Customs and traditions: the harshest examples. Family traditions Custom examples from history

What is a custom? These are rules of behavior that have become entrenched in the minds of the people through repeated repetitions. What customs exist, where they come from and where they disappear, read about all this below.

What is custom

As mentioned above, rules of behavior that have become norms for people due to repeated repetition. This includes customs that are performed on holidays, as well as those that become a daily routine. Mostly people follow them out of habit, without really thinking about the meaning of the actions. Every society has its own customs. Some of them are regulated by the state, while others are observed within the same family. How long does it take for a habit to become a habit? At least for several years, at least 3-4.

How does tradition differ from custom?

Concepts are best learned by comparison. We already know what a custom is, but now let's talk about tradition. What is it? Traditions are a complex of all kinds of actions that are passed on from generation to generation with the aim of preserving and developing culture. And scale plays a role here. Tradition can be considered a local phenomenon, but more often it is created and maintained on a national scale. Nobody forces people to follow established traditions; this is a voluntary matter.

Now let's look at the differences. Tradition is much broader than customs, since it most often has a larger territorial scope. People perform various rituals, sets of actions, often without thinking about it hidden meaning, which their ancestors laid in them. But such traditions are supported by the state, since it considers them an integral part of culture. But folk customs often change under the influence of time, government, and the way of human thinking. But for the most part, people do not see much difference in these concepts.

How customs arise

Man is a complex creature. And to better understand what customs are, you need to find out how people create them. Initially, such rituals, or repeated actions, were performed by humans in order to survive. It was a kind of reaction to discomfort. People started the custom of killing a mammoth once a week so as not to go hungry. The girls sewed clothes from animal skins once a month so as not to die from the cold. There were many such small local customs in any society, and they still exist today. True, our contemporaries do not have to survive, so rituals are aimed not at human biological needs, but at creating mental comfort. If you think about it, many of the unconscious rituals that are established in our society do not have any logical basis behind them. Such customs and signs are common among superstitious people. Why do students eat lucky tickets from the bus before the test?

Why do people, when returning home if they have forgotten something, always look in the mirror? There were once explanations for these customs, but today they are impossible to find. Life is too changeable. Each person has the opportunity to create his own customs. How? Before an important event, he can develop the habit of walking outside for an hour to clear his head, or introduce summing up the day into his evening ritual.

How customs disappear

Time passes, everything changes. Human life is very fickle. Today one job, tomorrow another, today one love, and tomorrow you can meet a new one. That's why customs have to change. An example of such changes: the disappearance of witnesses at weddings.

Previously, these people played the same important role as the bride and groom. But over time, the custom of inviting witnesses lost its relevance. Today, newlyweds get along just fine without them, which means there is no need to appoint friends to this role.

Another example is Epiphany fortune-telling. Previously, girls did this activity every year. Today this custom has fallen out of favor. Young ladies do not want to spend time in a dark bathhouse in the company of candles and mirrors. They have more exciting things to do. It turns out that customs know how to die due to changing public interests.

vital;
way of life;
imposed from outside;
rituals and ceremonies.

Why are customs needed?

Today there is American globalization of all countries. Most goods and services that we are used to consuming every day are not a product of our culture. Morals and customs must be known and observed so as not to lose your roots and nationality. After all, Russia is a country with its own original culture, speech and art. Of course, it is necessary to modernize the country by updating customs and traditions, but this does not mean that it is necessary to borrow them from other countries. Why is it so bad to borrow someone else's culture, because previously it was the norm of life and when one country was captured by another, the culture was imposed against the will of the citizens. But today it seems terrible, because, forgetting their history, people are restructuring their thinking. And in the end, an option may arise when one person rules society, imposing the only possible way of life on everyone. It’s worth reading at least one dystopia to understand how bad life would be in this situation.

Examples of customs

Today there are many rituals that people perform automatically, without even thinking about their essence. The sources of custom are folk legends passed down in in writing or word of mouth. There are many examples that can be given.

When meeting on the street, men take off their gloves to shake hands. It seems to be a sign of courtesy and attention, but this custom has long roots. Previously, men took off their gloves to show that they did not hide weapons there, and as a result, their intentions were pure.

Another example of a custom is Maslenitsa. More precisely, the rituals associated with this holiday. For example, burning an effigy. This custom also has long roots going back to ancient times. By burning effigies, people say goodbye to winter and welcome spring.

Jumping over a fire is considered another Russian custom. True, in lately few people do this. But before this kind of fun was popular. A guy and a girl were jumping over the fire, holding hands. If they did not release their hands and successfully overcame the obstacle, it was believed that their life together would be long and happy. But if young people moved away from each other during the jump, this meant that they were not destined to be together.

Unusual customs

It doesn’t seem strange to us Russians to burn an effigy on Maslenitsa or decorate a Christmas tree on New Year. But for Thais it is completely normal to launch boats down the river, in which people put flowers, put candles and light incense. This all happens in early November on a day dedicated to the spirits of water.

The norms of customs are determined by the society in which we live. And in other countries things are the same. In Turkey, for example, there is a custom: before a man takes a second wife, he must give his first chosen one jewelry worth 10 thousand dollars. This should prove to the woman that her husband is a wealthy man and will be able to feed both her and the second woman.

In Kenya there is a custom according to which the young husband must do all the work of his wife for a month. It is believed that after this acquired experience, he will not reproach the woman all his life for doing nothing while doing housework.

CUSTOMS, TRADITIONS, CONSTITUTIONS.

Custom is a way of behavior inherited from ancestors that is reproduced in a society or social group and is habitual and logical for its members. The term "custom" is often identified with the terms "tradition".

Tradition (from the Latin “tradition”, custom) is a set of ideas, rituals, habits and skills of practical and social activities passed down from generation to generation, serving as one of the regulators of social relations.

Some people combine concepts such as customs and traditions into one whole. However, this is not entirely true. Most often when it comes to conveying the basics social order to their descendants, we are talking about passing on traditions. If we are talking about the transfer of rituals of weddings, funerals, holidays, then we talk about customs.
If we are talking about the generally accepted national clothing of the people, then this is a tradition, since it concerns the entire people as a whole. If some part of the people adds their own decoration to their national clothing, then this is already a custom that concerns this part of the people. Such a custom can turn into a tradition if it is accepted by all the people. Most likely, this is how different customs became a common tradition.

