The Symbolic Power of Superstitions (Q&A Clip)

Summary

The video script delves into the symbolism and coherence of common superstitions like stepping on cracks, breaking mirrors, and walking under ladders. It suggests that these behaviors are not arbitrary but have evolved to train our attention and actions towards avoiding negative outcomes. The speaker argues that superstitions are not about direct causality but are part of a larger pattern of behavior that influences our perception and reality. They also touch on the idea that rituals and symbolic actions, while not mechanically causal, can have a real impact on our lives by shaping our discipline and the way we are perceived by others.

Takeaways

• 📜 Superstitions have been passed down for centuries and are coherent in meaning, reflecting a deeper, underlying significance.
• 🔍 Stepping on a crack or threshold is considered taboo in many cultures, symbolizing the avoidance of 'in-between' spaces that could be dangerous or transformative.
• 🪞 Breaking a mirror is seen as bad luck because it disrupts the reflection of reality, suggesting a belief in the power of symbolic representation.
• ⚡ Walking under a ladder is associated with bad luck, possibly because it represents walking in the shadow of hierarchy or death.
• 🧂 Spilling salt is viewed as an omen of death, as it symbolizes the dispersion of unity into chaos.
• 🐱 The black cat as a symbol of bad luck might relate to the idea that focusing attention on negative things can bring them into reality.
• 🤝 Superstitions, like handshakes, are ritual behaviors that train us to act in certain ways, promoting a form of discipline and mindfulness.
• 🛡 The act of securing one's home, such as locking the door, is a behavioral pattern that demonstrates care and can deter negative outcomes, even if not through direct causality.
• 🕊️ Ritual behaviors, such as house blessings, are believed to have a positive impact on the home's atmosphere and the residents' well-being, even if not through physical barriers.
• 🧘‍♂️ The speaker suggests that superstitions are not just irrational beliefs but have a purpose in shaping behavior and fostering a sense of order and discipline.
• 🌐 Superstitions are seen as a form of 'meta' behavior, where certain actions or avoidances are believed to prevent negative outcomes, reflecting a deeper psychological or spiritual understanding.

Q & A

What is the general theme of the superstitions discussed in the transcript?

The general theme is that superstitions often reflect deeper symbolic meanings and behaviors aimed at avoiding negative outcomes or 'bad luck.' They serve as ritualistic actions that can train people to behave in certain ways, even if the causality is not direct.

How does the speaker explain the superstition of stepping on a crack?

Stepping on a crack is linked to the idea of avoiding intermediary spaces, which are often seen as dangerous or taboo. The speaker connects this to a broader cultural notion of respecting boundaries and thresholds, as these spaces represent areas where identities can blur and chaos can ensue.

What is the symbolic significance of breaking a mirror, according to the speaker?

Breaking a mirror symbolizes bad luck because it represents breaking the reflection of reality. Mirrors reflect the world, and breaking them metaphorically disrupts this reflection, leading to negative consequences.

Why is walking under a ladder considered bad luck?

Walking under a ladder is seen as bad luck because a ladder represents a hierarchy. Going under it instead of ascending implies a rejection of that hierarchy, placing oneself in the shadow or lower part of the structure, which symbolizes danger or death.

What does spilling salt symbolize in terms of superstition?

Spilling salt represents a loss of unity or cohesion, spreading something pure and preservative (like salt) into a chaotic state. This dispersion symbolizes a move from order to disorder, which is considered unlucky.

How does the speaker interpret the superstition surrounding black cats?

The speaker suggests that the superstition around black cats is tied to the idea of focusing on negative aspects or symbols of death. By paying attention to them, one might inadvertently bring bad outcomes into existence, much like how excessive focus on illness can lead to hypochondria.

What is the broader function of superstitions, according to the speaker?

Superstitions function to train behavior in ways that can prevent negative outcomes. They often involve avoiding certain actions or respecting symbolic boundaries, fostering a discipline that can lead to careful and mindful behavior.

