By: Nosipho Ntombela

Unfounded belief, credulity, fallacy, delusion, illusion, magic, sorcery, humbug or hooey are the other words used to describe superstitions, which is a belief based on fear or ignorance
and not on the laws of science.

Bafana Miya, on Facebook believes that superstitions are a way to respect some of the things in life even though they are not true.

“Our elders threatens us by intimidating us using these superstitions,” said Miya.

An example of superstition is thinking its bad luck to walk under a ladder.

There are many types of superstations like the old wives tales, folklore, bizarre beliefs, taboos, and omens, lucky & unlucky things.

Journalismiziko took it upon themselves to ask people on social media, on which superstitions they believe not to be true.

Khanyisani Ndebele (22), said on Instagram, “Superstitions do no work, and they were created to maintain discipline and respect.

For example, if you eat in a pot, it will rain on your wedding day or your children will have big heads. I think they used that to stop us for eating from a pot.”

“Not sure if Karma is a superstition, but I know that what goes around, does come around. Just like when your hand is itchy, that means you will get money,” said Muzi H. Ngwenya on
Facebook.

According to Live Science site, many superstitions stem from the same human trait that causes us to believe in monsters and ghosts: When our brains can’t explain something, we

make stuff up. In fact, a 2010 study found that superstitions can sometimes work because believing in something can improve performance on a task.

Sphephelo Mkhize, a Facebook user said, “If you wear one shoe one of your parents will die, or you should not open an umbrella inside the house, and not just because you’ll poke someone’s eye out. According to the elders opening an umbrella indoors will bring bad luck.”

Mkhize said that this tale was made up of a tale she read as a young man about a story of an ancient Roman woman who happened to have opened her umbrella moments before her
house collapsed, to the tale of a British prince who accepted two umbrellas from a visiting king and died within months.

Nqobile Mawenza Molefe, thinks that if your eye twitches it means you are going to see someone who you’ve long awaited.

“If you take a picture with someone your dating and you’ll aren’t married yet it means you putting your relationship in jeopardy and you’ll will not get married.

Just like when you bite yourself it means people are talking about your your ear is itching. I believe superstitions are planted in us at a young age so that we don’t forget or take certain things for granted,” explained Molefe.

Bruce M. Hood wrote a book titled Super Sense: Why We Believe in the Unbelievable. In this book he speaks about how our minds are designed from the very start to think there are
unseen patterns, forces, and spirits living the world.

Hood says it is unlikely that any effort to get rid of supernatural beliefs, or the superstitious behaviours that our thoughts has accompanied, are successful.  He said that these common beliefs and sacred values are essential in binding us together as a society because they help us to see ourselves connected to each other at a deeper level.