That is, various customs together create generally accepted traditions. That is why people equate traditions, customs and rituals into one concept, although this is not so. Tradition is not born immediately. It emerges from established customs. And customs are born from the life and behavior of people themselves.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Russian photographer and inventor S.M. Proskudin-Gorsky invented the technique of color photography. He did this autonomously at the same time as the French brothers Auguste and Louis Lumiere, who are considered the official inventors of color photography. Proskudin-Gorsky captured in his photographs precisely people in national clothes, believing that this tradition should be remembered through documentation. Thanks to him, we have an idea of the national clothes of the peoples of Russia at the beginning of the 20th century.

Tradition No. 1

All nations have traditionally had a high value for a person's word. There were times when there was not even written language. Therefore, the word spoken by a person was not only valued. The word was given a mystical meaning. It was believed, as it is now, that a wish spoken out loud, a statement, an obligation, or even a curse, always has its consequences and is sure to come true. Moreover, this happens regardless of whether the person who spoke out wants it or not. The wishes of health and happiness among ancient people were always perceived as something material. It happened that people asked for their words and wishes to be returned to them if it turned out that these wishes were expressed to the wrong person who deserved it. There have been cases when people who spoke a lie were required to take back their words.
This is where the expression “take back your words” comes from. Some people even today believe that words are material and try not to waste them. Others do not attach any importance to this and their words are worthless in the eyes of other people. And today no one takes seriously the words of talkers and boasters, but the words of worthy people are highly valued. They are listened to. They are referred to.

The value of a word was the higher, the larger the family of the person giving the word. Not keeping your word is the same as disgracing your family as a whole. For example, the Chechens have a concept that defines the uniquely high price of a man’s word. They call it "DOSH". That is, if a man declared DOSH, then not only he, but his entire family is responsible for this. Among the Chechens, this concept exists to this day, since they have preserved ancestral teips-clans, each of which unites many people. I believe that such concepts as “DOSH” existed among other nations, but they called it differently. And from the moment of the collapse of clan relations, people’s share of clan responsibility decreased and loyalty to their word remained at the level of personal honesty of each person individually, and not of the whole clan. And there’s someone who’s into something. Those who are ready to die for their word, and those who lie will be taken inexpensively. The level of personal responsibility is immeasurably lower than the level of responsibility of an entire clan, but clan responsibility is also based on the personal responsibility of each relative. Another thing is that once a disgraced relative is deprived of the right to say “DOSH” to someone.

The unconditional value of the word today is accepted by society, except perhaps from the president of the country, when he swears on the Constitution of the country upon taking office. However, unfortunately, there are often cases when the president of a particular country changes his word. There are not many authoritative people in society who have always been true to their words, and such people become famous. Other people refer to them and their works. These are prominent writers and politicians and even ordinary people who have become famous for their honesty.

If a person claims something, he must prove it to those who listen to him. After all, he is interested in having those listening to him believe him. Then, to prove the veracity of his words, he begins to cite as an example the words of authoritative, worthy people. Those words and statements that have been tested by time and no longer need proof of honesty. If these arguments correspond to the words of the speaker, then people begin to believe him. They make sure that the person is not being a hypocrite or lying.

Very interesting are the memoirs of the famous natural scientist Alfred Brem, in which he talks about his conversation around the fire with the leader of the little African tribe. The leader asked him:
- “Is it true that there is a war going on in Europe?”
She walked first world war and A. Brem nodded in response. The leader asked again:
- How many soldiers died?
A. Brem nodded his head again. The leader tried to clarify:
- More than ten?
A. Brem nodded again, to which the leader shook his head and said:
- For this we would have to give all the cattle to the tribe.
Remembering this conversation, Alfred Brem was perplexed as to how one could explain to a person who was accustomed to paying for the death of every warrior from a neighboring tribe in an inter-tribal skirmish that in just one day in the battle of Verdun the Germans killed more than 10 thousand of their soldiers during the offensive. How can the meaninglessness and scale of the victims of a civilized war be accommodated in the understanding of the leader of the savages? A leader who, despite his savagery, knows about the existence of certain obligations for the death of a warrior. Obligations that were determined between the tribes and sealed not by a paper document, but by the word of the leader.

However, there is another tradition that appeared relatively recently and also relates to the value of the spoken word. Hitler invented this tradition. He argued: if you want your lies to be believed, you don’t need to tell one lie. You need to mix lies with truth and then everyone will believe you.

This is a false tradition, but it also has a certain value. The desire to deceive listening people once again emphasizes how important the value of a truthful human word is for everyone without exception. And for honest people, and for liars. So, whether we like it or not, our tradition of valuing the word lives with us to this day. Even scammers are trying to take advantage of this tradition.

Tradition No. 2

Literally all peoples of the world have a tradition of hospitality. You say: "What's wrong?" And you will be right in your own way, but it’s not that simple. In ancient times, when there were no communications and no transport, people were very hospitable even towards random people. Ordinary travelers were left in their homes, sometimes for several days. It was interesting to find out where the man came from and what he saw there. There was enough food for everyone, but no entertainment. Therefore, they accepted all passing people, especially since they still needed somewhere to at least spend the night. But what is hospitality without a feast? It was customary to treat the guest to the best. It is clear that they treated the dear guest who was expected more attentively, but they also tried not to offend ordinary travelers.

Food was an indicator not only of a good attitude towards the guest. Every person who ate at the table of hospitable hosts was considered a well-wisher of this house. On the contrary, a person who considers himself an enemy of the people who treat him should not take food from their table. Eating food at their table was tantamount to giving up one's grievances. And it doesn’t matter how much food is on the table. It can be a poor table or a rich one. Anyone who expressed his attitude towards this table showed his attitude towards the owners of the house. Frankness was considered mandatory. To be a hypocrite in order to later deceive was considered shameful at the table. The same applies to toasts, but the culture of table management can be considered a separate tradition.

This tradition is still preserved among almost any nation. Despite many changes in our lives, food remains a very important indicator good relations between people. Yes, not everywhere, but for many people. For example, often, in order to show his respect for his interlocutor, a person offers to treat him at his own expense and not even at home, but in a cafe, or in any other place. This act, as a rule, pushes the one who was treated to act in return, and another time he treats his friend, also at his own expense. Eating together brings people together. There is a Russian one folk saying. It says: “Yes, we ate a pound of salt together.” One pood contains 16 kilograms. It is clear that no one will simply eat salt in such quantities. Here we are talking about the amount of food eaten that would require a pound of salt to salt it. That is, people lived together for at least several years and they not only knew each other, but also shared food.

