Superstition is a belief or practice that revolves around the idea that certain events can be either good or bad, even when there is no scientific or logical reason to believe so. It often comes from cultural traditions, stories and can be in form of a mythical conception.
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Superstitions does not only exist in our cultural world but has also extended to the digital world. The online world, through messages or trends, has propagated irrational beliefs which tend to play on people's emotions. While many superstitions are harmless, they tend to influence people's decisions and emotions in an illogical manner. They create fear in the minds of people, shaping how people think and act.
Some years back, I remember coming across a post on Facebook. It was my first time using a smartphone, and I was really eager to explore the social media. The post had a cartoon picture which is believed to be Jesus, and on top of the picture this was written:
"Only a child of Satan would skip."
I was initially scared when I saw it because obviously, I do not want to be recognised as a child of Satan. After staring at the picture for a while, I said to myself,
"Will you stare at this picture all day and do nothing?"
I didn't even know when I scrolled past to enjoy my moments on Facebook. But, let's be honest, does this makes me a child of Satan? The answer is NO!
Another time, I came across another post which had two cartoon pictures placed side by side. One is a picture with a man on white garment and a white veil on his head. The other is a picture with a man on black garment and two horns on his head. While the former picture is presented as Jesus, the latter is presented as Satan. The heading of the post thus says:
"If you love Jesus like this post. Only those who would go to hell will skip."
This is funny, right?
In the real sense, if we are to critique the picture which has created an ideological representation of both Jesus and Satan, we would see that It's all wrong.
Has anyone seen Satan before? Do you know if he has horns or not? By the way, does skipping a post about Jesus makes us a child of the devil? The answer is NO!
I see this funny and weird digital superstitions as a means of gaining attention. Those creating messages, trends and pictures are doing all of these to see people's reactions. If you come across a post like this on Facebook, it is obvious that the person or the account that posted such is looking for either likes or followers.
However, while these digital superstitions may seem harmless on the surface, they are capable of posing negative effects such as misinformation, anxiety, security risks, fear, doubt, and the inability to control decisions.
You may also share your experience of any digital superstition you've ever encountered with the Digital Lifestyle Community.
Thanks for reading.