Comments on: Friggatriskaidekaphobia: Happy Friday the 13th

By: dlgilbert

dlgilbert — Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

You had me LOL’ing with your made-up superstition stories! I’ll have to start doing that with my daughter. I have fun with her with existing ones (ladders, cats, salt, etc) and she laughs when I do things like act all scared when I tell her not to walk under a ladder. I’m lucky to have a great relationship with her so much that she knows when I’m joking and when I’m not.

Making your own superstitions is a great way to teach the lesson, though! Kudos!

By: GodlessInNV

GodlessInNV — Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Both religion and superstition provide the illusion of control where none exists. Doing little things, like crossing one’s fingers or throwing a bit of salt over one’s shoulder let’s us feel that we are taking action in favor of one’s own fate. Same with prayer and religious rituals. The difference is that religious rituals are believed to appeal to a specific entity that will in turn (if pleased by the rituals) perform some sort of positive action. The purpose of superstitious acts, on the other hand, seems to be some sort of protection against the randomness of the universe, a sort of spell ensure that something bad doesn’t happen or a way to tip the odds in your favor.

By: godless sodomite

godless sodomite — Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I went out and found a ladder to walk under and a crack to step on and then I spilled some salt and neglected to throw a pinch over my right shoulder. Ill report back later today and let you know how my day went.

By: djpoobah1

djpoobah1 — Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I never really understood superstition. I mean, what do people who have black cats as pets do? Gotta figure their paths are CONSTANTLY being crossed by said kitty

By: mdetrano

mdetrano — Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I do own a a black cat (and a black and white one). Sometimes, I have bad luck. Must be the black cat.

One of the "Penn Says" videos brought up an interesting point..."Atheist" just means "no belief in god", taken very literally. An atheist could be very superstitious, or believe in the soul, or believe in ghosts, etc.

Yet, generally, that does not seem to be the case. I am fine with Atheist, and don't really want to bother with more terms like "Objectivist", or any of the others that in common use all come down to the same thing.

While I don't believe in god, ghosts, or superstitions, all these things are fun in a "make-believe" kind of way, so Happy Friday the 13th, and be careful out there.

By: drchris06

drchris06 — Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Walking under a ladder – I won’t do that not because of superstition but because I don’t want the ladder (or a paint can or a painter etc) to fall on top of me. Isn’t this logical?

By: thx1138

thx1138 — Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Superstition is the correlation of 2 or more events that are unrelated. Not everyone is superstitious, but (probably) everyone has beliefs that look very much like superstition at some point in their lives.

The term in Latin is ‘post hoc ergo propter hoc,’ that is, after this therefor because of this. People who are ‘magical thinkers’ make erroneous associations all the time. Concrete (and frequently better educated) thinkers do this less often but they still do it. It happens all the time. Even on both sides in the No God Blog.

By: what

what — Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

thx1138

I agree except that I wouldn't use the term "concrete thinker" in this context. That term is usually associated, in neuroscience and psychology, with thinking characterized by literalness.

I like your use of term "magical thinking". It is a term often used to describe the Schizoid Personality (not to be confused with schizophrenia) which is characterized by an abundance of thought processes unconstrained by reality. This term fits the religious and superstitious well. However, I think "magical thinkers" are tormented more by erroneous causations rather than erroneous associations.

By: what

what — Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

On The Stimulus front. From Krugman’s blog:

Good news: Congress has defied the efforts of drug companies and medical-device producers to strip comparative effectiveness research from the stimulus bill. One small victory for sanity and justice.

So it looks like congress can do its job. We will see.

By: neowolfe

neowolfe — Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

What said this to his continued uneducated embarrassment:

"I like your use of term "magical thinking". It is a term often used to describe the Schizoid Personality (not to be confused with schizophrenia) which is characterized by an abundance of thought processes unconstrained by reality. This term fits the religious and superstitious well."

Response: Schizoid behavior has to do with loss of interest in hobbies and becoming reclusive. More associated with alcoholism or drug addiction and has nothing whatsoever to do with superstitions or belief in them. Does your psuedointelectual bullshit ever end?

NeoWolfe