Today, many people gathering in one group prefer to fold in order to pay for food on their own. This is done for various reasons. Out of stinginess, not wanting to burden the initiator of the feast. In the USA, it is believed that if a man pays for a woman in a restaurant, then he is thereby trying to harass her. That's why women there pay for themselves. Well, or they don't pay.

Tradition No. 3

The traditions of any nation have always been songs and dances. People spent their time this way and it was natural. There was no television or sound recording. Musical instruments were primitive, but it was interesting. Any folk dances are fiery and interesting, each in their own way. Often each dance or song had its own stories or legends. The dances of peoples living close to each other were often similar, sometimes neighboring peoples took their dance from their neighbor. Not only everyone considers the famous Lezginka their dance Caucasian peoples, but even the Cossacks. But, judging by the name, the dance was invented by the Lezgins.

Sometimes people forget their dances and this necessarily makes such people spiritually poor. Russian folk dances are not inferior to the dances of other peoples either in temperament, complexity, beauty, or any other indicators. However, their Russian people hardly dance. They just don't know how. Only experts know their features, but there was a time when Russian dances were adopted both in the Caucasus and in Europe. Today people dance as a rule. not even dancing, but some rhythmic patterns that are very similar to each other.
Maybe this is being done on purpose to deprive people of culture. Singing cultures, dancing cultures. If you deprive the people of their linguistic culture, then the people will replace it all with something else and become a different people. And this is possible.

A characteristic feature for folk dance in Russia and the Caucasus, as well as many other nations, there was a rule according to which dancing guy and the girls were not supposed to touch each other's hands. There were dances where you could hold hands, but nothing more. For example, round dances, or dances such as Kochari among the Armenians, Shihane among the Assyrians and many others. It was forbidden to hug your partner. Our ancestors had everything strictly. You could only hug your wife. So they danced in front of each other, showing their prowess to everyone present. And they learned to dance so as not to lose face.

Folk songs, as a tradition, are no less interesting than dances. Songs were passed down by word of mouth from adults to children. And among the villagers there were no professional musicians. The repertoire was transmitted so casually, but always with all the voices. The songs were not sung with one voice. They were polished with each generation and could change towards improvement every year. At rural weddings, as a rule, guests from two villages were present. This was the rule. The guys didn't marry their girls. To avoid incest. The wedding turned into a kind of festival. One village sang its songs, another its own, but there were also songs. who knew everything. Today people don’t live like that, but that was the tradition.

Tradition No. 4

In addition to the value of words, there is also the value of human action. Actions are different. Significant and not very significant. But they can all be positive or negative. All of humanity works to provide for people's needs. Many people work every day in their jobs and do the things they should do. These actions are not considered unusual, but they are the ones that help provide society with everything it needs. These are positive actions. However, some people also commit negative actions. These are crimes. In order to protect itself from crime, society comes up with laws that protect honest and decent people. But there have been times in human history when laws did not protect people. Then people defended themselves. They responded to any crime against friends or relatives with revenge. Revenge is one act, or a series of acts logically interconnected. Revenge on enemies was considered obligatory. Refusal to take revenge had to have strong justifications, otherwise it became a shame.

In one of his stories, a writer writing under the pseudonym “Kont,” a former Afghan warrior, describes an incident that occurred in one of the Afghan villages. A checkpoint was placed next to it Soviet army. It was a small fortress, bristling with machine guns and machine guns. The fighters were constantly expecting Mujahideen attacks from anywhere, but not from the village. In order not to bring trouble to the residents, the Mujahideen did not enter the village and there was an unspoken agreement with the Soviet soldiers on this score. One night the incredible happened. The checkpoint was attacked out of nowhere. From the village side. The attack was met with dagger fire from the checkpoint. When it blossomed, the fighters saw that dead old men and villagers were lying on the ground, armed with whatever they had. Only a few of them had old hunting rifles, useless in battle. Next to the others lay sabers, daggers, and axes. The investigation showed that some checkpoint soldier entered one of the houses at night and first raped and then stabbed to death a 13-year-old girl. They saw him, but he managed to escape. None of the old people in the village had any doubts that there were too few of them and they were all elderly. They did not see any other development of events for themselves other than revenge. Without waiting for the morning, they rushed into the last attack of their lives. Their opportunities for revenge were negligible. They would not have been able to take revenge, but no one could blame them for not taking revenge. As the Russian prince Svyatoslav said: “The dead have no shame.” Just the old people didn’t think that anyone would say anything about them. They went out for revenge because that’s how they were raised.

In the Middle and later centuries in Europe it was customary to fight a duel. This is the noblest kind of revenge, if it can be noble at all. The duel deprived the rivals of the opportunity to take revenge secretly. Attack from behind. or secret murder. Publicity was important in the duel. Sometimes the duel took place with a large number of witnesses, but in principle, a few people were enough. As a rule, these were seconds on both sides. who agreed on the conditions of the duel (choice of weapons, distance, etc.) Could take a doctor with them to provide medical care. Sometimes the duelists agreed to fight until first blood, and sometimes until death. The insulted person did not always win, but in any case he remained a worthy and not disgraced person.

Laws appeared in every country, but revenge still remained among the people. Laws don't always work. Revenge has always been feared more than the law. This is a very ancient custom. Each nation had its own characteristics of manifestation of revenge, but they were all distinguished by cruelty. Cruelty doesn't make anyone better. One cruelty begets another cruelty and then there is no end in sight to evil. In ancient Greek Sparta, revenge had to be fierce by killing all the relatives of the culprit. So that he would suffer from every news of the death of another relative. The culprit was killed last. It is clear that the latter had no choice but to start a war against his avengers and try to win it using the same cruelty.

When Jesus Christ came to teach people, he called on everyone to forgive each other. It was he who said that if you are hit on your right cheek, turn your left. Thus the Savior laid the foundation for the custom of forgiveness. For many, this custom is incomprehensible, since it contradicts the custom of revenge to which people are accustomed. But revenge does not stop evil, but continues it. Murders can also be random. The ancient Jews, for example, identified several cities in which a murderer could hide from revenge and it was forbidden to pursue him in these cities.

