A very good post, there is not much to add in fact. Rituals are only important if they represent a reality, just as appearance is important only if it hides the essence. At the moment when people stopped understanding that the ritual was simply a part of something else, and they began to believe that the ritual was in itself something independent, they did not understand it, and finally, they left it. It's like when people began to confuse the personification of gods and demons with the gods and demons themselves.
Drowning was a real act, not a symbolic one.
However, I see that there is a certain inevitability in what has happened. Civilization, as we now conceive it, is simply a desperate attempt to escape from nature. All these constructions, buildings, and material wealth have as their objective to distract us, as children, in the game of people, besides creating a safe environment in which we don't fear. The problem with security is that it is an enemy of liberty, and the proof of this is that we believe that locking ourselves in brick jails is better, because we are safe.
Security eliminates exposure, and the lack of exposure makes man weak, rather than physical in spirit, since he has never faced a challenge, has never been put to the test. And as we know, it is of little value to be strong when there is no danger and to run when strength is needed, or to be intelligent only when testing on paper and not in actions, and so on, since, as I said, when the essence of things is lost, only the appearance remains, and the appearance is useless.
Thank you, @vieira,
yes, you are right. I see the inevitability, too. For men it is even more difficult than for women. At least, when we become mothers, the greatest test lays ahead in giving birth. There are still enough women who give natural birth and midwifes who do not let themselves be fooled by modern medicine.
Physical strength means nothing nowadays, it only is important for a career in the sports business. Or to enhance the outer appearance without a deeper meaning.
I am glad that people do see this and that traditions do come back when it comes to pilgrimage.
In Europe, the pilgrim routes are being resumed and there are designated hiking trails and inns that offer pilgrims overnight accommodation and food. The longing for true experience and spiritual meaning is strong in man. Completely unreligious people or atheists set off to have a revival experience and to open up a space of experience away from modernity.
How is it with you in Venezuela? Are there traditions that are still alive or those that are being revived? It gives me reason to hope that a small part of humanity is not completely satisfied with security (and non-freedom).
You know what they say, you can put lipstick on a pig, but it will always remain a pig. (or something like that)
I usually have, in many areas, true hopes with respect to Latin American, because never went to the march with globalization and cultural Marxism is not so dispersed, so there is still something like a Latin American cultures.
But in Venezuela, and in some other countries like Argentina, culture is being completely destroyed, and with it, all kinds of traditions or symbolism, and of course, what such things symbolize.
People don't eat cultures or traditions, eat bread, and when there is no bread, then nothing matters.
On the other hand, there is something bad and something good in everything. The crises provoked in the whole region, at least, are making people more aware, both of politics and of their vulnerability (something that does not happen in Europe), therefore, I believe that the generations that are forming right now, are being much stronger and more mature than the past.
There is nothing that strengthens a person more than a true exposure to reality.
Thank you for giving this impression of yours. Much appreciated and I agree on what you say.
Always - I repeat myself - a pleasure talking to you.