Knock wood!
Today is Friday the Thirteenth. The last one came up in September and we'll see the next in June of 2003. I don't know why I pay so much attention to the (many) superstitions our culture has embedded in us. Even if you don't believe in them, I'd be willing to bet you take a second out of your day to contemplate whether you should walk under or around the ladder, if you should toss a grain or two of spilled salt over your shoulder or just exactly why you're compelled to tap on the nearest piece of wood when you want to shield yourself and your loved ones from the unfortunate incident you just spoke of.

I understand these customs arose from a society that was largely ignorant. A culture that relied on a few educated leaders could pretty much be coerced into believing anything. But how does that explain today's thriving superstition business? Are our responses simply learned at such a young age, we fail to notice they don't actually serve any purpose? Or are they still somehow a comforting gesture in this world so technologically advanced that the individual seems to have lost all control?

Have we come full circle?

Enjoy your day :)

Posted at 9:52 a.m.