by JRR

Created on: October 12, 2009

Superstitions have very likely been around since the start of the human race. According to Webster's Dictionary a superstition is "a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation" or "an irrational abject attitude of mind toward the supernatural, nature, or God resulting from superstition". In simpler terms it is the belief in something with no real basis. It is thought that even in prehistoric times, superstitions played a prevalent role. It is felt they began when things would happen that had no real explanation. These strange occurrences could be either good or bad and the belief then passed down through the generations. Even today, the belief of superstitions play a major role in many societies. In China, some citizens are willing to pay a great deal of money for addresses or phone numbers that contain the number eight, which they consider extremely lucky. In India, it is said to be bad luck to cut ones nails at night. While in the United States, many believe it is unlucky to walk under a ladder. For some people, the beliefs are more for fun or even out of habits picked up as a child. It isn't uncommon to see someone step over a crack in a sidewalk as a result of hearing, "step on a crack and break your mothers back" as a youngster. Or others picking up a penny because they believe, "find a penny, pick it up, and all the day you'll have good luck". Still, there are some people who are at the other end of the spectrum. They fully believe in certain things to the point it can affect their lives. When this happens it can definitely be a bad thing. Thankfully, the majority of people who do believe, do so in moderation. They may feel they have a lucky number of color, yet realize the biggest danger of walking under a ladder is knocking it over or something the worker is using falling on their head. Superstitions can even play a part without one realizing it. From the choices a bride makes about her wedding attire, to the numbers one chooses for the lottery, they can be found almost everywhere. The majority of the time they are carried out without an active thought. As long as people fear things they don't understand and look for reasons for the bad luck in their lives, superstitions will continue. They will also remain as long as people believe something brings them good luck. Each being passed down through families and generations for years to come.

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