Like the questions about throwing salt over your shoulder and the rabbit's foot and my mother used to say if you drop cutlery that means company is coming. Does anyone know WHY people came up with this stuff in the first place? Thanks. :-)
2006-10-26 11:16:20 · 7 answers · asked by Evy 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Mythology & Folklore
here is a couple of website that might answer your question. But alots of the old superstitions come from ours parents and their parents down through many generations. I always got a kick out of the one about the rabbit foot that it would bring you luck. People believe in it whole highly. Supersitions is always one puzzle after another
2006-10-26 13:24:11 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
People came up with superstitions for two reasons: To explain something they don't understand or or having to do with sacred objecs.
For example, people say that crows can predict death because they are seen at graveyards or battle fields, places that have something to do with dying. Science tells us that crows are scavengers and feed on dead living things.
Another example is walking under a ladder. Since the ladder creates the shape of a triangle, and triangles were considered sacred, if you walk under it you will destroy the triangles powers.
This also explains the salt. Salt was precious hundreds of years ago because it kept food fresh, so if you throw it behind your shoulder, it will land in the eyes of demons who are trying to steal iit.
Some other examples are reflections being your soul and black cats being withcesin disguise
2006-10-26 11:56:39 · answer #2 · answered by • Nick • 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Humans need answers. They hate not knowing the answer. It is wired into us to seek answers. Some questions are too hard to answer, so humans make them up. Why didn't it rain? The gods were angry. Why did it finally rain? We did the right dance.
Randomly, people did things, and randomly, things happened. Some people left out a goat, and it rained. Other people danced and it rained. Eventually, Grandpa convinced us that dancing is what makes it rain.
A lot like Santa Claus, only not so cute.
2006-10-26 11:26:35 · answer #3 · answered by Lee Ponzu 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think that superstitions start when someone blindly tries to explain something. This eventually gets blown out of proportion by others' misunderstanding and we are left with falsities.
2006-10-26 12:01:02 · answer #4 · answered by Leger de Main 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A lot of it has to do with chasing away evil spirits or inviting friendly ones (or listening to what they have to say). People used to believe in spirits a lot more in olden times.
2006-10-26 11:20:05 · answer #5 · answered by KC 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most of them are based on how spiritual things really work.
Unfortunately, giving into them only enslaves us more
to the whims of the spirits.
2006-10-26 11:37:38 · answer #6 · answered by Medicine Eddie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Superstitions started from ignorance of people.
They feared the dark-they feared the unknown.
So over time little spells-magic- evolved to defeat the enemy of darkness.
Little magic to ease the fear...fear cused by lack of knowledge..
people still fear darkness..harbors evil..
people see ghost? at night--monsters at night--
cause bad things tend to happen at night..
people hide in dark..
scared of own home in dark..turn on lights all night..
sunlight drives away fear--we can see.
darkness brings it own---fear....
2006-10-26 11:23:43 · answer #7 · answered by cork 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