My mother-in-law sent my kids home from a visit with a dreamcatcher after hearing about their nightmares. (Not for nothing, but said dreamcatcher was covered in glitter. Thanks ma.) My oldest told me one day that she had a bad dream anyway. “Uhh, yeah, there’s no such thing as magic. They don’t work,” I said, irrationally annoyed that I had to explain this to her. It’s still hanging in her room because her younger sister still thinks it works, despite my best efforts.
My dad showed me his new lucky dollar coin. Seems my mom accidentally used his old coin in a vending machine and he was upset and had to get a new one. My response? “It’s good that she spent it, you’re too old to be believing in superstitions like this.”
My daughters are enamored with a magic 8-ball that we picked up somewhere. The one says, “It doesn’t always give the right answer.” I said, “Well, for starters, you’re not supposed to ask it factual questions. And it’s not actually magic, it’s just a plastic die floating in some colored water.” What a grump-ass, right?
I mean, I stopped believing in Santa when I was 6 or so, I never really remember believing in the tooth fairy or easter bunny. I was an atheist by 12. And yet, I read horoscopes into my late teens and really thought there might be something to ESP. It was fun, right? But now I’m just such a dick about these things.
Oh god, I forgot that one. It came up last month, someone at work scheduled something for the 13th and some other jackass was like, “Whoa, I hope everything goes OK.” I had no idea what he was talking about, and then it clicked, “Oh, he’s a moron.”
The important thing is making sure your kids don’t buy into that dream catcher stuff. You wouldn’t want them to have a false sense of security and sleep better at night.
Yeah, superstitions drive me crazy, too. I was exiting our building one day last year and there is no overhang and it was pouring rain, so I started to open my umbrella in the little vestibule between the two sets of glass doors. My coworker hastened to warn me. “Don’t open the umbrella indoors! That’s bad luck!” I looked her right in the eyes as I opened it anyway. I am not getting soaking wet because of your stupid supertstition!
Superstitions happen. We’re wired that way, I am told. The human brain has a bad habit of drawing connections and conclusions where there aren’t necessarily any.
Athletes and gamers are BAD about this. Baseball players are famous for attaching significance to a particular bat, cap, or in one notorious case, unwashed socks.
And in truth, it can be useful. I got my little girl through a rough patch once by using an enchanted stuffed animal. I hasten to point out that I am neither wizard nor enchanter, and that the toy came from K-Mart, but** it ain’t a con if you believe in it.**
The flip side of that is… Just because you believe in it doesn’t mean it will always work.
See. this is why I think DCs DO work. I bought my kid one when he was having bad dreams and it seemed to help him. (For psychological reasons not because they’re magic.)
Good job! You talked nasty to an old man and gave it the old college try to make sure your kids continue to have nightmares. If that isn’t a good day’s work, I don’t know what is. Do you still have time to go to a convenience store and yell at some people for playing “their” numbers on a lottery ticket, maybe?
I don’t mind superstitions that don’t really impact my life. Like, I don’t care about the dream catchers. The dream catchers are pretty enough that I don’t mind them on a wall. But the umbrella story, I was going to get wet!
Met my biological mother a few years ago for the first time since I was an infant. After notifying her that I was kind of “on the outs” with my adoptive parents she told that I needed to eat “more powdered garlic” and yeast 'cause it would improve my relationships with my family. Whatever.
But more and more I’m starting to believe that lots of customs within religions are nothing but a bunch of superstitions, as well. Most (if not all) of it I view as superficial crap. Whatever happened to simply trying to be a good person? Isn’t that what the overarching message in most religious texts is supposed to be?
No, the overarching message in most religions is to be a total conformist in order to get along with your tribe; don’t buck the received wisdom; just go along with the hive mind and don’t make waves.
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