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Why does Friday the 13th, and not, say, Tuesday the 13th (which we all experienced uneventfully last month), fill us with terror and a sense of impending doom? Despite the definition of "superstition" as a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation (thank you Merriam-Webster) it's possible that at least a few of our superstitions are in fact meaningful, even practical or helpful. In honor of Friday the 13th, we've gathered the "truths" from around the Internet (and our own personal experience) behind the various superstitions that cause us to avoid ladders and black cats; eat apples daily; and hang on to those grimy old bunny paws just in case. Maybe, just maybe, there is rhyme beneath some of our reason. Or maybe we're nuts.
Black cats. It was believed that witches and demons could take the form of a black cat. More practically, however, do you really want to cross any cat's path? Making eye contact is so awkward. And then there's that thing about cats making you, actually, insane.
Walking under a ladder. Apparently, the open ladder form, or a triangle, is a symbol of life or possibly the Holy Trinity, something one does not want to tempt by walking through. However, more practically, people drop things from ladders, and an unsecured ladder in high winds can be dangerous indeed! Best to avoid at all costs. Pro tip: "If you do accidentally walk under a ladder, you can counter the bad luck by placing your thumb between your index and middle finger." And step lively.