1. Annual customs.

Almost all nations had a HARVEST HOLIDAY. The exception was the peoples who could receive 2-3 harvests per year. It wasn't like that for them significant event. Then other traditions were invented. The bulk of the Earth's population received a harvest once a year and tried to celebrate this event magnificently. This holiday was a symbol of abundance. After this holiday, it was customary to have weddings, and not only among Christians, Muslims, or representatives of other religions. In the spring there was no longer enough food. This custom came to us from pagan times. Weddings were celebrated by everyone, since immediately after the harvest there was plenty of food, and work stopped due to the end of the harvest. Harvest festival, a natural and logical holiday.

Today, the harvest festival is not celebrated as magnificently as before. Only peasants celebrate it. This happens for several reasons.
- Not the entire population is engaged in harvesting, but only a small part of it. For example, in the United States, only 3% of the population works in agriculture. For other people, this means nothing. In the Middle Ages, about 90% of the population worked in agriculture.
- Now that the harvest is over, work on the land does not end and practically continues all year round. The new agricultural technology system intensively exploits the soil. Previously, people used one field once every two or three years. That is, the field worked for one year, and rested for two years. Today the fields are not resting. They are actively fertilized with mineral fertilizers. Some fields are sown for the winter, but previously this was done quite rarely. In other words, in agriculture winter downtime doesn't happen now.
- Many other magnificent holidays have appeared that did not exist before, including those that are celebrated at the same time as the harvest festival.

Farewell to winter was celebrated very lavishly among the people. In Rus' this holiday is known as Maslenitsa. Surviving the winter was not easy. The peasants did not have central heating. It was necessary to prepare firewood. The huts were small, so that it was easier to warm them with one stove. Food was cooked in the same oven. In winter, the entire population was tied to their homes as sources of heat. Therefore, people celebrated farewell to winter with great joy. This holiday fell during the spring equinox. During the celebration of Maslenitsa in Rus', it was customary to burn an effigy of winter. In different places of Rus' this custom was celebrated with its own details. Somewhere they were burning an effigy wrapped in pea straw. It burns well. Such a stuffed animal was called the pea jester. In Kostroma, the scarecrow was called “Kostroma”.

In different places, different chants were dedicated to this holiday, but the meaning and time of the holiday always remains the same. This custom also came to our time from pagan times. Orthodox Church Pancake week is celebrated on the eve of the beginning of strict Easter fasting. Throughout Holy Week, people baked pancakes, pies and held folk festivals. On Thursday, it was considered a tradition for mothers-in-law to cook pancakes for their sons-in-law and treat them. Oil Sunday is called Forgiveness Sunday. On this day, all people ask each other for forgiveness. Before the revolution, on Forgiveness Sunday, wall-to-wall fist fights were held. This is a special custom. That is, up to several dozen adult boys and men lined up opposite each other. On command they approached and began to fight. The rules were strict. If a fighter fell, he was out of the fight. It was forbidden to hit a prone fighter. Hitting below the belt was also prohibited. The fight was not supposed to be traumatic or unreasonably cruel, but blood from injuries was considered common. The battle continued until complete victory. After the fight, the opponents hugged and asked each other for forgiveness.

Weddings are rightfully considered the most striking customs. Nowadays, this ritual has been preserved and people hold lavish weddings to leave a memory of this event. But not only that. A wedding is not just a joyful holiday. This is an event that not only makes many people responsible for the lives and happiness of a young family, but also makes the young family responsible to everyone present for their life together, which they promise to create at the wedding. That is, a wedding is not only a holiday, but also a mutual obligation. How else? The bride and groom and their parents invite everyone they respect to the wedding. This invitation can be seen as a statement that they are not just inviting guests, but are promising to start a family with honesty and dignity. In turn, everyone who is invited to the wedding must further provide all possible assistance to the young family if they turn to him for help. So a wedding is not just a feast. This is not just collecting gifts. This is an important life event.

It is still customary among Muslims, but not everywhere, to pay a ransom - dowry. It is believed that the man who paid the bride price is wealthy enough to support his own family. The size of the bride price is discussed individually, but this custom is not practiced in all Islamic countries. At weddings, it is customary to give only money. This money is given to the parents of the young people. But parents must provide their children with housing, furniture, and everything necessary for life, including clothes and dishes. Accordingly, they bear all the costs of organizing the wedding. Money received at a wedding from guests, as a rule, cannot reimburse parental expenses.

Christians can give anything. Both money and gifts. Everything is given to the young. No bride price is paid, but the bride must bring a dowry with her. The amount of the dowry depends on the wealth of the bride's family. Parents pay for the wedding. But in this sense, the differences between Muslims and Christians are not significant.

Before the wedding, it is customary for Christians to negotiate the wedding. This is called a conspiracy and it ends in engagement, or betrothal. Senior representatives of the groom come to negotiate with the bride's parents. Representatives may not be relatives. Usually these are matchmakers, but the presence of the groom's parents is required.

Matchmakers observe the ritual of the event. The parents of the bride and groom learn about the intentions of the newlyweds and if they are positive, then an agreement is made on the timing of the wedding. The bride and groom are engaged with wedding rings. From now on, they can communicate in public, but they cannot live together until the wedding. Why is this being done?

If one of the young people changes his mind about getting married, then all preparations will be stopped and the wedding will not take place. In this case, the young people are not bound by any circumstances and can find other chosen ones. That is, young people are given time to take a closer look at each other. The rings are returned to the groom because they are purchased by the groom's parents for the engagement.

The agreement may not take place. If the bride does not like the groom, she can immediately refuse him. This event becomes shameful for the groom, so he must be sure that the girl will consent to the marriage.

In Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Russia and many other nations, it was customary to bring a pumpkin (watermelon) to the unlucky groom. It was a shameful sign of refusal. Why shameful? Because if the groom sees that the girl doesn’t like him, but continues to be persistent, then having received the pumpkin, he no longer has the right to send matchmakers to this girl a second time. That is, the girl has the opportunity to get rid of the annoying groom once and for all.

Muslims also have a similar custom. If a bride hits the groom with a whip at a wedding in front of everyone, the wedding will not take place. However, both the groom and the bride herself are considered disgraced in the eyes of the guests and the whole society.

