Traditions and Protocols: Definitions

Disclaimer: This is my own person view of this subject from the my past and my view of today.

**Tra-di-tion (n.) The doctrines, knowledge, practices, and customs passed down from one generation to another. (Webster)**

In the recent past I hear so many people screaming, "This is traditional ..this is not". Seriously ??? If an idea or practice was taught to you from your mentor, then that has become YOUR tradition.  Recently I have been doing a lot of research on what I was brought to believe was "Old School", I am finding that most of the "traditions" I was taught as "old school" are really just from the 70's and early 80's.

My musings are ...
Does this make them old school ?  Does this "time frame" make them any less valid ?  Many of the things I learned in the 80's came from the bar scene as "the way it is". Not, this is traditional behavior, but this is how we do things,  End of Story.  Do I pass these things on that I learned as "This is the way it is".  No more , no less, or do I take ownership of what was passed down to me and say "This is MY tradition" ?  

My answer:
Yes, the things that were passed down to me from my friends and mentors from the generations before me are MY traditions.  Many things from the gay bar scene don't work in my current relationship or community. So I have modified them to my life.  Many of them I have practiced in my own "Life~style" and they work, so I have kept them.
Damn the more answers I get the more questions become reality ...
By changing them to suit my "Life~Style", have I diluted them down?  or Have I kept the value and integrity that was taught to me?  I hope and pray that the small changes I make to the traditions that were taught to me does nothing but change the wording, not the meaning, the value or the spirituality of these things.

**Pro-to-col (n.) The codes and rules of diplomatic and state etiquette. (Webster)**

My musings are....
In our subculture this would be translated to me as *"The codes and rules of interpersonal and community etiquette"*. Okay, so who makes these rules ?  Who sets the codes ?  If they are rules, who enforces them ?  If they are "codes" who teaches them ?

My answer;
Many of our "Code of Conduct" has been passed down from the leaders before us, the clubs that have formed and tried these rules on themselves. Yes, we steal them from other, wiser, more experienced people.  There are many "Codes" that have been set in writing over the past decades, with a little research they can be found very easily in our web-generation. Personal "Codes of Conduct" I believe are monumental in setting my personal "Moral Compass".  Without my moral compass I can't say for me what is "right" or "wrong".
I believe "rules" are set by each community, and are enforced by said community.  In my past there were things ..You Just didn't do ... breaking these rules got you reprimanded, and if the actions continued, you were no longer invited to social events. Hereby "8~balled" from the community. In my past there were "Masters", "Grand Masters" and an informal "Council of Elders" that made such calls.  In todays Now Generation I don't see that as a Viable solution.  So what is the solution ..I don't know.

(out of time ... to many questions .. head hurts ... to be continued later)