Tradition, religion and sustainable development in the Romanian cultural area

• Author: Sorea, D.
• Position: Department of Sociology and Philosophy, Transilvania University of Brasov
• Pages: 19-26

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov • Vol. 4 (53) •No. 1 - 2011

Series VII: Social Sciences • Law

TRADITION, RELIGION AND

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN

THE ROMANIAN CULTURAL AREA

Daniela SOREA1

Abstract: Sustainability is not unusual within Western culture. One of the

causes accounting for the Romanian people’s compatibility with the

behaviours associated with sustainable development is represented by the

persistence of the consumer behaviour before 1989 in the Romanians’

memory. Other causes underlying this compatibility are represented by the

axiological survival of the cultural tradition and by the Romanians’

affiliation to the Orthodox Church. The concept of “sustainable

development” connotes either change or recovery in the human relationship

with the environment. The main advantage brought forth by this orientation

comes from the promoted natural behaviours.

Key words: tradition, consumer, religion, sustainable development.

1 Department of Sociology and Philosophy, Transilvania University of Braşov

1. Introduction

Occidental culture is oriented towards

the future. From its perspective, humanity

is in ongoing progress. The representation

of the future has been optimistic so far.

From Western perspective, humanity is in

permanent evolution towards better and the

best. The last two decades have been

characterized by a serious diminution of

the optimism. Its interest in the concept of

sustainable development indicates this shift

of perspective. Manifesting this interest,

Occidental culture remains oriented

towards the future. Such an orientation

entails resuming and particularizing

significant ideas.

Responding to the turmoil related to the

continuous and almost irreversible

deterioration of the environment, the

concept of sustainable development

possesses a significant remedial

connotation.

Sustainable development supposes

therefore the recovery of a less aggressive

technical modality for placing the human

being into the world. Without explicitly

claiming to derive from traditional

cultures, sustainable development is at the

same time the modality for recovering,

revaluing their Weltanschauung.

Sustainable development is not an exotic

concept throughout the Occidental cultural

space, despite the re-orientation that it

compels on the level of daily habits and

practices. Heidegger’s authentic dwelling

and Eliade’s assuming the world as

hierophany brilliantly prefigure it.

Signalling the articulations of this

prefiguring, the paper herein emphasizes

the remedial dimension of sustainable

development within the Romanian cultural

space.