There are quirks about being a human being that can simply never be fully understood. One of them is believing in superstitions and we think this makes the top five. The fact that there is no actual (not even teensy bit) justification for believing in superstitions makes this phenomenon even stranger.
On the surface, superstitions don’t really present any harm. But, many people have held tight onto certain superstitions and they’ve actually become a self-fullfilling prophesy. Here are 5 superstitions that people hold so true that it actually affects the economy, health, religion and our daily lives!
Friday The 13th
For a tattoo enthusiast, Friday the 13th is a great day to get a cheap tattoo. However, those who believe in the said superstition it’s an unlucky day. Mix in somebody who follows the superstition obsessively, and you’ve got yourself a disaster in the making.
Donald Dossey, founder of the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina says, “it’s been estimated that [U.S] $800 or $900 million is lost in business on this day because people will not fly or do business they would normally do.” Many people who believe in this superstition whole heartedly choose not to go to work, drive, shop, etc.
The impact of this superstition has even reached stock market as many stock traders who believe in this superstition withdraw themselves from trading. In fact, a mini stock market blunder occurred on Friday, October 13, 1989 with the Dow Jones closing at almost 7% down – although, we can confidently say that it had nothing to do with it being Friday the 13th. Even though the level of activity in the market lowers on this day, it is interesting to find that the returns seen have been slightly better than average days. According to ABC News, “stocks have shown an average positive return on Friday the 13ths of 58.6 percent from 1945-2011, according to the analysis, with an average Dow Jones Industrial Average daily return of 0.08%.”
The Black Cat (and dog)
The superstition surrounding black cats lead people to believe that they possess some form of vicious evil. Unfortunately, this drives many people to prefer cats of different colors – leaving black cats behind in shelters and unfortunately to their demise. This color based discrimination towards our feline friends has seeped into the realm of dogs, referred by animal shelters as the “black dog syndrome.”
This study shows that majority believe that black dogs (of the same breed) were not only seen to be less desirable adoptability wise, but also thought to be less friendly and more aggressive.
Your Zodiac Sign Is What Again?
“I’m a Taurus and you are an Aquarius, there is just no way we can ever work out.” You may yet to encounter someone so passionate about astrology, but folks with such devotion do exist. Now, don’t get us wrong, the traits observed in Zodiac signs may (or may not) help you identify who you are and can even help you overcome your weaknesses. But, it seems okay to say that there are enough things that people can be judged for in our society without adding zodiac signs to the list.
In China, many employers seek to hire candidates based upon their zodiac sign. A posting for a job can read, “Must be Libra, Aquarius, or Aries.” Interestingly, Virgos are considered to be least favorite of the signs; Felicia Jiang, founder of popular astrology website NoDoor.com states that, “Virgos are perfectionists, so they’ll often criticize other people.” So unfortunately, being born at a certain period of the year is also a requirement – talk about an unnecessary inconvenience.
The Yaoya Oshichi Story
A lot of elements of Chinese Astrology have found their way to Japan; not only do you get an animal to represent your traits, but you get an element also. Thought to have been born in 1666 AD, a girl named Yaoya Oshichi attempted arson in order to seek the attention of her true love; (let’s cut to the end) she got caught, given the death penalty and no surprise here, burned at the stake. Another important thing to note, her zodiac sign was Fire Horse.
This brings us to today, a world where women born under the Fire Horse sign are deemed dangerous and unlucky. In order to prevent girls being born under this sign, many people of Japanese decent decide not to have babies in the year of the Fire Horse. The year 1966 was the last recent Fire Horse year and records indicate that Japanese babies born during that year had significantly declined; even in high Japanese populated communities – ex. Hawaii and California. To add to this, infant mortality rates were significantly higher (for girl babies) when compared to the years before and after.
The next Fire Horse year is set to be for 2026.
The Evil Number 4?
The number 4 has been labelled with negative connotations in various Asian cultures; in fact, death and the number 4 are pronounced identically – “shi.” Real estate is the field this superstition has the biggest concern with. A report shows that houses in a Chinese neighborhood in Vancouver with the number 4 in it sold for about $8,000 less compared to identical houses in that neighborhood.
Interestingly, research has shown that Chinese and Japanese people have extremely high death rates on the 4th of a month when compared to Caucasian Americans. This can be linked with the psychological idea of “voodoo death”; the idea claims that death can be the result if someone is stressing/fearing at extremely high levels. Simply put, Asians are manifesting their deaths due to their fear of the number 4.
Also, buildings in Korea tend to use the letter F instead of 4 in the elevators – a concept similar to how many buildings in the United States don’t have the 13th floor.
What are some superstitions you have encountered that have left you speechless?