By Clara Stern
Imagine crossing the road and then bam: a black cat darts in front of you. For some people, this might just be enough for them to head back home and hide under their covers. Others might shrug it off, continuing their day as if nothing had happened. These polar reactions are the result of a cultural and psychological phenomenon called “superstitions”.
Stemming from ancient rituals designed to ward off misfortune and secure good luck, superstitions prompt the mind to draw connections between unrelated events in an attempt to control the uncontrollable.
For example, some people knock on wood to prevent bad luck, avoid the number 13, refuse to open umbrellas indoors, and associate luck with certain numbers, such as wishing on 11:11.
Another big superstition is the Western concept of “karma”, or that positive deeds will reap rewards, and bad actions will result in consequences or poor luck. To some extent, the idea of “karma” seems correct. People generally do look down on or distance themselves from destructive personalities, so whether the consequence is immediate or not, humans keep a sort of social “karma”.
However, junior Kayla Zhinin does not believe in superstitions at all. “They’re fake,” she said plainly. “Looking into a broken mirror won’t curse you.”
Whether or not following superstitions actually achieves their promised effects is up to each person’s interpretation. Some people perceive good events that happen days or even weeks after following through on the superstition as a sign that their wish worked. Some people need an immediate response to believe in superstitions. Some people don’t believe it at all.
To junior Gabriela Vukelj, wishing on 11:11 is a constant. “It’s a ritual I follow every day.”
One of my other friends refuses to split the pole when walking with friends, believing it signals a friendship doomed.
Some people like Eden Marinaro, junior, are “not sure what to believe.”
The only definitive thing regarding superstitions is that only you have the power to define how prominent and what sway they hold in your life. You choose whether to hide yourself under the covers or keep your head high after that black cat scurries by.
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