Roots of Tradition can get us to Fruits of Technology | Braj Mohan Das | TEDxVIT
Technology should not replace tradition, but rather enhance it, as traditions provide the underlying principles—sensitivity, honesty, independence, and purity—that give technology meaning and humanity. The speaker argues that while technology is powerful, a lack of connection to ingrained cultural norms leads to societal pollution and destructive patterns. The core message is to use established traditions as a "thread" that connects and guides the advancement of new technologies, drawing an analogy from the kite needing its string to fly.
## Speakers & Context
- Unnamed speaker; speaker describes personal cultural context regarding Italian and Indian traditions.
- Speaker references an event at a convocation in **2003** where attendees were asked to wear traditional dress.
- Speaker discusses the general difficulty of maintaining traditional attire in modern settings, citing *Infosys CEO Narayan Murthy* and *Maya Chori*'s reactions to the speaker's attire.
## Theses & Positions
- Many Indian traditions are mere recollections of the past and need connection to present-day challenges.
- Technology must be connected to tradition, otherwise it becomes dangerous, exemplified by pollution or the robotic cat incident.
- Technology should not replace tradition, and tradition should not enable technology to function in a vacuum.
- Tradition is fundamentally about enabling freedom; the "box" of tradition provides necessary boundaries for human growth.
- Genuine traditions are rooted in four core, guiding principles: sensitivity, honesty, independence, and purity.
## Concepts & Definitions
- **The "Box":** Represents the boundaries of head, relationships, and society understood through tradition.
- **Sensitivity:** The first pillar of tradition, defined as sensitivity to life and sensitivity to others' emotions.
- **Honesty:** The second pillar, defined as being what you are and doing what you can, which breeds trust.
- **Independence:** The third pillar, defined as freedom from becoming dependent or intoxicated by external things, noting mobile dependency as a modern toxin.
- **Purity:** The fourth pillar, encompassing purity of words and purity of thoughts, emphasized by the example of lost loyalty.
- **Condon's vd8:** Term for somebody addicted to watching videos, equated by the speaker to an "idiot."
## Mechanisms & Processes
- **Kite analogy:** The kite represents technology (the visible, soaring aspect); the thread represents tradition (the necessary connection). Without the thread, the kite falls.
- **Developmental Improvement:** Mastery in any field (e.g., music, typing) requires initially adhering to the "basics" (tradition) before one can advance beyond them to become an expert.
- **Robotic Cat Demonstration:** A modern, highly efficient technology (Meccano robotic cat) was observed to lack discrimination, creating havoc when encountering robotic rats, highlighting technology's need for ethical guidance.
## Timeline & Sequence
- Reference to an event in **2003** (convocation).
- Past tradition example: The burning of Ravana, where the crowd asked *why* it was happening, revealing the motive for the action.
- Past tradition example: The requirement of a cat under the basket during a wedding ceremony, which the grandmother explained was due to a cat that moved around.
## Named Entities
- **Infosys CEO Narayan Murthy**
- **Maya Chori**
## Numbers & Data
- Convocation year referenced: **2003**.
## Examples & Cases
- **Ravana Burning:** A tradition where the crowd questioned the reason for the burning, establishing the underlying *why*.
- **Dhoti wearing:** A traditional garment worn because India's tropical climate necessitates something breathable ("nothing sweats"), regardless of size.
- **Tom and Jerry:** The contrast between Tom's inefficient laziness and the highly efficient robotic cat (Meccano), which subsequently caused destruction when confronted with robotic rats.
- **Mobile Dependency:** Modern issue where dependence on cell phones is compared to alcoholism, causing people to neglect their environment and family.
- **Kite flying:** The functional illustration that the kite's flight is entirely dependent on the connected thread (tradition).
- **Blind Man and Labyrinth:** An anecdote where the cooperation of individuals (blind men) resulted in growth, suggesting technology/concepts can be combined in a structured environment.
## Tools, Tech & Products
- **Meccano robotic cat:** A robotic device shown to be highly efficient in catching Jerry but lacking discrimination.
- **Robotic rats:** Purchased by Jerry, these were used to test the Meccano cat's lack of discrimination.
- **Mobile phone/cell phone:** Modern technology cited as a source of dependency and distraction.
- **Drone/kites:** Used as primary metaphors (kite represents technology).
## Trade-offs & Alternatives
- **Option 1 (Bad):** Discarding technology blindly.
- **Option 2 (Bad):** Discarding tradition blindly.
- **Alternative/Solution:** Using established traditions (the "thread") to guide and build with new technology (building a cart using the wheel, not breaking the wheel).
## Counterarguments & Caveats
- Some traditions followed in India might be "blind traditions" lacking scientific basis.
- Technology *can* cause pollution (e.g., baby talcum powder linked to cancer).
- The speaker notes that the principles of tradition are the key, not the specific attire or practice itself.
## Methodology
- Comparative analysis between the predictable, binding nature of tradition and the explosive, unregulated potential of technology.
- Use of historical/cultural analogies (Ravana, dhoti) to anchor abstract philosophical points.
- Identifying the four universal principles underpinning any genuine tradition.
## Conclusions & Recommendations
- Technology and tradition should not replace each other but must enhance each other.
- The speaker recommends understanding the science behind traditions to properly integrate them with modern life.
- The ideal path is to understand the "box" one lives in, accepting limits, and then working from those known strengths to achieve improvement.
## Implications & Consequences
- If the four pillars (sensitivity, honesty, independence, purity) are undermined by technology, it leads to destructive outcomes, both personally and environmentally.
- The modern lifestyle risks losing the human interaction necessary for holistic growth.
## Open Questions
- The concept of how far technology can advance before it actively harms foundational human relationships or the environment.
## Verbatim Moments
- *"The burning of Ravana"*
- *"if any one of you come to the class or the college apart from the traditional day in a time like this everybody will think you causes a - I'll get the tea"*
- *"It went in its you're all in Ursus in below system nothing sweats"*
- *"the cat was highly efficient within a day the Jerry was caught and was thrown outside"*
- *"Technology is like this mechanic we want to create some goodwill something good for the society but then later it turns out to me that that was a cause for all the the pollution that is happening now"*
- *"technology and tradition should not replace each other but should enhance"*
- *"I say don't get out of your comfort zone just get out of your lazy zone"*
- *"the kite is the technology the thread is the tradition"*
- *"the four principles of tradition which are on my ship sensitivity honesty independence and purity"*