Superstition arises from ignorance, but why do you think the advancement of science and modern education has not yet been able to eradicate such baseless beliefs?

Taking superstitions seriously has been a source of contention for long as not everybody believes in irrational beliefs and supernatural influences, especially when they may lead to good or bad luck. No matter how developed science and technology are or will be in the future, I concede superstations are here to stay due to the reasons this essay will discuss.

To begin with, superstitions are deeply ingrained in most people from an early age. Across the globe, young boys and girls are taught methodically to have faith in and show reverence for such creeds; in other words, they are indispensable parts of most cultures regardless of modern education systems they might use. Take Iran as a case in point where adolescents learn not only to avoid being jinxed but also to ward off evil eyes by burning esfand, a century-old tradition that is still in practice.

Furthermore, widely held but scientifically unproven belief in supernatural influences can be a soothing control mechanism. To put it simply, some feel desperate to find reasons for the misfortunes they suffer. Were it not for superstitions, they would not be able to hide their mistakes by putting the blame on luck that in their viewpoint can only be controlled by paranormal forces. According to recent surveys, a large proportion of Sri Lankans believe in the paranormal in some form, one of which is performing animal sacrifices to soothe away their discomfort by asking the supernatural for good luck.

To sum up, deeply rooted in people’s belief system, superstitions are as old as human history; as a result, they are unlikely to fade away in a foreseeable future no matter how much science and technology advance.

Hamid Mollazdeh

Word count: 300

Time: 45′