No need for superstition

I was driving in my car the other day and, as usual, I was listening to the radio. The on-air talent was reading the audience their individual horoscopes and as I listened, it seemed that each of them could've been applied to any given person. It fascinates me to know that people actually believe this stuff.

Why is it that people feel the need to believe in crazy things like horoscopes that supposedly predict their personalities and can even shed light on what might happen from day to day? These horoscopes are so vague that they can be interpreted in a number of ways. People read through the entire thing and acknowledge only the parts that apply to them, while ignoring all the parts that don't.

No one knows for sure what the future holds. At least no one currently has any real proof that he or she has the ability. Maybe people rely on superstition because they find some sort of comfort in dismissing what is sometimes a harsh reality.

The late astronomer and astrophysicist Carl Sagan once said, "Superstition is a natural refuge for people who are powerless." The people who don't have the power to think succumb to false notions like the messages found in fortune cookies and hang on every word spoken by omniscient tarot card readers.

I suppose people do this because it's rewarding to feel like we've satisfied the curiosity we have to discover the unknown.

It just irritates me when I see people freak out if someone opens an umbrella inside or if a black cat crosses their path. Have you ever broken a mirror? Did you have a case of bad luck for seven years? I highly doubt it.

These superstitions are ridiculous things to be afraid of so the next time you feel the need to grab your rabbit's foot, leave it at home.