Why are superstitions still so prevalent today?

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

For centuries, science has whittled away at abstracts like the Egyptian, Roman, Greek and Norse Gods. Even then, the carrot was some sort of reward when you're dead.

"Toe the line or you are gonna be in deep shit when you die!"

"Do what we say and you will be one happy motherfucker when you die!"

Today, in a country that was formed to have a strong separation between church and state announced subsidies to "faith based" organizations.

Today, we read of text books our children will read suggesting the evolution of man is due to aliens or a grand old man in the sky.

Are we experiencing a reverse renaissance of sorts?

Today, the intellectual is degraded by popular mythos and science is dismissed as anti-god (whatever the hell that means).

I guess the real question is: Have the lunatics taken over the asylum?

[Inland]

1. Because there's a species of tiny demons that inhabits our brain. nt

[dhinojosa]

2. Sorry I was throwing a water fountain through the window. What did ya say?

I agree with you. So many messed up policies in place.

[unrepuke]

9. LOL. I loved Jack's line; "I tried, Goddamnit, at least I did that."

My kinda people:crazy: :silly:

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

16. I love your analogy...

One of my favorite books!

[Karenina]

3. Americans are the "good guys."

The moment Amis are disabused of this foolish notion, we can progress.

[smirkymonkey]

4. It's how religion keeps people in line.

The punitive god just waiting to strike you down for rising up against the man.

[chalky]

5. Because REAL education is in the crapper. When you don't learn science

and math, "superstition is the way" (nod to Stevie Wonder).

[rosesaylavee]

6. I'm afraid to say. :)

No, I think this is all fear-driven. Those in power know that we little people don't think straight when we are scared to death.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

7. The lunatics

have always been in charge of the asylum.

Faith appears to be a genetic trait. The Communists had no luck knocking it out of their people.

The question is whether we choose to believe in an afterlife because we know we will die, or whether we (as in the majority of humans excepting much of present company!) believe because we sense there is something more.

I am open to the latter because of some life experiences after losing loved ones, and not because of anything I have been taught.

But it doesn't appear to be a trait that will be bred out of us anytime soon, so we need to deal with it the best we can, keep everyone semi-happy and able to worship as they choose.

[RedFireDiamonds]

8. I'll admit

I throw spilled salt over my left shoulder.

[unrepuke]

10. Because our ancestors are not long enough out of the trees.

If you've ever seen the panic at a Blue Light Special you know our lizard brains prevail.

[omega minimo]

11. You throw the baby out with the bathwater?

You think "science" has obliterated the cultural histories of ancient civilizations? Isn't that part of human history? Have you heard of Joseph Campbell?

May the gods have mercy on you.

:smoke:

[MichiganVote]

12. Its called superstitious learning- assigning significant associations

to random real life events. An incomplete hypothesis that usually involves an urban legend.

[omega minimo]

15. Randomness is a myth

:evilgrin:

[MichiganVote]

20. And you would then be a very good superstititous learner!

[omega minimo]

21. What does that mean?

[MichiganVote]

24. It means that superstitious learners have ascribed a purpose

to an event; events are purposeful or arise out of an identifiable or universal cause. No room for mystery...or, random events. Have a piece of bad luck, maybe you sinned. So you throw salt over your shoulder for protection. Break a mirror = 7 years of bad luck.

Superstitious learning has formed the basis for myths, religions, weather and human interpersonal relationships.

Knock on wood!

[omega minimo]

27. Is "superstitious learning" a thing?

"No room for mystery...or, random events."

Are you equating mystery and random events?

"....events are purposeful or arise out of an identifiable or universal cause. No room for mystery"

Why do you assume the "cause" is not the Mystery?

Believing in a completely mechanistic Universe is SOOOOOooooo last Millennium.

[MrSlayer]

13. Because people are brainwashed from birth.

For some reason we all get over the Santa Claus thing but many never get over the "god" thing. It gives people comfort to think there is somewhere to go after death.

[sweetheart]

14. All thoughts are viruses

Direct knowledge is the background of the DU editor here where it says:
Message. And everything you type and think is an experience that
begins, ends and is forgotten.

And after all the sentences are written, the experience of the discussion
shared, and all the readers finished with the food, it is tossed away
and forgotten. And we return to empty space, before experience,
immediate within all experience, the space that listens to your
inner dialog.

And only that awake element, a dictionary of awakeness ready to
process any word or image, yet itself a profound canvas on which is
aleady painted all of the universe.

The universe does not have thoughts. The rapture is the ending of
thought. Until then, there is nothing but ephemeral experience
masquerading as ideas that are important.

Yet to accept the fact of the asylum, and that everyone is insane, and
will die in a few years, is more realistic.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

17. Holy fuck. I'll have some of what you're having.

That was sweet!

Nicely said!

[Holly_Hobby]

18. I learned superstitions from my granny

I didn't fall for it. I intentionally walk under ladders and open umbrellas in the house.

[leftofthedial]

19. defective primate wiring

incomplete evolution

[phylny]

22. "Why are superstitions still so prevalent today?" Because one man's

superstition is another man's faith.

[bemildred]

23. So, do you believe in Capitalism?

Seriously, I think human intelligence is way overrated.
But I don't think now is worse than other times.
Read a bit of history and you will be just amazed at the
alacrity with which people take up the task of mass killing.

[BiggJawn]

25. We are DEVO!

Just running up to that long, long swan dive back into the Primordial Ooze...

[The Jacobin]

26. Go to the library and get this:

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0345409469.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.gif


It asks and tries to answer the same question. (Yes the image is ripped from amazon)