Superstition

Superstition means unreasonable belief and fear of something unknown. The impact of this belief and fear is common not only among the illiterate, old and tribal people but even among the educated people and the people guided by rational thoughts. Superstitions are of various types and different people of different countries are influenced by these superstitions. Some people consider it a bad sign when someone sneezes, while going out. The cry of the lizard or a call from behind is considered to be the sign of something evil. Even the scientifically advanced Western people consider thirteen to be an unlucky number. Behind all these superstitions people may have some experience or some unreasonable belief which has been in common practice from generation to generation.

In fact every community is subject to superstition in some form or other. We cannot think of any person or any community being completely free from it.

It should not be our opinion that as superstition is natural to man, there is nothing to think about it. Shakespeare said that there are more things in heaven and earth thus are dreamt of in our philosophy. In fact sometimes such things happen which cannot be justified by reasons with limited human knowledge. But if it is found that the superstition proves harmful it should be our duty to shake off through reasons and settled opinions.