What is superstition?
I’d like to offer a simple rejoinder in order to maintain some semblance of decency: I have no proof that supernatural phenomena don’t exist, but I’ve simply never observed such phenomena in a convincing capacity. Perhaps it’s true that some places are haunted, but I’ve simply found that all ghosts can be explained away due to equal parts sensory overload and poor atmospheric conditions.
What is superstition? It’s the belief in the supernatural. It’s the belief in the paranormal. It’s the belief in the astrological. Simply put, it’s the belief that there are things in our universe that cannot be explained through physical means; superstition is the belief in irrational phenomena.
How does superstition work?
Unsurprisingly, there are purely rational explanations for difficult to explain phenomena. Our minds—powerful supercomputers though they may be—have a tendency to play tricks on us. The simple truth is that the human brain, no matter how powerful or agile, often gives way to simple pattern-seeking behaviour. If we ever see something out of the corner of our eyes that looks like a goblin, it’s most likely because our brains aren’t paying enough attention to fill in all of the details.
Superstition, however, isn’t just about simple sensory misunderstanding. Just because one might see a ghost out of the corner of their eye, it doesn’t mean that one believes in ghosts. Likewise, feelings of paranoia and beliefs in events that are untrue or impossible can manifest without sensory input.
Quite the contrary, superstition is very much based in belief; even in the face of definitive evidence, the superstitious hold on to their worldview. As a result, psychology has often attempted to approach the root of superstitious belief. For instance, superstition or paranoia can be a sign of psychiatric imbalance—paranoid schizophrenia manifests itself in a variety of physical hallucinations, but can also be displayed through beliefs in supernatural phenomenon. On the physiological spectrum, slow carbon monoxide poisoning can manifest itself through feelings of paranoia. In some cases, individuals suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning expressed beliefs that they were being watched, stalked or that they were being followed by demons and ghosts.
Superstition isn’t necessarily explicable through typical scientific means. It’s not like superstition is a psychiatric diagnosis. After all, if we were to provide medical treatment to every person who believes in something that simply isn’t true, every Maple Leafs fan on Earth—including myself—would be institutionalized.
Simply put, superstitions works because of pattern recognition. We see patterns everywhere, and our minds clump together unrelated events in order to make sense of a relatively nonsensical universe.
Why is superstition important?
I’m never going to win the lottery. Not because I’m not lucky or because I didn’t buy a ticket, but because the statistical likelihood of my winning the lottery is so close to zero that it might as well be zero. Likewise, most people will not win the lottery. In fact, the chances of winning the lottery are so low that it’s surprising that anyone bothers to buy a ticket.
The same is equally true for meeting a unicorn, or succumbing to the effects of the evil eye, or getting seven years of bad luck for breaking a mirror taped to a black cat crossing one’s path while walking under a ladder. These events will have no real impact on our future, but because of the human mind’s tendency to trend towards pattern recognition, many of us believe it to be true. Even in the circumstances where we know that events are highly unlikely to occur, we still collectively hold out some hope that they may happen.
Understanding what is and isn’t possible is integral to distinguishing between fact and fiction. More importantly, it’s essential in understanding that sometimes, things happen simply because things happen—not because an evil force is acting against our best interests.
What is the future of superstition?
Superstition is important for understanding societies or cultures—like those that believe in the evil eye—but also for measuring the weight of our personal beliefs. Yes, many of us believe that an octopus can predict the results of international soccer matches, but the reality is clearly far less interesting: the octopus just so happens to occasionally pick a winning team.
The simple truth is that we will never let go of our superstitions. However, we need to collectively temper our beliefs in impossible events, because our lives are greatly affected by both reality and fiction.