Embrace The Supernatural Summary

According to the Webster Dictionary, the definition of a superstition is an “excessively credulous belief in and reverence for supernatural beings”. In The Article, “Embrace the Supernatural” by Thorin Klosowski, Dr. Vyse talks about ways superstitions can be helpful and damaging. Even though sometimes people think superstitions are crazy, they can give a sense of control when we are nervous. Dr. Vyse states, “Superstitious rituals can give us a sense of control when we’re feeling anxious or when we don’t have a lot of control over a situation. This illusory feeling of control can enhance real control and boost performance in some situations” (lines 211-217). For example, if someone needed to jump up and down three times before a performance and believe they will do perfectly, they are calming themselves down before the performance. A lot of the time, when we complete a ritual, we are in a situation where we are anxious and the ritual helps us focus and lets us calm down. Although rituals can have positive outcomes, lucky charms can boost our performance. “These subjects made 35 percent more successful putts. Feeling lucky gave them a better sense of self-efficacy...which then enhanced their performance

Dr. Vyse describes, “people invest a lot of money in lotteries thinking they can influence these things with rituals and luck. It’s good to boost your perception of control beyond reality a little bit, but everything needs to be within reason” (lines 283-289). This conveys that some people invest too much belief in superstitious rituals that they get a little unrealistic. For instance, Dr. Vyse gives a situation where a person thought if you didn't wear a specific tie everything would go wrong, but then that person loses that tie and they think their life is ruined. That person is beyond reality and now has anxiety because of that