How does the speaker relate superstitions to ritualistic behaviors like handshakes?

The speaker compares superstitions to rituals like handshakes, which may seem irrational but serve to establish trust and social cohesion. Both superstitions and rituals engage in patterns of behavior that help shape actions and attitudes.

Why does the speaker believe that superstitions should be taken seriously?

The speaker argues that superstitions, having been passed down through generations, have been 'selected for' and carry valuable lessons or behaviors. They are not arbitrary but have emerged over time to guide actions and prevent harm.

How does the speaker differentiate between the mechanical and symbolic effectiveness of rituals and superstitions?

The speaker distinguishes between the lack of mechanical causality (e.g., salt physically preventing entry) and the symbolic or psychological impact. Rituals and superstitions may not work through direct physical means but influence behavior, perception, and the maintenance of a certain order or attentiveness.

Outlines

00:00

🔮 The Coherence of Superstitions

The speaker delves into the symbolism and meaning behind common superstitions such as stepping on cracks, breaking mirrors, walking under ladders, and spilling salt. They suggest that these superstitions have been passed down through centuries and are coherent in their meanings, often related to avoiding 'in-between' spaces or actions that reflect a disruption in the natural order. The discussion also touches on the psychological impact of these beliefs, suggesting that they serve as a form of behavioral training to avoid negative outcomes and to cultivate a certain level of attention and respect for the world around us.

05:01

🧙‍♂️ The Functionality of Superstitions in Behavior and Perception

This paragraph explores the functional aspect of superstitions, positing that they serve as a form of behavioral conditioning. By adhering to superstitious beliefs, individuals are trained to be more cautious and mindful, which can indirectly influence their actions and the way they are perceived by others. The speaker also addresses the idea that superstitions have persisted because they have a social and psychological function, rather than a direct causal effect. They argue that the rituals and behaviors associated with superstitions create a sense of discipline and order, which can have a positive impact on one's life.

10:02

🛡️ The Role of Ritual and Discipline in Protecting Against Misfortune

The final paragraph discusses the idea that certain behaviors, such as securing one's home or engaging in rituals, can create a perception of security and order. While acknowledging that these actions do not provide a mechanical barrier against misfortune, the speaker suggests that they do contribute to a psychological state of preparedness and caution. This, in turn, can influence the likelihood of negative events occurring. The discussion also touches on the power of ritual and the symbolic actions taken to express care and intention, suggesting that these can have a real, albeit not directly causal, impact on one's life.

Keywords

💡Superstition

Superstition refers to a belief or practice that is not based on reason or scientific knowledge but is maintained by tradition or community practices. In the video, superstitions are discussed as coherent systems of meaning that have been passed down through generations. Examples given include stepping on a crack, breaking a mirror, and walking under a ladder, all of which are considered to have symbolic meanings and associated behaviors that aim to avoid bad luck.

💡Coherent

Coherent, in the context of the video, means that superstitions have a consistent and logical structure of meaning, even if their origins or reasons are not always clear. The speaker argues that the persistence of superstitions over time suggests that they serve a deeper, underlying purpose, such as teaching caution or respect for certain spaces and actions.

💡Threshold

A threshold is a physical or metaphorical boundary or starting point. In the video, it is mentioned as a sacred and taboo space that should not be stepped on, reflecting the idea that transitional areas between spaces or states are powerful and require respect. This concept is used to explain why stepping on a crack or threshold is considered unlucky.

💡In-between Spaces

In-between spaces are areas that exist between two distinct points or states. The video discusses these spaces as potentially dangerous or transformative, where one's identity or reality might be challenged or 'devoured.' This concept is used to explain the superstitions around stepping on cracks or thresholds, suggesting that these actions invite misfortune by disrupting the natural order.

