by Karen Shragg
The Britannica Dictionary defines a superstition as “a belief or way of behaving that is based on fear of the unknown and faith in magic or luck.” Our faith in growth as progress toward a better world is delusional on that level. It is pure superstition to believe that we can keep adding to our population and believe that life will be better for all. If one further defines superstition as a steadfast belief which causes unintended or intended suffering, then the addiction to a pattern of endless growth in a limited place certainly qualifies.
Wild animals have a superpower, but it is in the way they add diversity, beauty, and function to the natural world. Still here in 2022, with all we know about their fallacies, superstitions continue to harm our most amazing and rare species. It is estimated that 37 million seahorses end up being sold illegally due to the superstition in much of Asia that these remarkable and unusual fish promote virility and are a good luck symbol. In India superstition fuels the annual killing of more than 17,000 owls. The monitor lizard experiences the same precarious fate because of superstitions attached to its ability to help a woman conceive.
From Shark finning to the harvesting of Pangolins I could unfortunately go on and on about how these nearly extinct species are still being killed for the superpowers they are believed to have but do not possess. https://wildhub.community/posts/how-myths-and-superstitions-are-fueling-illegal-wildlife-trade-and-driving-wildlife-to-extinction?channel_id=capacity-development
The worship of growth is a prolific superstition embraced by nearly all cities, counties and countries wishing to attract development dollars to spruce up their decaying infrastructure with new high-rises and shopping malls.
Thanks for sharing