Logical Fallacies
Appeal to Tradition
Justifying something solely because 'we've always done it this way.'
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What it is
A logical fallacy that argues something is correct or better simply because it's traditional, established, or 'how things have always been done,' without examining whether the practice still serves its purpose effectively.
Before & after
Before
“We must continue our Friday all-hands because it's a 5-year tradition.”
After
“Let's evaluate if our Friday all-hands still serves its original purpose of team alignment, or if we need a new format.”
When you’ll use it
Process resistance: 'This is how we've always run meetings' when efficiency could improve
Technology adoption: 'We've used this system for 10 years' despite better alternatives
Cultural practices: 'This is company tradition' when the practice no longer adds value
Pro tip
Replace 'We've always...' with 'The current approach is...' and evaluate on merit.
Questions & answers
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