Exploring the Magic of Superstitions

Join me on this amusing exploration across the globe as we chat about the peculiar habits that unite us all under the umbrella of good luck charms. Whether it's the lucky shirt for that appraisal or a spoonful of yogurt before a big day, these beliefs aren't just about superstition; they're about creating little rituals that boost our spirits and stitch us to our cultural roots. Tune in and reflect on your own superstitions, and let's celebrate these endearing quirks that give us a delightful pause in the unpredictability of life.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:03

The world is superstitious. Yes, you heard it right At least a quarter of the population in America and Europe respectively are superstitious. Countries like China, taiwan and India, among others, are in the race too. I am not saying this. Researchers have it in black and white. Strange, but true. Searchers have it in black and white. Strange, but true.

Speaker 1: 0:26

Everyone, welcome to the first episode of Discover with Shaheen. Let me be honest, I am a bit nervous, but super excited all along. Before I begin, let me share a beautiful anecdote of my life with you. Few days back, I went for an event Over there. I met a very good friend of mine. His name is Khurram. He generally offers to drop me home after an event or after a meeting. That night he offered to drop me back home as usual, and we were, I mean, a bunch of few people whom he promised to drop us home. We said okay, fine, the event got over. We got into his car and Kurram was at the steering and next to him was his very good friend, noman. Kurram started driving and he told us you know he has some work at a bookstore and he will finish it off ASAP and he will drop us home. We said, okay, fine, we were in his car and as we were getting close to the bookstore, khurram got worried. He said, oh God, you know it's a peak hour and I might not get this thing, I might not get parking. But at the same time he said no, no, whenever Norman is next to me me, I always get parking. He was super confident about getting a parking slot at a time when people are at the bookstore. You know you don't get parking that time. And as we reached the spot, yes, he got the parking and he was very happy. He said see, I told you, noman is my lucky charm. And he was super excited. And you know, we don't know whether it's a pattern seeking behavior or sheer magic of his life. I mean, let's leave it at that.

Speaker 1: 2:13

With this in the backdrop today, let's dive into the amazing world of superstitions of which we all are directly or indirectly a part of. Now there is a disclaimer here. I am not talking about the harmful or negative superstitions. Not at all. I will discuss the good ones, which make us happy. And the great news is, communities across the globe believe me in some or the other way are superstitious. Let me give some examples over here, in few Asian cities, having yogurt before an important day is considered auspicious. Now, I only know yogurt is probiotic and it is very good for our health, but people think it otherwise. It's an age-old tradition and maybe this connects people to their cultural roots and heritage. We are no one to question that. We respect people's beliefs, which do not harm anyone. Now let's see what are the common superstitions across countries.

Speaker 1: 3:21

Some people believe wearing a lucky shirt on appraisal day can give them, you know, a good hike. Some believe carrying a lucky coin in the wallet is auspicious. Some also believe doing important tasks at a particular time can give them good results. Now, let me stop here or else I'll go on and on. It's your turn now. Think, think hard. I'm sure all of you must be having some cute or funny superstitions. So be it, doesn't matter. Let's talk about it in the latter part of the episode.

Speaker 1: 3:56

And, by the way, I'm not here to give a systematic review of superstitions. No, no, we all know it is pseudoscience. There is no scientific evidence behind carrying a lucky coin or wearing a white shirt, or keeping your fingers crossed before an announcement of a result. I mean, there's no scientific evidence. We all know that. I repeat, but superstitions like these can play an important role in a person's psychological well-being. It is because superstitions like the ones I mentioned, you know, give some meaning to the often random nature of luck and for time being, it puts us in the driving seat of our destiny, at least for a few minutes, like you know, having yogurt, or Kurram's example, considering Noman as his lucky charm, you know, it boosts their performance or it makes them happy. So be it. How does it matter? In the larger scheme of things?

Speaker 1: 4:51

And now to back this argument, there are quite a few interesting books on why superstitions are good for our wellness. One of them is I read this book in bits and pieces a book by Matthew Hudson the Seven Laws of Magical Thinking. In the book he discusses how irrational beliefs keep us happy, healthy and sane. And there is this award-winning book by Stuart Weiss. The book is all about believing in magic and that is the psychology of superstition. In the book he is trying to explain that superstition is a normal part of human culture. So very right he is. You know. See, be it sportsperson, professionals or ordinary folks, superstition is the preferred choice to make connections and create explanations.

Speaker 1: 5:42

Now let me back my statement with live examples. President, abraham Lincoln, the Abraham Lincoln, always carried a lucky penny in his pocket and he would never sign any document on a Friday. Jk Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, always rides in the same cafe in Edinburgh, scotland. Warren Buffet, the CEO of Bakusha Hathaway, always carries a lucky coin in his pocket. He believes that the coin has brought him good luck throughout his life and he has made some wise decisions in his investment portfolio because of this coin. And you know, we thought it's his wisdom that has made him so rich.

Speaker 1: 6:26

With no offense to any community, big or small, such beliefs to an extent may be at odds with scientific knowledge and progress, but we respect the way of living of communities across the globe. For me, superstitions will always remain appealing curls to mankind. The point I am actually trying to make is we don't want to challenge these beliefs. See, life is as it. It is chaotic. We have a jumble of misconceptions all over us and these superstitions are like wishful thinking. They are like a fresh breeze of life and I believe I mean I, I really believe these trendsetters will always survive. So be it. And you know, in the modern today, in modern times, when we are talking about technological advancements, artificial intelligence, robotics, and, you know, we have moved ahead in life at the same time. These cults or these viral ideas make life worth living. You know, these are like friends in life and we must not go. We must not let go of it at all. So this is all from me for now.

Speaker 1: 7:32

I hope you all liked my first episode. Dear listeners, if you want to toss in any idea for our upcoming podcast, you are most welcome to do so. This podcast is all about you and me. You can write to me at discoverwithshaheen on Instagram. My Twitter handle is at Shaheen Speaks. Let's connect. Until then, take good care of yourself. See you all soon.