Today, many young people strive to earn big money and only then get married in order to pay their own expenses. They don't want to depend on their parents. In this case, two problems arise, of which it is difficult to choose the worst. Firstly; this situation may be offensive to parents. Parents, as a rule, are ready to get into any debt in order to fulfill their duty to their children. Secondly; the process of making money can last an unknown number of years. This may deprive a person of the opportunity to start his own family.

Giving a girl away in marriage without matchmaking has always been considered a disgrace. According to the logic of the weddings, it turned out that no one was interested in protecting the interests of the young people. Nobody even knows that it appeared new family. There are no witnesses to the obligations that the groom and his parents undertake. Therefore, it is not customary to give a girl to a husband secretly. And it doesn’t matter whether a bride price is paid for her, or she gets married in an Orthodox church, the meaning is always the same. Family commitments should be public and frank.

In difficult times, when guests were unable to give gifts and parents were unable to prepare a rich feast, they still tried to hold a wedding. Often this was done through joint efforts, but the wedding still became a memorable, joyful event. Even the most modest gifts were made, but weddings were made.

Any speculation in this regard does not promise anything good. Previously, parents often themselves decided who to marry their daughters to and who to marry their sons to. Many acted on the principle of material interest. That is, they tried to become related to a rich groom or a rich bride. Often young brides married older grooms and vice versa.

This situation gave rise to another custom. This is bride kidnapping. The act is radical, but it solves all problems at once, including the costs of the wedding. The logic of the kidnapping is simple. The abduction of an unmarried girl by her groom puts her in the category of either disgraced or married women. But the kidnapper can immediately abandon her and leave her in disgrace. The bride's parents, who were unable to prevent the abduction, look impartial among people and are ready to give their daughter to the kidnapper, just to comply with all the necessary rituals and enlist the support of relatives and witnesses. Even if before that they publicly refused this groom. At the same time, they are trying to do everything to keep the kidnapping a secret. If the parents fundamentally do not recognize the kidnapping groom, then the bride without a wedding becomes his wife. This is understandable. Not a single groom, after the abduction, will woo her.

However, there were also frequent cases of a preliminary conspiracy to kidnap the groom and the bride, the groom and his parents, the groom and his parents and the bride in order to avoid the costs associated with holding a big wedding. The logic here is very simple. If a girl is kidnapped but not married, then this is considered a shame. If she was kidnapped, but after numerous trials and clarification of relationships (sometimes turning into fights), a family was created, then the image of the bride even takes on a certain romantic connotation. Therefore, kidnappings are sometimes even staged at rich weddings.

BURIAL.
What could be no less significant than a wedding? Of course, the funeral of a deceased person. The Bible mentions that a person who interred a dead person looks worthy before God, but after the funeral he must cleanse himself. And today there is a custom of washing hands after attending a funeral.

As life shows, not all people get married, but everyone dies. Death makes burial rituals mandatory. Our ancestors buried their dead in the ground so that they would not be desecrated by animals and birds. After all, we were talking about dead relatives. But the attitude towards strangers who died was the same. Subsequently, burial rituals in coffins were invented. The coffin symbolizes the boat in which the deceased goes to another world. Among believers, it is customary to attach special meaning to funerals. After all, this last path person to another world. It is customary for Orthodox Christians to bury people in the ground. In India, Japan and other countries, dead people are cremated. They burn it. Materialists also follow general religious traditions and cremate the dead.

It is customary for Christians to keep the dead at home for one to two days. This is done so that those who are far away and cannot quickly come to the funeral can say goodbye to the deceased. On the day of the funeral of the deceased, it is customary to have a funeral service in church or at home. It is customary to carry the coffin from home along the street where the deceased lived. A farewell ceremony takes place at the cemetery, when relatives kiss the deceased on the forehead. Those who wish can speak out loud about the deceased, but it is customary to speak about the dead either well or nothing. After lowering the coffin into the grave, each person present throws three pinches of earth into the grave as a sign of farewell. After the funeral, people go to the wake. It is not customary to knock glasses at a funeral table. The feast is short-lived. The buried person is remembered, and deceased relatives are also remembered. Alcohol is not consumed at the funerals of deceased children.

Then relatives gather to remember the deceased after 7 days. The deceased is commemorated more magnificently on the fortieth day. It is believed that for 40 days the soul of a deceased person still wanders, and on the 40th day it finds itself where it should be. On the day of the funeral, a cross is placed on the grave, and a year later, on the anniversary of the death, it is customary to erect a monument. But all this is in abundance.

Among Muslims, funerals are usually completed before sunset on the day the person dies. They are not waiting for anyone. The mullah performs his prayers and rituals. Only men carry the deceased to the cemetery. Women don't go to the cemetery. The deceased is commemorated for seven days in a row. These commemorations are not so much table-based as they are thoughtful. Every day people talk about life, death, God, faith, etc. They try not to leave the family of the deceased unattended so that it is easier for them to get used to the loss. Muslims celebrate the 40th day just like an anniversary.

Funeral customs and rituals are quite diverse and can only be described in specialized work on a very large scale. All of them are logically determined. Only the most general rules. People learn it by participating in the funerals of dead people. Comes to the funerals of the most famous and respected people large number people. But the number of people at a funeral does not indicate what a person was like during his lifetime. It is important with what thoughts people come to a funeral and how they later remember the deceased. Good or bad.

COMMON CUSTOMS.

There are many such customs. They are inherent in every nation, since they are logically determined by the same circumstances. Let's take a simple case related to the fact that a young man gives up his seat in transport. This is not just an element of good manners. This is a generally accepted custom that has changed, but its essence remains the same. There was no public transport yet, but it was customary for every nation for the younger ones not only to give up their seats, but to stand up when the older ones approached them. Moreover, the age difference did not matter. And today it is customary to stand up if a person comes up to you and starts a conversation with you. And even if he is the same age as you. It is simply considered impolite if you sit down and talk to the person standing in front of you.

In ancient Sparta, it was allowed not to stand in front of an elder if he did not have children. The explanation was simple. His children will stand before no one.

It was not customary to sit and talk to women. This was considered a rule of bad taste and a well-mannered woman would not continue a conversation with the interlocutor sitting in front of her, unless, of course, he was disabled. Today, in many nations, it is customary to give up a seat to those standing in public transport not only to older people or pregnant women, but simply to older people. This is perceived not as help in a difficult situation, but as a tribute.
Before the revolution, all men showed such respect to women, but with the development of feminism, people began to perceive the politeness of men towards women in transport as harassment.

