Ubiquitin, nowadays minhagim are passed down from father to son (or in some cases, mother to daughter), but that’s because we are living in a melting pot. Minhagim used to be based on where one lived, and even today, if one moves to a place with firmly established minhagim, he probably should adopt them. Most places are not that way, though.
Old man, although I think I’m agreeing with you on that point, I disagree with dropping a minhag because “it doesn’t make sense”. Minhag Yisrael Torah hi applies even when we don’t understand it.