"As soon as tradition has come to be recognized as tradition, it is dead"

In this quote, Allan Bloom is suggesting that as soon as something ends up being acknowledged as a tradition, it loses its vigor and becomes stagnant. He is implying that traditions are suggested to be continuously developing and adjusting to the changing times, but once they are solidified and accepted as the standard, they lose their initial function and meaning. Bloom is cautioning against blindly following traditions without questioning their relevance and significance in the present. He believes that customs should be constantly challenged and reevaluated in order to keep them alive and significant. This quote acts as a tip to not let customs become rigid and lifeless, but rather to continuously revive them.