As someone who is striving to “learn the old ways” almost all of the time, I wanted to take a few minutes to remind you that not everything that happened in history was *better*. There is a LOT wrong with the way that we live today: the average American diet, the breakdown of the family structure, endocrine disruptors in all the soap and lotions on the store shelves… just to name a few.
But let us not fall into a historical fallacy and think that just because something happened 100 years ago that that is the better way. For example, something else that was common 500 years ago was drinking out of handmade clay vessels that, depending on where the clay was sourced, was heavily laden with lead. (Lead does not ever belong in the human body). Another thing that was common: class systems in which people were valued based on the wealth of their ancestors instead of their own merit.. or, how about, their worth as being an image-bearer of God.
New is not always better. But neither is old.
There is no new sin under the sun, everyone has fallen short. (What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. -Ecclesiastes 1:9)”
So, a historical fallacy occurs when we assume that something is true, beneficial, or morally right simply because it has been done for a long time. Just because our ancestors did something a certain way doesn’t automatically make it the best way, just as something being modern doesn’t automatically make it inferior. And usually, it’s not all or nothing. Some PARTS of things could be better today but other parts worse today. History can offer valuable wisdom and experience, but tradition alone isn’t proof that a practice is good, effective, or even accurately understood.
In Conclusion
There are MANY things that I strongly believe were better in the old days. Believe me, I have landed quite squarely into the “crunchy” category. I think that, more often than not, the natural way is the better way. BUT, that is not always true and should not be ASSUMED (we all know what “assuming” does.. right?).
What are some things you think were better 100 years ago compared to today? And vice versa?
As always, all glory to the One who created it all!
