The Paradox of Modernity: The Creation of a Tradition of Anti‐Tradition

ABSTRACT After the industrialization and globalization conducted by European countries in recent centuries, the European model of capitalism began to prevail around the globe, marking a transition widely considered as the onset of the modern era. With the spread of globalization, numerous countries and their populations began to embrace what was termed “modernity” through various avenues, primarily through revolution or reform. People were influenced by the ideas of modernity in various ways, leading to the initiation of numerous movements or campaigns aimed at challenging traditional elements. However, this article argues that humanities have never truly entered the modern era, contending that the concept of modernity is paradoxical, as it simultaneously establishes a tradition of anti‐tradition. This article conducts in‐depth examinations of multiple revolutions and reforms from the past two centuries, including the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) in China, the Meiji Restoration in Japan, and the Reform and Opening‐Up in China. The article explores the transition of people's lifestyles and political ideologies toward progressive movements initiated by authorities and the defined traditional elements. This article demonstrates that the practices of anti‐tradition in pursuit of modernity inevitably give rise to a “new” tradition, which discards all so‐called “old” traditions as defined by authorities through political rhetoric. The article also argues that this paradoxical aspect of modernity is a commonality between revolution and reform in the so‐called “modern era,” as both political movements are portrayed as creating something new by abandoning the old.