpens.
Sri Lanka has not changed from agriculture to industry. Most Sri Lankans engage in primitive forms of agriculture. The change from agriculture to industry is unlikely to occur due to many reasons including attitudes.
The current regime gets a majority of its vote from agricultural rural people. So the regime is happy and does not want to change the status quo.
This year Vesak will be celebrated with renewed vigour and splendour as it will be the first Vesak to occur after the end of the war. I would be surprised if it turns out to be the most spectacular Vesak ever.
Thank god we are a laid back society. I have lived in Japan and it is one of the exteam societies that keeps running and working hard for god knows what reason. I want SL remain SL tradition based society instead of imitating industrialized societies just for the sake of growth. It is good that MR came in the right time to keep it that way and grow in our own way.
I have no doubt that you are non buddhist and does not know about trditional value and things involved in the new year celibration.That is why you see the New year holidays are too long. If you think that the new year holidays are effecting to the development of the country, there are many holdays we can cut off instead. Sri Lankan are the one who enjoy most holdays in the world. Think obout Bank , commarcial holidays , muslim ,cristian,hindu and buddhist holidays and so on.Dec 31 and January 1holidays we can easily cut off because those two days belong to western new year.
This is a whole load of crap. The New Year is the most important national festival in Sri Lanka, and the celebrations have to remain and go on. All traditions need to be adhered to as they are our national identity, our culture. If the west can take a good number of days off for Christmas, whats wrong with us celebrating our national new year with enthusiasm, whilst taking time off all our busy schedules to visit our villages and relax? After all life is not about the rat race of the world.
To you my concerned citizen,
I am a Sinhalese and a Buddhist. I do not agree with what you say.
In highly indutrialised countries people take sick leave and other leave this would in the end add up to the legal amount of leave that Sri Lanka provide for it’s working people.
Look at China one of the fastest growing economy in the world. They take whole 1 week for the their Chinese New Year. And they make their customers follow suit as well.
I would say that we should observe Wesak and Poson on the exact full moon day. And for other Poya days if they fall on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday should be put to either Monday or Friday to stop the mid week break in activity. That is ALL that is required from a Sinhala-Buddhist point of view.
Let others carry on their celebrations on the right days no problems.
Also we should get a full week holiday for the Sinhala-Hindu New Year.
BUT WHEN WE WORK WE SHOULD WORK FROM 8:00/9:00 to 17:00hrs. That is at least 8hours of work per day for those in full time employment.
The problem with Sri Lanka is its laid back attitude. Which is another way of saying Sri Lankans are lazy.
Commentors like ‘nanga’ and ‘Daya’ think that this is best.
When the world evolves, the smart ones change to adapt. Sri Lankans, as a result of their undeterred pride, turn their backs to evolution. It will be this so called pride that will be the downfall of Sri Lanka. Because as Darwin said, those who don’t adapt, die away.
The laid back attitude worked in early 1900s. This is a century afterwards. Wake up and smell the coffee. Stop being a bunch of lazy short sighted idiots.
Sri Lankans are used to being lazy for so long, and this mentality is encouraged by greedy politicians and dim-witted parents, that the young generations are totally resiliant to any new ideas in terms of evolution.
And for those who dare to think outside the box, labels such as traitors are already available.
Simply pathetic
I am an advocate of 9 to 5. When we work we should do it well and then we enjoy the fruits of our labor. What is the point in working hard and earning money if you do not have the time to enjoy it with your family and friends. I live in the US the capitol of “overtime” but refused to work overtime but survived.
Yes we should curtail some excesses but we should enjoy life while working hard to earn it.
machanman has told what i had to say,thank you!!!!!!!!
+++WORK TO LIVE +++++
NOT LIVE TO WORK
HOOOOLY CRAP!In Canada the whole Christmas and the New Year Season is one big lazy holiday. That’s how they enjoy their vacation. What’s wrong with us celebrating our New Year?
on Monday the 19th April, I went to a local garage for an urgent repair. The garage owner said that none of his 6 staff had reported for work as they should have today. I had to search high and low for another garage to perform my work. He said he would lose business as his regular customers will go elsewhere. It is he who has built up the business who stands to lose the most.
He said ” salli ivarawunata passe, kanna nathi wena kota witharai mathak wenne rassawak thibuna kiyala, ethekota ei” Loosely translated would go like, once they have finally finished all the money they have and have no more left to get their basics, will they realize they had a job, and must go back to claim it back”
Of course due to the terrible shortage of skilled labor this chap will take these people back as there is no line of people who are capable of doing the job.
So until there is pressure on us to work, with the concern that we will be on the road without one, we will not pull up our socks and be disciplined. In actual fact if there are jobs that can easily be replaced, then the workers are less likely to play hooky during this period.
I have never known a country where work was just incidental to living, so that may be our lot, and lets not try to compete with the rest of the world and live our lives in complete isolation without a care in the world!!!
Perhaps what is required is a better working ethic. One has only to visit any Government office to see the manner in which these people kill time. They come in late, have breakfast, read the paper, tidy their table, break for tea and a smoke, shuffle a few pieces of paper, stop for lunch, and sometime in the afternoon take a ‘short’ to go shopping.
There’s nothing wrong with holidays or traditions as long as you do your work
The state celebrates such occasions with such pomp and finery – at the poor tax payers costs – to gain political milage, not out of any sense of piousness!
“What’s wrong with us celebrating our New Year?”
Absolutely nothing. The Sri Lankan New Year is the largest festival in Sri Lanka, celebrated by both Sinhalese Buddhists and Tamil Hindus. It cuts across ethnic divides and deserves to be promoted and celebrated in grand fashion. It has the capacity for peace building between the two main communities in the island. The Tamil Hindus and the Sinhalese Buddhists should not be held hostage by Christians (or Muslims) who largely do not tend to celebrate this event and may think of it as a ‘waste of time.’
