Superstition Is Deeper Than You Think 😱 #shorts

Are we all superstitious? What does this behavior say about human psychology?

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[FrowzySquirrel]

Prof. Dave making science shorts is amazing and I'm here for it

[AliUguz]

I think the root cause for most people is the lack of a logical understanding of the world. So they latch on to ideas and philosophies without any sort of evidence because it gives them the feeling of direction and purpose.

[stephenandrusyszyn]

I think that (faulty) pattern matching also plays a big role, particularly when it is combined with selection bias and confirmation bias.

[Theboneroomreal]

I know superstition is silly but I still throw salt over my shoulder and won't walk under ladders because it's fun.

[synthetic]

I play D&D with my friends and have for decades. There's definitely some superstition involved. The red d20s hit more often, "testing" a die can only harm your luck because it will only perform in battle, never say "this'll be easy".

[WhkFinatic]

I love these! Definitely should do more. ❤

[peanutworshiper]

I spent most of my life Ad a Orthodox Jew and was very superstitious however professor Dave and others opened my mind to other perspectives and now I’m a science nerd and a atheist so thank you professor Dave and atm it is Saturday so I’m enjoying some pot lol

[colorvoid]

wow it's so cool that you're making shorts now!!!!

[aspectb]

One of the most interesting superstitions we have in the UK is 'never walk over 3 drains'. If you see 3 drains in conjunction on the pavement you MUST walk around them or DIE.

Perhaps somebody fell down one of the drains.

Two other superstitions I find obvious is 'don't walk past somebody on the stairs' and 'never walk under a ladder'. Both common UK superstitions.

Obviously, some people tripped over each other while walking past each other on the stairs, and perhaps in the case of the ladder, a painter or other workman, dropped their paint pot or hammer onto the head of somebody walking beneath.

Finally, another superstition I find fascinating : in the USA a black cat crossing your path is unlucky while in the UK it WAS LUCKY up until about 20 years ago when American culture pervaded UK culture with Halloween to a point that now it has become UNLUCKY for a black cat to cross your path. This is particularly unlucky for black cats who have found themselves the misfortune of being adopted less and less from cat shelters.

I thought you might find this cultural information interesting Dave. Thank you for the fantastic videos, you're a modern-day Saint and Pariah in the name of truth and science and we love you for it man ❤

[theaviator]

I like to claim that I’m not a superstitious person, even that I don’t even really believe in “luck” or “fortune.” But there’s one thing I always tend to do out of nervousness for the future…

Because my life involves traveling overseas quite frequently, and I’m a big aviation nerd (one who watches air disaster videos a lot), I always knock twice on the outside of a plane before stepping inside.

Why? Because it makes me feel more comfortable. I know it doesn’t actually change anything, I know it’s pretty much a placebo effect, but something about it just gets pressure off my shoulders.

It’s strange, because there is literally not a *single* other similar behavior that I do for any reason. Anyway, cheers, Professor Dave. I’m excited you’re delving into the world of Shorts, it makes me realize I also just really the way you pronounce words.

[RF_N]

this is a momentous day everyone, he uploaded a _shorts_ for the first tim

[moonshoes]

I sometimes knock on wood…with zero expectation that is does anything but make me laugh at myself for doing so.
But I do it anyways, sometimes.

[Soapy-chan_old]

Many people also do it because of OCD or their OCD developed based on superstition, I know some people who had something bad happen because they didn't do something and so they now do these things to prevent the bad thing happening and even though they might not believe it completely, their OCD and anxiety disorder still makes them do it.

[spankduncan]

I have knocked on wood and the dashboard of my car as a physical movement to express my hope that what I want to happen will happen. Never have I believed that those actions would have any effect on what nature would do. That action did cause me to be thoughtful and aware of my actions and the world around me. That awareness may have helped me to keep nature from beating me to a pulp. So far so good, fingers crossed of course.

[XXavierSin-XXs]

I only do it because it's fun, not because I believe in it.

Specifically things like knocking on wood, or saying Jinx. It's old traditions my grandfather did and I found then entertaining, even if I know it has no basis on my life in actuality.

[ajaxwillis]

While I've never done the superstitions things that are accepted as being superstition; I was raised Christian. So, I did the superstition commonly known as prayer. Until I came to realise that there is no such thing as god I was a heavy prayer.

[ajhoward]

Superstition is being obsessed with bad math.

[mr.cauliflower]

I did knock on wood, but rather as a display, not as an actual spell

[angelofeffektd]

Do we?
Under my rock human behavior tends to be different.
Unfortionaly I am the only one living there.

[Zanzopan]

Maybe when I was a kid but never since at least high school cannot I recall doing anything due to superstition. I have done things because others were superstitious though. Mainly to keep relationships (family, friends and even gf 2 times). I have used superstitious acts like "knock on wood" or throwing salt over your shoulder for jokes and humor. But can't remember doing something due to belief in the superstition myself.