What it sounds like
- We have always done it this way, so changing it is wrong.
- "We have always approved expenses this way." Yes, and apparently everyone has always suffered.
Logical fallacy
Appeal to Tradition
Arguing something is right because it has always been done that way.
Classic tell: We have always done it this way, so changing it is wrong.
Back to the guideFurther explanation
What is happening underneath?
Arguing something is right because it has always been done that way.
Tradition can carry wisdom, but age is not a quality-control system. Some old practices survived because they worked; others survived because nobody had the energy to fight them.
How to tell
- The defense rests mainly on longevity rather than current usefulness, ethics, cost, or outcomes.
Why people use it
- Keeping the familiar protects identity, hierarchy, and comfort.
How to combat it
- Say: "What problem does the tradition solve now, and what evidence says it still works?"
Manipulation watch
How this gets used on people.
- Politicians sell nostalgia as proof: return to the old way, never mind who the old way excluded or exhausted.