💡Mirror

In the video, a mirror is used as a symbol for the reflection of reality. Breaking a mirror is considered unlucky because it is seen as shattering the reflection of one's life or the world, which can be interpreted as a disruption of the natural order or a bad omen for the future.

💡Ladder

A ladder in the video is discussed as a symbol of hierarchy or ascension. Walking under a ladder is considered bad luck because it is seen as walking in the shadow of the hierarchy, which is associated with death or the absence of divine ascent, thus inviting misfortune.

💡Spilling Salt

Spilling salt is mentioned as a superstition that symbolizes the loss of unity or preservation. Salt is also associated with purity and preservation, so when it is spilled, it is seen as a sign of disorder or the potential for destruction, which can bring bad luck.

💡Black Cat

The black cat is discussed as a symbol of death or bad luck in some cultures. In the video, it is suggested that the superstition around black cats might be related to the idea of attention and focus. If one pays too much attention to negative things, they may manifest, which is a concept related to the idea of manifesting one's thoughts or fears into reality.

💡Ritual

Rituals are formalized actions or series of actions that are performed according to a tradition. In the video, rituals are discussed as patterns of behavior that train individuals to act in certain ways, such as being careful with certain objects or spaces, which can influence their overall approach to life and potentially affect their luck or fortune.

💡Handshake

A handshake is mentioned as an example of a ritual that signifies trust and agreement. In the video, it is used to illustrate how seemingly irrational or superstitious behaviors can have a deeper social function, such as establishing trust and cooperation between individuals.

💡Darwinian Rationalists

Darwinian rationalists refer to individuals who adhere to a rational, evidence-based approach to understanding the world, often associated with evolutionary theory and the survival of the fittest. In the video, they are contrasted with those who take superstitions seriously, suggesting that superstitions have persisted because they serve a purpose in shaping behavior and thought.

Highlights

Superstitions have coherent meanings and are transmitted over centuries, indicating a meta-level significance.

Avoiding intermediary spaces, such as not stepping on a crack or threshold, is common across cultures and symbolizes humility and avoiding the 'in-between' spaces.

Breaking a mirror is associated with bad luck due to the disruption of reality's reflection.

Walking under a ladder symbolizes walking in the shadow of hierarchy and possibly associating with death.

Spilling salt represents the spread of death and the loss of unity, as it disperses from one to many.

The black cat as a symbol of bad luck may relate to attention and the manifestation of negative thoughts.

Superstitions are not directly correlated but function on a meta-level, influencing behavior and attention.

Ritual behaviors, like handshakes, train individuals to engage in patterns that can influence their actions and perceptions.

Being careful with certain actions, such as not spilling salt, can lead to a broader sense of carefulness in life.

Superstitions are seen as selected behaviors that have persisted over time, suggesting they serve a purpose in training behavior.

The discussion on the function of superstitions emphasizes their role in creating discipline and shaping attention towards certain outcomes.

Locking the door is used as a metaphor for the discipline of action and how it can indirectly influence the likelihood of negative events.

Ritual behaviors, such as house blessings, are seen as expressions of care and cohesion, potentially influencing the home's environment.

The concept of 'ritual attention' is introduced as a focused form of attention that can have real effects on the world.

The speaker argues against a purely mechanical view of superstitions, suggesting they have a deeper, more significant impact.

The idea that 'if you attend too much to something, it will manifest itself' is presented as a psychological principle related to superstitions.

Superstitions are considered serious and should be understood for their function in training behavior towards certain outcomes.

