Oh Tevye, What Happened to Traditions?

I have a friend who had been talking to a guy for quite a few months. They had gone out for a while and then things cooled down but he kept showing interest in her. Recently, they were hanging out and out of the blue, he looks over at her rings and makes a comment about them. You see, she wore these specific rings after getting an astrology reading done because she was told that they would bring her good fortune. Horoscopes and astrology reports are not uncommon among Hindus and have been used for many years when two people wanted to see how compatible they were. I've even had my astrology report done! Now, whether you choose to believe the report or not is a different story. My astrology report was done without me actually being there; my mom went to get it done for me haha. She came home and reported to me what it said, and I initially didn't give it much thought. However it did mention specific things that would happen at certain ages in my life and these things did end up happening so I figured I'd play it safe and abide by the astrologer's recommendations. That's why I wear a ring on my index finger as well.

Anyways, I've strayed from my original story. The guy then went on to say to my friend that these sort of beliefs make her seem like she's from the 18th century and he needs a modern girl, and that really pissed me off. How does that make her seem like she's from the 18th century? Since when does "traditional" equate to "backwards"? What makes a modern girl? (Ironically, this girl is probably one of the most techy, gadget-loving people I know.. she's even got an IPhone!) I completely understand that when one culture is introduced into a different environment, there is a tendency to assimilate with those around you, and certain trademarks of that culture are no longer evident. However, there's a difference between assimilating and abandoning. It's funny because this girl grew up in the U.S. and this guy moved to the states much later in his life. So, if anything, he should be more Indianized and she should be more Americanized. At the very least, he should've been more understanding.