The Paradox of Superstition

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Logic/higher thinking tells us that things like curses, spirits, etc. don't exist because they defy the laws of physics/reality. But our survival instincts tell us to believe in them, because not being wary of them supposedly makes us vulnerable. That's how I view the subject. To compromise, I try to base my behavior on solid facts while also keeping my mind somewhat open to the possibility of supernatural things/events.

Anyone do the same?

Well, first... I'm a believer of the multiverse including the existence of fictional characters residing on different planets. I also believe in the existence of ghosts/spirits, demons, aliens, lizard people, angels, vampires and the like and sometimes I practice witchcraft. I was also once a theistic satanist and I do telepathic communications with otherworldly beings.

If this doesn't tell you that I'm at least open to that idea and have a strong sense of awareness for the supernatural and things most people consider to not exist, then I don't know what will.

MariaTheFictionkin,

Sorry if this is prying, but I'm curious: You say you communicate with otherworldly beings telepathically. What sorts of things do they tell you?

Well, some tell me how their day was, sometimes asking me how mine was, what I'm doing and feeling, their favorite food, if they're are happy, sad, hungry etc. It's nothing really different from chatting with a friend or significant other. They just come from different worlds and many are not human so so their lives and views may be a bit different from the average earthly human's. None of the otherworldly (my soulbonds) talk in a 'scripture' sort of way, at least the kind of individuals I'm associated with. Other people can have different experiences.

Interesting. Were you born with these abilities, or did you learn them somehow?

Umm... I don't know when I started, it was just something I began to naturally do years ago. With more practice and research over the years regarding telepathy, it started to become an instantaneous - second nature sort of thing. It became more prominent when I was 13 when began my ever lasting relationship with ShadowTheFluffhog.

I don't really consider this an ability that only a few are born with. I believe people have the potential to do what I and other people who have soulbonds, tulaps and talk to higher beings do. It just takes practice, motivation and a purpose.

I've never heard of this. It sounds like a very interesting life. I don't think I want to pursue it, since having a constant mental link to someone would likely make it hard to get alone time (which I value), but I've enjoyed reading what you've explained. Thanks for the learning.

Just sounds like the intellectual and the primal. Our intellect tells us that sound has a reasonable explanation, our hairs standing on end is the primal telling us we might be in danger. Animals of course are primal rather than intellectual. That's why a cat sitting in your lap will all of a sudden act like something is in the room or a dog will suddenly bark at nothing there. Are they reacting to the supernatural or just hearing a mouse in the wall?

Cats react strongly to many things in their environment--even things which we humans might not perceive. They react, primarily, because of their strong sense of hearing.

Just because we can't perceive it doesn't mean it's "supernatural."

Where's the paradox? -
Superstitions are basically mental pattern recognition working with noisy and incomplete data.
But apparently, from an evolutionary standpoint, that's better than not having pattern recognition at all.

On the extreme of the spectrum, overactive and uncontrolled pattern recognition is called paranoid schizophrenia.
Seeing connections where there are none is called apophenia.

But finally: curses and superstitions are also narrative constructs to make intuitive knowledge accessible, meaning: traditional medicine might be aware of the medical benefits of, say, a certain plant - but there's mo way to express it through biochemistry. So the connection gets illustrated through magic and fairies and whatnot. Which is badically a tool to remember the medicinal activity of the plant. - and of course, if the illustration is mistaken for the thing, new connections, derived from the illustration, are being made, and 1970 years later you arrive at a point where the vatican is in the tough spot of having to deal with two official holy relics of jesus' foreskin.

This.

Plus, if I were to consider the possibility of physicalism/materialism being the right way to view the world, for the things I've seen and experienced, I have to go non-reductive from the standpoint that I'm suspicious that higher-order organizations do take on qualities of their own that aren't necessarily explainable in the sum of their parts.

Even with my intuition to that extent though I would agree with the primary aim of thought - ie. that people are almost never terribly in danger of getting obsessed, possessed, or harassed by anything, you probably have better odds of getting hit by lightning regardless of what kind of life you live (the closest thing I can think of that seems to have such cause and effect relationship is that addicts tend to draw things to them that snowballs both their reward, addictive behavior, and decline). Similarly when one tries to look for persuasive risk patterns which would put one in the way of 'spiritual' predation there really isn't much satisfactory data.