Transterrestrial Musings




Defend Free Speech!


Amazon Honor System Click Here to Pay




Site designed by


Powered by
Movable Type 4.0
Biting Commentary about Infinity, and Beyond!

« Summits With Dictators | Main | Expelled Exposed »

The Logic Of Superstition

For what it's worth, I set my watch to the destination time zone when they close the plane doors.

 
 

5 Comments

Rick C wrote:

I probably shouldn't admit this but I haven't worn a watch in at least 10 years. I let my phone be my watch, and it auto-updates the time.

Leland wrote:

I think the good doctor's "clock setting" is superstitious. However, the analogy about tempting fate seems more like simple risk aversion. If you hear a forecast of rain, it is not simply tempting fate to go out without an umbrella. Then again, I'm use to not trusting the weatherman, and reading the radar myself.

FWIW, I typically don't set my watch until we land, because I don't consider myself at the destination (new time zone) until then.

Ryan Olcott wrote:

As soon as the doors close and we start to back away from the gate, I become narcoleptic.

Time Zone wise, like Rick I've simplified down to just my cell phone, and haven't worn watches for years.

I do remember though, many years ago, being hesitant to "tempt fate", and the subsequent illogical belief that divine intervention had somehow spared me from folly when I escaped a tempted fate unscathed. Nevermind that the chance of my being 'punished' by fate was typically much less than 50%.

For that reason I think this type of superstition does a good job of reinforcing a persons egocentric beliefs.

Daveon wrote:

I set my watch. It find it's the only way to really deal with the Jet lag confusion if I'm not in the nice seats.

Josh Reiter wrote:

I admit that I have become quite superstitious when it comes to my sports teams as of late. Like in the Dallas Mavericks game 1 against New Orleans. Dallas was up by like 20 points and then I started watching the game towards the end of the 3rd quarter. I jinxed the team as soon as I started watching and New Orleans took advantage and made an enormous come back. So, its my fault, sorry Dallas.

Leave a comment

Note: The comment system is functional, but timing out when returning a response page. If you have submitted a comment, DON'T RESUBMIT IT IF/WHEN IT HANGS UP AND GIVES YOU A "500" PAGE. Simply click your browser "Back" button to the post page, and then refresh to see your comment.
 

About this Entry

This page contains a single entry by Rand Simberg published on May 8, 2008 10:06 AM.

Summits With Dictators was the previous entry in this blog.

Expelled Exposed is the next entry in this blog.

Find recent content on the main index or look in the archives to find all content.

Powered by Movable Type 4.1