It is interesting that before the revolution, aristocrats and townspeople had a custom when meeting a pregnant woman to take off their hat. A tribute to motherhood.

INTERESTING TRADITIONS OF SOME PEOPLES.
I find some Japanese customs interesting. Every year they celebrate boys' day and girls' day separately. These days are dedicated specifically to children under 6-7 years old. These days they always dress up in the most beautiful clothes and they can do anything.

Japanese schools traditionally have a food lesson. Every day, two students serve school lunch for their class. Thus, students study Japanese table traditions of serving, eating, and behavior at the table.

In Italy, on New Year's Eve, it is customary to throw old things out of windows onto the street. It is believed that they will remain in the old year, and the family will acquire new ones in the new year.

In Finland and Norway it is not customary to praise a person in public. This is considered rude flattery and can even hurt the person you are praising.

In China, it is not customary to give anything related to the number 4. This number symbolizes death. There it is not even customary to designate floors with the number 4. They go like this: 1,2,3,5,6,

In India, it is not customary to say thank you for a gift. This is considered a rule of bad manners. You can praise the gifted item.

In the USA, it is not customary to pay for a woman in a taxi, open the door for her, carry things for her... because she may take this for sexual harassment and contact the authorities with a complaint.

In Greece, it is not customary to praise the hosts’ utensils or paintings when visiting. According to customs, the owner will have to give it to you.

In Georgia, it is not customary to leave guests' glasses empty. The guest may or may not drink, but his glass will always be full.

Words of greeting from different nations different. When meeting a Chinese, he asks: “have you eaten?”, an Iranian will say: “be cheerful,” a Zulu will warn: “I see you.”

Submitting your good work to the knowledge base is easy. Use the form below

Students, graduate students, young scientists who use the knowledge base in their studies and work will be very grateful to you.

Introduction

Social norms of society in their complex normatively regulate all social relations and, through the transformative activities of people, actively influence the process of formation of material and spiritual values

Relevance. In the system of social norms and in the regulation of social relations, traditions, customs and rituals are beginning to play an increasingly prominent role. They are effective social regulators of many aspects of people's social and personal lives.

All this suggests that a thorough scientific study of the problem of traditions and customs is necessary, to clarify the role in the life of society, the nature and forms of their relationship with each other and with other social norms, including legal ones. Only since the 60s of the 20th century has the activity of its research in philosophical literature. A.K. made a certain contribution to the development of this problem. Aliev, R.M. Magomedov, M.M. Muminov, V.I. Novikov, B.S. Salamov, N.S. Sarsenbaev, I. V. Sukhanov, I.M. Sushkov, A. Chotonov and others.

Since the social value and significance of rituals, traditions and customs is determined mainly by the fact that they act as regulators of social relations, special independent studies of their normative nature are necessary.

The purpose of this work is to consider the role of customs, traditions and rituals in the regulation of social relations.

1. Social norms of society (concept, purpose, varieties)

Understanding the concept of a social norm will help to reveal its essence as a regulator of social relations, to clarify its social purpose and role in the life of society, and this is inextricably linked with a more general and complex problem - the management of society. Control social processes inherent in society at all stages of its development. It provides the necessary conditions for the normal functioning of the entire social organism. From here follows not only scientific, but also practical interest in the forms, means and methods of managing the affairs of society.

When considering very complex issues of social management, we proceed from a fundamental position, the essence of which is that the entire social life of people, their everyday diverse social connections and relationships are predetermined by the objective laws of social development, operating independently of the will and consciousness of people. However, unlike the laws of nature, the laws of social development manifest themselves only through the conscious behavior of people, act as the laws of their life, and find their concrete manifestation in the volitional actions of people. The degree of knowledge of these objective laws determines the social value of people’s actions, since the laws of social development themselves do not act as direct regulators of relations between people, but are manifested in various social norms that reflect the needs and interests of people and influence their behavior. Social norms penetrate into all spheres of social life and normatively regulate social relations. This is their main social value and purpose.

The study of a particular phenomenon usually begins with an understanding of the semantic load that the researcher puts into the categories he is considering.

In our literature there is still no generally accepted terminology; there are different interpretations, especially when revealing such concepts as “norm”, “tradition”, “custom”, “rite”. The discrepancy in terminology when studying any phenomenon makes it difficult to understand it. G.V. Plekhanov once noted that in any somewhat accurate research, whatever its subject, it is necessary to adhere to strictly defined terminology. Plekhanov G.V. Selected philosophical works, vol. II. - M.: NORM, 2006. P. 248

A norm is a mandatory generally accepted rule of human behavior. In the field of social life, the concept of “norm” conveys the requirement for a certain behavior of people in society, in their relationships with each other, with society, with the objects and natural phenomena that surround them.

When formulating general concept of a social norm, it would be unlawful to extend the specific features inherent in certain types of social norms to all of their types, especially if we are talking about features by which they differ from each other. It is known that social norms do not always arise as a result of establishment by the relevant competent authorities. This is specific sign only legal norms and norms of public organizations, which cannot be fully attributed to such types of social norms as traditions, customs, morality, norms of aesthetic behavior, which are formed in other ways.

When identifying ways of forming norms of traditions and customs, rules of aesthetic behavior and many moral norms, one should not lose sight of the fact that these norms are not the result of a special rule-making process, but arise in most cases on the basis of the actual relations of people, gradually take shape in their consciousness, therefore they do not perform immediately finished form as regulators of human behavior. Before acquiring the property of the regulator they. pass through unique stages of social recognition as rules of behavior. Matuzov N.I. Legal system and personality. 5th edition, revised and expanded. - Saratov: Prima-S Publishing House, 2007. P.77

A social norm is a general, mandatory rule of socially significant behavior established by the relevant competent authorities or developed on the basis of repeated relationships between people. It expresses their will, conditioned by the material development of society, is provided by various means of implementation, and has as its purpose the purposeful regulation of social relations.

This definition, in our opinion, reflects the general features inherent in all social norms operating in society.

The further development of society, its split into opposing classes, complicates the entire structure of its organization, necessitating the need to strictly regulate the vital activity of the social organism with its diverse connections and relationships. Plekhanov G.V. Selected philosophical works, vol. II. - M.: NORM, 2006. P. 251

In society, law is the main, but not the only means of normative regulation of social relations. Along with legal norms and in close connection with them, there are other social norms that actively influence various spheres of people’s public and personal life. The essence and features of law, its place and role in public life can be correctly understood only insofar as legal norms are seen as interacting component general system of social norms.

