Science Says Superstitions Are Nonsense—But Why Am I Still Avoiding That Ladder?

Are you superstitious?

Am I superstitious? Hmm…

I pause for a moment, letting the question linger in my mind. It’s a simple one, yet complex in its implications. Superstition—an age-old belief system passed down through generations, often defying logic and science. Do I subscribe to it?

I grew up in a society where superstitions were woven into daily life. “Jangan duduk atas bantal, nanti bisul!” (Don’t sit on a pillow, or you’ll get boils!). “Jangan menyapu waktu malam, nanti rezeki lari!” (Don’t sweep the floor at night, or you’ll lose your fortune!). These warnings were given with such conviction that, as a child, I hesitated before dismissing them outright.

But then, science happened. Education happened. My logical mind took over. I pursued engineering, a field built on precision, facts, and repeatable results. Superstition had no place in an oscilloscope reading or a circuit analysis. It was either true or false, 1 or 0.

And yet…

I find myself occasionally hesitating when opening an umbrella indoors. I still feel a slight unease when someone breaks a mirror. Not because I truly believe in bad luck, but because the echoes of cultural conditioning run deep.

So, am I superstitious?

Not in the strictest sense. I don’t believe black cats bring misfortune, and I certainly don’t arrange my meetings based on astrology. But I do respect traditions, even the irrational ones, because they are part of our history, our upbringing, and sometimes, they bring comfort in an unpredictable world.

Maybe it’s not about belief, but about understanding why such beliefs exist. And in that sense, I suppose I am not superstitious—but I acknowledge the power that superstition holds over the human mind.