Superstitions, beliefs based on magical rather than rational thinking, are persistent. Most promise either good or bad luck (as from finding a four-leaf clover or a heads-up penny) or misfortune (such as by the breaking of a mirror), and thus they are a reflection of people’s hopes and fears. Folk beliefs often vary, and one person’s taboo may well be another’s boon—a selective process in either case. Actually, "luck" is randomly distributed and cannot be brought about by charms, rituals, or other non-causal processes. Many people are uncomfortable living in a world of randomness, and superstitions may help them cope.Thus thirteen is just another number, and Friday just another day, the combination no more significant than any other. |