2. The essence and characteristics of traditions and customs as independent types of social norms of Soviet society

As stated above, law is not the only means of normative regulation of social relations. In close connection with law, the behavior of people in their everyday public and personal lives is also regulated by other social norms, including traditions, customs, and rituals.

In legal literature, the problem of the essence of traditions and customs, their significance as social regulators, has not been developed deeply enough. The reasons for this, in our opinion, are, firstly, the underestimation of their role in public life, secondly, the fact that many authors spoke out against identifying customs as a special type of social norms, thirdly, the lack of study of the problem bordering them - social psychology, although without understanding social psychology “one cannot take a single step in history, literature, art, philosophy, etc...”. Plekhanov G.V. Selected philosophical works, vol. II. - M.: NORM, 2006. P. 256.

In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in interest in the problem of traditions and customs on the part of government bodies and representatives of various branches of the social sciences and humanities.

A study of the literature that has appeared on this issue shows a variety of views on the concept of customs, their place in the system of social norms and roles in the life of society. Some authors identify the concepts of “tradition” and “custom”; others point out the inadmissibility of such identification and highlight in them distinctive features. Some scientists consider customs to be an independent type of rules, others - just a form, a manifestation of various norms.

The reasons for these disagreements, in our opinion, are, on the one hand, the lack of clarity in the very concepts of “tradition” and “custom”, on the other hand, differences in the criteria that are taken as a basis by individual authors when analyzing these complex phenomena of social life. At the same time, numerous folk, national, professional, local and other traditions and customs exist and operate in society, which guide people in their everyday social and personal lives. This necessitates a thorough study of the problem of traditions and customs.

In this case, it would be necessary: a) to formulate a scientific definition of the very concepts of “tradition” and “custom”, to find out what is common to these social phenomena and these are the features inherent in them; b) identify, generalize and systematize known traditions and customs operating in society; c) study and generalize the attitude of government bodies and public organizations towards various traditions and customs; d) identify and determine the place and role in the life of society of old traditions and customs that are harmful relics of the past; e) study and generalize the forms and methods of combating traditions and customs of this kind; f) analyze the conditions, mechanisms and patterns of the emergence and formation of new traditions and customs, the ways and forms of their establishment in the life of Russian society; g) prospects for their development, together with other socialist norms, into unified rules of communist life. It is unlikely that it will be possible to consider all these issues with equal completeness in one work and through the efforts of one author, and we do not set ourselves such a task in this case.

The mechanism of influence of traditions and customs on social relations deserves attention. When clarifying it, it is necessary to analyze the norm, which, as in law, in traditions and customs, constitutes the main core of the mechanism of influence on social relations, although it does not have such a degree of detail in people’s behavior. This especially applies to the norms of tradition. In this regard, the question arises about the functions of traditions and customs. This issue has not yet been developed in the literature, although it is in the functions that the essence and social purpose of traditions and customs are revealed. In this case, limiting ourselves only to posing this question, we believe that traditions and customs perform, in particular, the following basic functions: a) regulate social relations; b) accumulate and transmit people’s experience. Further study of these issues may lead to the identification of other functions of these social norms; in particular, it makes sense to talk about the educational function of traditions and customs.

This is the definition of tradition given by I.V. Sukhanov: Traditions are not regulated by legal regulations, supported by the power of public opinion, forms of transferring to new generations ways of implementing the ideological relations that have developed in the life of a given class, society (political, moral, religious, aesthetic). Sukhanov I.V.. Customs, traditions and continuity of generations. 5th edition (revised). - M.: Phoenix, 2008. P. 58 There are many types of traditions, for example, the author of the book “Customs, Traditions and Continuity of Generations”, I.V. Sukhanov gives an example of revolutionary traditions, and defines them as the process of reproduction in new generations of Soviet people of those moral and political qualities that were developed by the Russian working class in period of three revolutions and civil war. The ultimate goal of traditions comes down to introducing the activities of the new generation into the channel along which the activities of older generations developed, believes I.V. Sukhanov. And we completely agree with this opinion, because it was not in vain that our ancestors passed on the traditions of, say, arable farming, from generation to generation, so that their sons would not repeat the mistakes made by their fathers, but for some reason we believe that according to tradition, we should do everything the way our ancestors did, and this is a deeply wrong opinion. Meanwhile, it is difficult for the previous generation to pass on all the socially accumulated experience, because activities related to traditions are so multifaceted that the generation tries to direct development in line with these traditions, rather than following exactly in the footsteps of their fathers. That is, tradition does not regulate behavior in detail in specific situations, but solves the problem through the regulation of spiritual qualities necessary for correct, from the point of view of a given class, society, behavior in one or another area of public or personal life. From here we see that traditions function in all social systems and are a necessary condition for their life. Thus, traditions transmit, consolidate and support diverse social experiences and thereby create a spiritual connection between generations. Traditions perform two social functions: they are a means of stabilizing the relations established in a given society and carry out the reproduction of these relations in the lives of new generations.

Its main function is as a regulator of people's behavior in various fields The norm of tradition and custom fulfills their social and personal life, mainly by influencing the emotional psychological side of a person with the help of such additional means as rituals, music, song, artistic images and other visual and emotional components. This can be seen on the ritual side of labor and family and household traditions and customs. The rite of initiation into the rank of worker, grain grower instills in those entering an independent labor path a view of themselves as successors, heirs and continuers of the glorious labor traditions and deeds of their elders, teaches young people to see in their creative work a continuation of the labor heroism of their fathers and grandfathers.

Particularly vivid artistic ritual is inherent in the customs and traditions of the sphere of everyday life and family and marriage relations, where these norms penetrate most deeply into the consciousness and psychology of people.

3. Historical destinies and prospects for the development of law, traditions, customs and rituals

When studying the problem of historical destinies and prospects for the development of law, traditions, customs and rituals, it is necessary to note that in Russian legal, sociological, and philosophical literature, until recently, there was almost no economic justification for the development of law and other social norms into the rules of a democratic society, and development prospects were not taken into account one or another type of social norms in connection with changes in the economy of our country over the past decades.

Economic ties of people, property relations ultimately determine the changes taking place in the state-legal superstructure, in the views of people and institutions of a given era.

