Herds of Sheep- Answers to Practices

The human race is by definition like a herd of sheep. Someone says it and the someone believes it... and before even you know it, it is a fact. There are a few pages from history that I've read a long time a ago, which speak about the things we're still practicing without knowing the actual need for it. I'm not sure if you would know either but its interesting to look back into our ancestry, so here it goes.
                        Polygamy is practiced even today, and some of us thunk it's unethical. But do you know how it began? During the times when we were at war with empires, the soldiers used to lay down their lives without second thought of family. The widowed women were left with the burden of finance, upbringing and other such matters. To remove those problems, men would take the widows as their wives into their homes and support them. The relation would be termed as the wife, whereas the true reason was something else. Now a days however the reason has changed and polygamy is looked as a way to avoid marriage fall outs due to divorce.
                        I guess we all might have noticed this on the roads while driving or else where. Do the words 'O.K' behind heavy duty vehicles sound familiar? Wait, its mostly accompanied by the words 'sound-horn, sound- please'. The reason is that in those days when the British were the rulers here, our heavy vehicles used to run on kerosene. And to let it be known that only kerosene should be filled in it, the words 'on kerosene' were  painted as 'O.K'. But over the course of time that changed but the words remain till date!
                         The anklet is an ornament that the Indian women wear so often especially in the rural areas... but this has a hidden meaning to it. Back in the days when women were considered assets to the man, she was given no freedom and was constantly under observation. She was restricted to the household and nothing beyond. If a girl was to disobey and leave at any time of the day, the bell son the anklet would denote her presence and the men would track her down and ring her back. It was almost like she was a prisoner with a fancy chain that kept her down. Halfway through the transition the reason was buried and it became a normal ornament. And now is a fashion quotient!
                              These are just a few things that intrigued me but there's so many reasons out there. Start questioning and you'll see what I mean!