Superstitious Wishes

Superstitions invade our culture, but did you ever think about where they came from? USU folklorist Jeannie Thomas says that most folklore, legends and myths such as Friday the 13th, were essentially created by one religion demonizing another. To ward away the demons, our culture developed ways to keep the supposed evil at a distance, such as carrying a rabbit’s foot or throwing salt over the left shoulder. In reality, these are just ways of comforting the human psyche during times of stress or danger, or when we don’t have much control in life, said Thomas.

From “The History Behind our Fear of Freaky Friday 13th,” by Alicia Greenleigh, The Salt Lake Tribune, April 12, 2007. For more information, contact USU folklorist Jeannie Thomas [jthomas@english.usu.edu], 435-797-2736.