Currently, we see significant changes around us and within our society. Many individuals focus more on personal growth and individuality rather than on holding onto family traditions. While family customs once served as the foundations for shaping our identities, modern perspectives encourage self-expression, independence, and a sense of freedom, which often leads to a departure from these traditions. This shift can be better understood by exploring psychosocial development and psychoanalysis, which help us look deeper into the emotional and psychological forces at work.

The Decline of Family Traditions

For generations, family traditions have played a crucial role in shaping who we are. Holidays, cultural rituals, and other family activities not only help pass down values and beliefs but also create strong emotional ties and a sense of belonging. These customs provided a steady framework for individuals to define themselves and their families.

However, in recent years, these traditions have become less central to many people’s lives. Factors like globalisation, technology and changing societal values have encouraged a more individualistic approach to life. The rise of social media, a greater emphasis on personal goals and the desire for self-fulfilment have shifted people’s focus away from family and toward their ambitions. The family, once a central part of one’s identity, now competes with other influences like peers, online communities and career goals.

Psychosocial Development and Identity

One of the best ways to understand this shift is through the theory of psychosocial development proposed by Erik Erikson. According to Erikson, individuals move through various stages of development throughout their lives and these stages are deeply influenced by both personal growth and social relationships. Erikson emphasised that identity formation is a key task that occurs during the adolescence when individuals begin to explore who they are and how they fit into the world around them.

During identity formation, there is a stage of role confusion that that Erikson described as particularly relevant in understanding how the modern individual navigates family traditions. As young people transition from childhood to adulthood, they seek to define themselves. Family customs, once a reliable source of identity, now coexist with the pull of the world that is changing rapidly. Today, many adolescents and young adults are faced with a range of influences and opportunities, which can bring in lots of confusion as they try to figure out who they want to be.

Erikson also highlighted the importance of relationships in adulthood. As individuals grow older, they begin to prioritise relationships that define who they are. This may lead them to look out for friendships, romantic relationships or social groups that help them align with others and build their identity. In this way, family traditions take a backseat and new, more flexible forms of connections replace them.

Psychoanalysis: The Unconscious Mind and Family Ties

Psychoanalysis, a theory developed by Sigmund Freud, offers another perspective on this shift in family traditions. Freud argued that our early childhood experiences are deeply stored in the unconscious mind and they shape most of how we behave as adults. In the context of family, the experiences that we face in the early stages of traditions, rituals, and family dynamics play a huge role in shaping our unconscious beliefs and behaviours.

Family traditions often reflect certain cultural values and expectations that we learn from an early age. For example, a child raised in a family that prioritises holiday celebrations over religious practices may unconsciously adopt these customs as a part of their identity. Over time, however, as the individual matures and encounters new ideas, they may begin to question or reject some of these traditions.

Freud’s idea of the unconscious mind suggests that individuals try to separate from their family’s influence, the emotions, and the values, they learned as children often remain hidden beneath the surface. This internal conflict can cause feelings of guilt, alienation, or even nostalgia as individuals wrestle with their desires for independence and lingering ties to family traditions.

In some cases, this psychological tension leads to what Freud calls “repression” where individuals push some memories, values, and traditions out of their conscious awareness. This allows them to focus on their personal growth and goals that may no longer align with family expectations. While this may offer a sense of freedom, it can also leave individuals feeling disconnected from their past, which leads them to struggle with themselves as they reconcile their past and present identity.

Navigating the Balance between Tradition and Modernity

Even though the rise of individuation has led many to distance themselves from family traditions, it does not mean that these traditions are not irrelevant or forgotten in fact, many people still find ways to incorporate them into their lives, but often in more personal or modified forms. Rather, than adhering strictly to old customs, individuals may reinterpret or create new traditions that align with their values and lifestyles.

Erikson’s psychosocial theory suggests that this is a part of development. As individuals grow, they find new ways to express their identity, while still being influenced by the family and culture they came from. This shift is not necessarily a rejection of the past but rather an evolution of it. People may create new rituals or practices that honour their family history while allowing them the freedom to pursue their own goals.

Similarly, Psychoanalysis tells us that we don’t entirely lose the influence of family traditions. Even if these customs are not seen in daily life, they are present in our unconscious mind. These traditions continue to shape modern versions of family, community, and personal growth, with emotional connections to the past.

Conclusion

The movement from traditional to individual-used ways of living reflects broader societal changes. Psychosocial development and psychoanalysis help us understand how these shifts occur revealing the complex relationship between family ties and personal ties. As individuals navigate their paths to self-actualisation, they may distance themselves from family’s traditional influence.

However, the future of identity is likely to be a blend of tradition and modernity, where people create new forms of connection and meaning. Family traditions, though no longer the centrepiece of our lives, can still play an important role in shaping who we are – especially as we find ways to integrate them into our modern individualised experiences. The challenge is to honour both our roots and our evolving identities, creating a beautiful balance that allows us to move forward while remembering where we came from.