Dear Concerned Citizen,
I personally don’t find your argument very convincing.
Many countries celebrate some cultural event at length. In Sri Lanka, that happens to be the traditional new year. As Sur has pointed out, it has significant potential to bring people together. It takes a few days. So what? We spent 30 years blowing the crap out of each other.
Your argument would only hold water if you show that there is a continuous habit of this throughout the year. Your argument might also hold water if you show that the country is brought to a stand-still for weeks on end. Otherwise, celebrating one important cultural event an year grandly seems a good thing.
Can you bolster your case with a comparative analysis of how long each cultural event takes (including Christmas, Easter, Vesak etc), a cost-benefit analysis (not just monetary, also good will, societal health etc.) of these events? Perhaps then, you can build a more convincing case.
cheers!
I beleive the writer it bit of anti Sinhala & anti budhist & moreover is the writer seems to be an anti social person. I am so sorry about the writer’s mental situation & this person can be a most dangerous person to the society as he seems to terribaly anti-socail carracter.Further I can see his exposure on the holidays available in other countries, he will not dare write something like this. very recent example, over 90% of Australian PVT sector, Schools, Universities was closed for Easter. Similaraly they close 2 weeks for X’mas. Most of the EU countries close down their factories for more than two months for summer. Arabian countries work 6hrs/day during month of Ramadan. China close for 7 – 10 days for Chinese new year. Writer I kindly request you to have a wide knowledge of the subject before u write something like this.
Aaaaaaaaaah! I was attracted by the title of the article ‘Should we sacrifice progress for tradition’ but Concerned Citizen doesn’t come anywhere near the subject. The length of the New Year holidays is what is generally known as a bad example, me thinks.
Personally, we know there is a big debate on ‘progress vs tradition’ to be had. The mega-thread on Akon-Buddhism on this forum highlights one small aspect of this debate.
Also, the ‘progress vs tradition’ debate is important not just in SL but to people who live in many countries around the world. We are all held to ransom by traditionalists who wish to blow us out of the skies because apparently their tradition says they should.
So, nice headline, but too good a headline to waste on a puny example of extended holidays and national jollification.
dear critcs,
sadly,we are an economically underdeveloped,resource poor micro state. Hence, we need to temporarily shelve our great culture and tradition and ensure economic development, social equity and political stability which are the hallmarks of progress. If you folks can’t figure that out, it is indeed pathetic.
concerned citizen
Why don’t we get rid of useless holidays like Christmas and Easter first…
All these discussions and very passionate responses by our patriots and defenders of culture, history and what-not are so amusing…I wish there was a way of finding out how many of these defenders are living in the west, sent or sending their children to the west, where none of these matter!! No wonder all we seem to be able to do is send our children to work as modern-day slaves to the Middle East and some other countries like Singapore.
Gosh, the hypocrisy is so unbelievable.
Concerned Citizen,
I agree with you on two counts – Sri Lankans can certainly improve their work ethic when they are supposed to be working and not waste electricity during Vesak – what’s wrong with oil lamps and candles?
However, I think Anton de Silva is completely right about finding the right balance between work and leisure – or progress and tradition for that matter. I think there is no harm if people take one week off to spend time with their families and affirm their cultural identities. It disrupts the economy for one week – so what? Our way of life does not need to be always determined by economic rationality. The Chinese take off one week for their New Year and their economy is one of the fastest growing in Asia. It doesn’t seem to affect their linkages with the global eocnomy.
Machanman has got it all wrong in terms of evolution and adaptation. Sri Lanka is actually a good case in point for adaptation and resilience. The economy has withstood the globalization process much better than a lot of other countries and has been resilient depite the war. The private sector of the country manages to keep the economy going, during the most difficult of times. The government manages to get various donors to part with their $$ at crucial intervals. The people are very adaptable – when the economy is doing badly they have the basic education and skills (thanks to free education) to migrate to other countries and send remittances (and mind you, they don’t have any problems with their work ethic in those countries) so that their families survive.
When the crunch comes, whether it is financial crisis, food crisis, climate change or energy crisis, Sri Lanka is in a much better position to adapt than most of the economically developed countries that Concerned Citizen wants it to follow. The SL economy survives despite the follies of its politicians because it has for the most part, by design or default, tread the middle path of low energy and low growth. There are not so many countries in the world which are doing well both in terms of human indicators (health and longevity) and the carbon footprint, as Sri Lanka. If SL made a bigger effort with basic human security issues (including human rights) it has the capacity to come right on top, without going through the development trajectory of industrialized countries, which have to radically transform their economies to respond to climate change.
This whole article is based on the assumption by “Concerned Citizen” that a 80 hour work-week, no holidays, a slave-for-money-to-make-more-money attitude, and a culture of rampant alcohol and drug abuse and divorce ala most of the West, is “progress.”
Dear Mr. Concerned Citizen! Greetings to you!
You have already laid-down the answer to your analytical question in your last exposition dated 21st inst. titled ‘A pseudo democracy in Sri Lanka’. Such progressive social renascence towards industrial and economic prosperity is unthinkable since lethargy and tardiness have already superseded all / any other proposals for reformation thus enables the average citizen enjoying effortless lavish lifestyle. Deep-rooted cultural, traditional and religious beliefs have been ingrained and become adamantly stagnant in the complex psychic of ethnic-majoritarianism – such mental attitude rejects and resists any call for progressive transformation. Thank you Mr. C Citizen, Nithy!