While listening to the On Margins podcast, the segment where Kevin Kelly talks about how cultures change struck a chord.

Over time, cultures change in the following order:

  1. Costumes
  2. Architecture
  3. Food
  4. Language

I recently visited Bhutan with my family. What amazed right from the get go was that all their buildings, including the airport, still retain the traditional Bhutanese style. Everyone still wears their traditional costume on a daily basis. Some of it is due to the official mandate, and it makes such a difference to making the place unique in a world where every country is increasingly starting to look similar.

In India where I live, traditional costumes and architecture are increasingly going away. Food and language are slowly starting to become western. Official mandate to bring back traditions will only meet resistance. Traditions have to evolve to keep their place, as illogical as that sounds.