The Malevolent Sweater

Are you superstitious?

According to the Oxford Dictionary, the word superstitious is defined as "having or showing a belief in supernatural influences, especially as leading to good or bad luck."

These beliefs can be attributed to fear, ignorance, or a false connection between unrelated things.

Or, like Michael Scott from The Office, you might be a "little stitious." If you are, I suppose you say things like, "Bless you," after someone sneezes. Or maybe you avoid walking under ladders. And maybe you would NEVER open an umbrella while indoors.

Me? I remember hearing things like that as a child. We avoided stepping on cracks on the sidewalk, saying prayers after spilling salt, trying our best not to break mirrors (rowdy kids), avoiding black cats, and possessing a pink and red rabbit's foot as a keychain (gross- please, please tell me that thing was fake.)

Morris - our sweet black cat :)

While some of these are deliberate actions taken, I think I can safely say that many of these things are now largely attributed to habit.

Like, I'm pretty sure I said, "knock on wood," at least once this past week without thinking about it.

But what about the rest of society?

A quick search on this topic provides an incredibly wide range of stats: Anywhere between 25 and 97% of people in the U.S. identify as being superstitious.

Greater than 50% admit to knocking on wood (literally).

Younger people are more likely to be superstitious than older people.

More women than men are superstitious.

Some airlines report skipping the 13th row.

80% of buildings avoid a 13th floor.

And the list goes on and on.

Jane Risen is a professor of behavioral science at the University of Chicago who described the process of "dual thinking." In summary, people can recognize that their belief may be wrong, but they still act on it.

This is a concept I find intriguing. That, and the notion that acting on superstitions may relieve anxiety, and in doing so, provide a false sense of control that we all tend to seek.

And what about our posessions like clothes? Do people have superstitions regarding the clothes they wear?

Apparently, yes (i.e., wearing a new dress on a rainy day will bring bad luck.)

Moreover, some people associate certain garments with bad luck based on color, stains (specifically blood from a tailor), wearing clothes of the deceased or inside-out, or following an unpleasant experience.

So, am I one of these people?

Well, I am now.

On a chilly, rainy day in 2017, I was on my lunch break when a police officer hit my car from behind and pushed me into the car in front of me. I wasn't incredibly injured at the time, but the events would inevitably lead to my required neck surgery in 2019, a surgery that helped but has left lasting side effects.

You know those life events where you remember the exact time of day, the clothes you were wearing, or the exact place where you were? This was one of those times for me. As for my outfit, I was wearing a beige poncho style sweater with gold and gray stripes. Nothing special, but I loved how it looked - it was different - I had never seen a sweater quite like it.

Despite loving the outfit with the poncho sweater as the centerpiece, I inadvertently decided not to wear the sweater for some time. It sat in my closest, somehow not making a peep, until 2021.

On a seemingly mild weather day in 2021, I was leaving work, happy that I was wearing my unique poncho sweater again when I looked in my rearview mirror and noticed a police officer behind me. I was not speeding and was therefore not worried. Then, I noticed another cop car to my left. I wasn't worried then either, but suddenly felt that I had been blocked in. I told myself that this was an unrealistic thought because I had not done anything wrong. My peace lasted all the way up until the cop lights came on, I was pulled over, asked to step out of my car, and placed in handcuffs (and witnessed by a dear coworker.)

Yup.

So, what did I do, you ask?

Apparently, my information (or something) was linked to a man from close to my hometown who had an unpaid traffic violation from 1992. This incorrect number input is what landed me in handcuffs and almost extradited to another county. No need to point out that I was in preschool in 1992.

Yup. That, and the fact that I was wearing the same poncho sweater.

So, did I end up associating these events with that one sweater?

Yes.

Did I get rid of the sweater?

Very quickly.

Did it decrease my anxiety?

100%

But...I wish I had thrown the sweater away instead of donating it.

At the time, I was sure I was just being ridiculous.

But today, looking back? I disagree.

Today, I am feeling a little stitious.

Yup - this one.

Morris - our sweet black cat :)