Paradigm of Thought (Genre - Beliefs)

I have frequent friendly arguments with my mom and other aunts when it comes to certain rituals followed as being part of Hindu. Some beliefs are 'OK' to follow and some are a little quirky for my so called "Rational Mind". I bug them with questions like - why do we have to do it ? What will happen if we don't do it ?? Whats the logic behind it ? Who has started this thing .. and why is it associated with this God/Deity ?

Poor thing she tries her best to give religious and culture based answers to the best of her knowledge and then her patience runs out ... and she just blurts "thats the way it was always done .. I did not bother asking so many questions to my elders ... and you dont push me either ... do it or leave it" - I am not sure if any of you have experienced it ..if not its worth a try and am sure the result will be the same.

This way of thinking is a paradigm a pattern and a model of thinking which again amazes me as to how the human mind conditions itself to accept things based on what others are doing.

A Story of Paradigm which comes to my mind is as follows

A group of scientists placed 5 monkeys in a cage and in the middle, a ladder with bananas on the top.

Every time a monkey went up the ladder, the scientists soaked the rest of the monkeys with cold water. After a while, every time a monkey went up the ladder, the others beat up the one on the ladder.

After some time, no monkey dare to go up the ladder regardless of the temptation.

Scientists then decided to substitute one of the monkeys. The 1st thing this new monkey did was to go up the ladder. Immediately the other monkeys beat him up.

After several beatings, the new member learned not to climb the ladder even though never knew why.

A 2nd monkey was substituted and the same occurred. The 1st monkey participated on the beating for the 2nd monkey. A 3rd monkey was changed and the same was repeated (beating). The 4th was substituted and the beating was repeated and finally the 5th monkey was replaced.

What was left was a group of 5 monkeys that even though never received a cold shower, continued to beat up any monkey who attempted to climb the ladder.

If it was possible to ask the monkeys why they would beat up all those who attempted to go up the ladder…..

I bet you the answer would be….

“I don’t know – that’s how things are done around here”

“The recipe for perpetual ignorance is: Be satisfied with your opinions and content with your knowledge.” - Elbert Hubbard

I am not saying what is being followed is rubbish.There are some associated benefits to it esp in our Hindu tradition which believes in such occult sciences like yoga, ayurveda, astrology and vastu shastra. These sciences have been passed on for generations and is one of the cornerstones of our religious philosophies and primarily based on our 5 senses( Sight, Hearing, Touch, Taste & Smell) and 5 elements ( Earth, Water, Fire, Wood, Metal). Every practice being followed has some truth in it .. that is if you choose to believe in our traditions and wisdom of the sages who devised them, but it should not be followed blindly and as people responsible for passing on our culture to the next generation we should try to get to the root of it and question it.

At the same time we should not ridicule the people who actually do it without knowing the background and if possible we should clear their ignorance which has laid dormant for so long.

If knowledge can create problems, it is not through ignorance that we can solve them.” - Issac Asimov

So next time we encounter such paradigm - Question it, Reason it, best of all Google it ....if it does good or bad share the knowledge and spread the light around :)