Transcripts

for nine likes white Lawrence ask can

you talk about the symbolism of common

bad luck Superstition stepping on a

crack breaking a mirror walking under a

ladder black cat spilling salt Etc and

so you know the superstitions all have a

very uh all have a very coherent most of

them most of them you have to take for

granted actually that most superstitions

are quite coherent in terms of meaning

and uh this is might sound very weird

for people because the the fact that

such odd things and such odd behavior

are transmitted over sometimes centuries

if not Millennia means that there is

something there's a meta thing going on

in

superstitions uh you know which is that

there are certain images and there are

certain behaviors that if you avoid then

you avoid the worst uh and you can you

don't have to understand it through

direct causality you know if you're a

little bit more of a subtle thinker you

can understand that most of

these these uh these superstitions have

to do like I said with a kind of meta

level so let's look at the ones you said

so for example stepping on a crack

breaking air walking under a ladder so

all of these things you can see how

they're related to each other I hope

let's take the two first two ones so

stepping on a crack now it's not just

stepping on a crack like there are many

superstitions that have to do with not

stepping on an intermediary space so you

don't step on a crack you also don't

step on the threshold you you the

threshold is is sacred right the

threshold is taboo and you don't step on

the threshold this is like something

that's true in so many cultures uh where

when you pass the threshold you you know

people this idea that in some some

traditions like people make that the the

doors very short so that you would have

to bow when you cross a threshold uh

because there's a humility about the

place where you have to have a certain

humility about the in between places the

places where identities uh fall apart

and the the in between spaces because

that's like a monster that will devour

you

right the the the that which is the

breaking uh the the broken aspect of it

like the in between spaces is something

that if you're not careful can devour

because it expands hence postmodernism

you can expand the in between space uh

you know in order to to um in order to

uh Devour the identity right that's what

but I'm pretty much sure that's what

Zeno's Paradox is about as well you know

which is that if you expand the the the

intermediary the fraction if you if you

ex expand that and then if you move into

that too much and at some point the

identity stops to be possible uh and so

it's the same like so breaking mirror is

not that really complicated you know

it's it's you know you have an you have

an something which reflects reality and

you break it so why of course that would

cause bad luck because you're breaking

the reflection of the world uh the same

with walking under a ladder so a ladder

is a hierarchy and you you and so

instead of going up the ladder instead

of using the ladder then you kind of

walk in the shadow of the ladder maybe

that's a good way to understand it think

about like the image of the monks going

up the ladder of divine ascent and then

there's death under here and so death is

under the ladder because it's the shadow

of the hierarchy it's the it's the the

this part that's not in the hierarchy

it's the aspect that's not in the

hierarchy um etc etc and so you know the

same spilling salt right so you have

something that's together and then you

spill it and therefore it's it's an

image of death you you spread the one

into the many and it just then it just

gets everywhere and all of that

is all of that is bad luck um you know

and the black cat the that might be

harder for people to understand you know

but it could be other things but the

black cat is in the sense of in some it

has to do with

attention right it has to do with the

the

you know if you see something which is

an image of death it means that your

attention is falling on it so you could

say something like I mean you could tell

someone something like if you think of

being sick too much then you'll be sick

you know it's called hypochondria but

it's a real thing right if you if you if

you attend too much to something then it

will manifest itself you know it's kind

of like the reverse of the secret

whatever that that that thing that

happened in the early 2000s um and so I

think that most superstitions are

coherent but like I said it's not that

they it's not there's a direct

correlation it's in some ways it's kind

of like the way that I I've tried to

explain to you ritual in general and

also hand like a handshake for example

and so you could say you know how

ridiculous is the handshake it's like

the most superstitious thing in the

world will you just touch hands and now

your friends is that it like you touch

hands and your friends touch hands and

now you trust each other is that is that

is that how that works right how

ridiculous is that but it's it's it's

engaging in patterns of behavior that

then train you to to do things so you

could say so if you for example avoid

stepping on cracks if you avoid stepping

on the

threshold then you will

avoid expanding and you will avoid

attending to the in between

spaces you know if you are careful not

to break mirrors then you will in

general be careful not to break things

and not to break things that reflect

