Superstition in its most basic form is really all about cause and effect, which makes it scientific-esque.
If I make a u-turn to avoid crossing the path of a black cat, then I am preventing an undesirable sequence of consequences. The same goes for scattering spilled salt over my shoulder, walking around ladders, all those boringly obvious behaviors.
Avoiding the cause to prevent the effect is science-y. Yes, indeed.
Oh, you’re still not convinced. Fine. Let me channel 10th grade. It’s all about proving a hypothesis. Knocking on wood may not avert the Evil Eye, but if I think it does, then I’ll adapt accordingly and not make stupid choices. At the very least, I might make less stupid choices.
Obviating a self-fulfilling prophecy is an improvement based on logic and deduction. Ergo, knocking on wood is scientific-ish, Q.E.D.
The ways to make good things happen are less reliable. My lucky socks are only usually effective. The ratio goes up if I invoke the “could have been worse” clause, but it’s still not 100%.
That said, what do you think I wear when I know I’m about to enter the jaws of a potentially dicey situation? And I ain’t talking Vegas here, folks.
Let me tell you this, if you’re meeting with a lawyer, lucky socks are the way to go. I’ve proven this scientifically. You can trust your Auntie Scary on this one, totes for sure.
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