"Traditional" values implies that they have been selected for that reason rather than due to inherent merit.
Yes(as proven by the fact that tradition varies between subgroups... if it was decided on merit then it would be identical in Utah, Beijing and Niger), but so what? We don't have a particularly effective method for ascertaining the merit of many social behaviors. In the absence of effective and neutral means for ascertaining merit, defaulting to preexisting patterns of behaviour that are at least proven to no be totally disastrous is a defensible stance.
That is not of course to oppose change... social innovation in response to challenges is itself a traditional value in most cultures because it is indisputable necessary. If a car veers towards you on the road you don't respond by continuing to follow the typical road rules.
I suppose what I'm saying is that traditions are neither black nor white nor grey... they're a coping strategy for a human race that really isn't intelligent enough to function in social anarchy.
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