reality and so you'll have a type of

attention which will be which will be

careful with certain things so if you if

you're careful not to spill the salt you

know then you'll be careful not to spill

things and not just physically but let's

say you'll be careful not to spill

things in a bigger sense uh and the same

if you don't if you're taught not to

attend to the black cat like to not

notice the black cat um then maybe you

won't

you won't bring about things negative

things you won't bring

about you won't you'll let them go and

you won't attend to them too much to

kind of bring them into the world so

that's the way the Superstition

functions it's not

a you know you have to kind of see it at

a big at a bigger level uh and you know

and it's the same you know it's so funny

because the people that that hate

Superstition the most are usually kind

of darwinian type rationalists

it's like if there's anything that's

been selected for it's clearly

Superstition like there's anything

that's been selected for unconsciously

and that it's not been you know the the

whim of one person that like decided to

do it that way but is rather just this

emergent behavior that has been kind of

developed over centuries if if like I

said if not Millennia probably Millennia

then it's Superstition and therefore you

should take Superstition seriously uh

and try to kind of understand what it is

that they're doing what's their function

uh to create to train Behavior towards

towards certain things that's what I

think um yeah so Quinn wolf in the

comment says that spping on a crack is

too to spping on the threshold of of the

house it's the In Between Worlds yeah

that's exactly right you've got it so

good

call yeah why Lauren says spilling salt

is a loss of

preservation

um overuse turns into destruction maybe

I mean it's mostly about this the the

spread spring but it's true and it's

also cuz it's white like salt is white

and preserved like you said and it's

purifying and so if you kind of spread

if you drop it and it just goes all over

the place um yeah so good call folks all

right so Kyle Bing says what about salt

along windows and doors to keep out evil

yeah I mean the all of these make sense

you know uh all the gestures that we

that we do uh on purpose in order to

let's say put that keep out evil things

like putting you know like for example

house blessings in Orthodox Churches you

have holy oil that's put on the walls

um and you have uh you know holy water

that's put that's put and then the idea

for like you said like putting salt on

the window or something

um all of these I want to be careful

that people don't think that I'm saying

these aren't real like that they're

affected they're affected but they're

not affected through mechanical causes

obviously because

you know salt on a window is not going

to stop someone physically from from

coming into your house but there's

something it's some it has to do a lot

with like the proper attention and

ritual detent ritual attention is the

best type of attention because it is

it's really clean cut towards purpose

and

so okay so let me let say so let's

just just for for from secular point of

view right from a secular point of view

in

general is there more a chance that bad

things come into your house if you're

not careful and you don't

care then if you are and so you could

say so a good example would be locking

your door right it's like okay when you

go outside lock your door and You' think

who cares lock your door like does if

someone wants to come into your house

and you just lock the door do you think

it's going to stop them if they really

want to get in just a crowbar in in two

minutes with a crowbar and they'll be in

your house like it's not like you know

our houses aren't aren't castles you

know people could just get in and so but

then let me ask you this like if you're

someone who leaves your door open let's

say like literally leaves it open leaves

you go you go away you just leave your

door open or you don't close it or you

don't lock it or you leave all the

windows open and uh you know uh you

leave your stuff out on the lawn like

you you you leave your bike out on the

lawn you leave your like is there more

of a chance that you someone will steal

from you and the answer is yes there

isn't a mechanical causality between you

being not careful with your stuff and

then someone coming and stealing it but

there is a kind of discipline of action

which creates a discipline within

yourself then also a perception within

others that will that will help you and

will prevent you from being broken into

that doesn't mean you can that you'll

never be broken into no that's not how

it functions you know it's like human

things are not are not machines but

there are certain behaviors you can have

that will help and for example like

getting a blessing you know doing things

like that like getting your house

blessed doing all that stuff all of that

you know all of these ritual behaviors

towards uh let's say towards care and a

desire to express the cohesion of the

home and you know the direction of the

home towards God all of that will help

it will help uh and it's a real thing

it's a real change it's not I'm trying

to describe it bottom up and you have to

be careful when I describe something

bottom up I'm I'm not saying there's no

top down like blessings and curses and

prayers have real effect on the way the

world lays itself out so