Thursday, September 23, 2010

To believe or not to believe....

How often have you rolled your eyes at the sight of a friend getting all worked up after an unfortunate black cat crosses her path or roared with laughter while at work when someone remarked ''I knew it would be a bad day - there was this jet black crow staring straight into my eyes this morning just as I stepped out..'',well I could personally recall countless incidents at home and at work when I've even made caustic remarks on all this mumbo jumbo of illogical beliefs and superstitions.

I would think - why do people believe in superstitions, myths and legends still? After what globalization has done to the world, making NY and London look like global villages.And our own India, being touted as becoming the world's third most powerful country by the year 2013- Isnt that just great?!Touch wood,Hope we get there real fast!!! Oops, did I just say 'TOUCH WOOD'??? What was that about?!Thats when I realised that I was not as immune to superstitions as I thought I was..And that was why I was forced to have a little 'think' about a lot of these unfounded beliefs that millions of us still have...Of course they were all inherited - from grandmothers and greatgrandmothers. But, how is it that it manages to outsmart even the most suave modernists amongst us and pops out of the blue and hits us when we least expect it? How does it manage to work like a reflex in many of us - The furtive touching of the other earring when someone accidentally touches one or perhaps the anxiety that a tiny house lizard that fell on your shoulder can create - and let me not get into the universally detested number 13!Im sure these beliefs have nothing to do with religion . Could it be because we find it hard to accept so much randomness in life that we ended up creating our own irrational rules for certain things that happen, thereby taking relief from it? We are well aware of scientific explanations to every phenomenon around us and yet a lot of us choose to hold onto what grandmothers' tales taught us..

Scientists in a recent study have established that superstitions have helped us evolve and survive - centuries ago,(hypothetically speaking, of course) pre historic man could have interpreted the cry of some animal as a sign that some dangerous animal was lurking nearby and would have headed for safety - but the animal's cry could have been for any other reason too. Yet the fact that the prehistoric man moved into safety would have worked out well for him if there really had been a leopard in the grass! He would have been alive for a few more decades to retell his dangerous encounter to his children and grandchildren!!

So this false linking of cause to effect could also have been beneficial at times.That would explain why even today we are pleased at the thought of forseeing things that could happen and averting them or changing the course of things in our favour.In this light, I think it would be right to believe that as long as we know where we stand between ignorant and being superstitious and more importantly,as long as the tradeoff between believing and not believing in something works out positively for the believer, it really doesnt matter if the sight of the old balck cat freaks you out!!

4 comments:

  1. Excellent. Where is the 'double cool' button?. Wonderful how the central theme is retained throughout so objectively. I think it comes to us with the years, when we learn to moderate science with pure wonder, when we look at everything around fairly; one eye in total surrender, the other one seeking meaning in the former's blind acceptance of things.

    More importantly, I love the writer's freedom that you unknowingly establish in your words; it perfectly nestles there in your sentence. -
    "And that was why I was forced to have a little 'think' about a lot of these unfounded beliefs that millions of us still have". A little "think". :) Excellent, again! Write on, Soan.

    -Po.

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  2. Anyone who has read & understood the "Power of Positive Thinking" or books of that ilk will know that the subconscious mind influences one's actions.And these superstitions work similarly on one's subconscious minds to influence one's actions negatively to create the "expected" negative results!This leads to more conviction about the superstitions resulting in their perpetuation & propagation!

    If one develops the curiosity about "Atma Jnana" & "Atma Bodha" one will become conscious of the "working" of these superstions.The "doomsday cat" cannot be set among the "peaceful pigeons" ie.the calm minds in such realised souls!

    Soan Paree,now that the cat is out of the bag, I am curios to know what else is there in your bag!Let them out, one by one, I am waiting expectantly!!!

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  3. Superstitions are going to be there, till the world exists. Some, treat them as mere indicators, but some, attribute everything to it. As you said, as long as the linkage of cost and effect is beneficial, no harm in beleiving superstitions. Our minds have to take a call on this.

    Good work. Hope getting lots of time now!!!!
    Keep writing. Be yourself. Dont worry too much. Follow a simple theory in life. In matters, where you have absolutely no control, dont brood over, just watch and allow them to happen. One has lot of things to worry but only a few memories, events, thoughts to cherish/feel happy. Search for them and enjoy.

    AP

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  4. Quite a thought ! It knocked my skull to wonder if it was a mere faith/fancy or continuous conditioning that makes us believe certain things unreasonably howmuchever rational we tend to be !

    You seem to have grown into real writer having mastered the art of conveying your thoughts without taking sides ;-) I jus loved reading it !

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