The progressive traditions and customs of the past, adopted by Soviet society and further developed, as well as the established new traditions and customs that have become generally accepted norms of behavior, thoroughly reflect the most stable ties and relationships of society.

In relation to law, as a system of norms regulating social relations, it is possible to identify and trace the following, in particular, the main ways and directions of its development. Aliev A.K. Works on sociology. 3rd edition: revised and expanded. - M.: Infa-M, 2007. P.205

First of all, changes in the nature of lawmaking should be taken into account. In its process, changes occur in the methods of forming legal norms associated with the expansion of democracy in this process, the involvement of the broad masses of people and their organizations in law-making, which, in its social content, is increasingly turning into nationwide law-making. At the same time, there is close interaction between representative and direct democracy, government bodies and public organizations, the latter is reflected in the growth of joint acts adopted government agencies and public organizations. Salamov B.S. Sociology. - M.: NORMA-M, 2007. P.160

The democratization of the law-making process and legal regulation of developing social relations is also reflected in the fact that Russian society and the state is increasingly taking into account and using forms of mediation of social connections and relationships based on the initiative of their participants. Moral incentives are widely developed and used. Traditions, customs and other non-legal norms are involved in the intensive circulation of normative regulation of people’s behavior and the formation of their consciousness; there is a shift and sometimes replacement of one type of responsibility with another, for example, criminal legal responsibility - administrative.

One should also keep in mind the changes occurring in the legal norms themselves and leading to the gradual loss by the latter of the properties and features of a legal nature, their gradual convergence in their content and motives for compliance with non-legal norms. In the process of these transformations, subjective rights and obligations are organically united into unified rules of human behavior; subjective rights in their content, motives for implementation, and the attitude of participants in public relations towards them are increasingly intertwined with moral obligations. Matuzov N.I. Legal system and personality. 5th edition, revised and expanded. - Saratov: Prima-S Publishing House, 2007. P.39

Legal norms and societies are steadily improving, gradually losing their inherent legal characteristics.

The convergence and interpenetration of law and morality, morality and traditions, traditions and norms of public organizations, traditions and customs, etc. takes place both in rule-making and in the implementation of norms in all spheres of life of our society.

Customs, traditions and rituals, as rules of behavior, have been known to people since ancient times. They arose at the dawn of human society, accompany all stages of its development and develop with it.

Conclusion

Customs occupy a special position in the system of social norms - these are rules of behavior that develop in a certain social environment, are passed on from generation to generation, act as a natural life need of people, and as a result of their repeated repetition become habitual for them. They are somewhat less related to the law than, for example, moral norms, but, nevertheless, they are not neutral.

Legal norms and customs have a number of common features inherent in all social norms: they are general, mandatory rules of human behavior, indicating what human actions should or can be, in the opinion of certain groups.

At the same time, customs and legal norms differ from each other in origin, form of expression, and method of ensuring implementation. If customs appeared with the emergence of human society, then the rules of law exist in a state-organized society; if customs are not enshrined in special acts, but are contained in the minds of people, then the rules of law exist in certain forms; if customs are ensured by the power of public opinion, then the rules of law can be implemented taking into account the possibility of state coercion.

As for traditions and rituals, despite their stability and conservatism, they are being destroyed. In the process of development of society, tradition is supplemented by other means of reproduction and is subject to the integrity and sustainability of culture (ideology, law, religion, politics and other forms of spirituality).

List of used literature

1. Aliev A.K. Works on sociology. 3rd edition: revised and expanded. - M.: Infa-M, 2007. - 450 p.

2. Berezhnov A.G. Personal rights: some theoretical issues. - M.: Moscow State University Publishing House, 2005. - 389 p.

3. Berezhnov A.G. Sociology and cultural studies. - M.: Infa-M, 2006. - 350 p.

4. Varisov M. S. and Karapetyan L. N. National traditions and remnants of the past. - M., 2008. - 190 p.

5. Vasilevich G. A. Sociology: Textbook. - M.: Interpress, 2005. - 402 p.

6. Drach G.V. Culturology. - Rostov-on-Don, 2006

7. Erasov B. S. Social cultural studies: a manual for higher students educational institutions. - Third edition. - M.: Aspect Press, 2006. - 591 p.

8. Kogan L.N. Sociology of culture. - M., 2005. - 300 p.

9. Matuzov N.I. Legal system and personality. 5th edition, revised and expanded. - Saratov: Prima-S Publishing House, 2007. - 300 p.

10. Nikonov K.M. Sociology. - M.: Infa, 2006. - 280 p.

11. Plekhanov G.V. Selected philosophical works, vol. II. - M.: NORM, 2006. - 360 p.

12. Salamov B.S. Sociology. - M.: NORMA-M, 2007. - 377 p.

13. Salnikov V.P. Social legal culture. 3rd edition, revised and expanded) - Saratov. SPU Publishing House, 2007.

14. Spirkin A.G. Sociology: course of lectures. - M.: PRIM, 2006. - 170 p.

15. Sukhanov I.V.. Customs, traditions and continuity of generations. 5th edition (revised). - M.: Phoenix, 2008. - 475 p.

The emergence of customs

So what is custom? The customs of the peoples of different countries of the world played an extremely important role in the development of the entire human society. They arose in the “pre-literate period.” Then they were the main regulator of community life. At that time, people did not always realize the rational connection between their actions and results, so in order to survive they needed to learn the correct algorithm of actions. Subsequently, this algorithm was transformed, due to which certain norms of behavior emerged that have survived to this day. Such ancient customs exist in every country. They are honored, respected and respected.

Development of the significance of customs

As society developed and writing appeared, customs retained their regulatory functions. For many centuries, there was complete equality between written law and the so-called “customary law”, which was laid down by the traditions of ancestors and transmitted orally. This “customary law” could complement the written texts of laws, but could also contradict them. Therefore, very often an established custom easily became a source for supplementing written legislation. Thus, Russian customs formed the basis for writing a medieval collection of laws called “Russian Truth”.

The importance of customs in modern life

Today, customs still play an important role in modern society. Ancient customs have been preserved in everyday life people are absolutely in different types and areas of activity. For example, wearing folk costumes or celebrating traditional holidays.

Even in the realm of politics one can find customs. So in some countries, if certain circumstances arise, a politician is obliged to leave his post, even if this is not specified in the legislation. It was customs that shaped modern orders in society and relationships between people.