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How did the superstition that broken mirrors cause bad luck start and why does it still exist?

  • Written by Barry Markovsky, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Sociology, University of South Carolina
How did the superstition that broken mirrors cause bad luck start and why does it still exist?Damaging a mirror was believed to invite the wrath of the gods in ancient cultures.Fairfax Media via Getty Images

Every human culture has superstitions. In some Asian societies people believe that sweeping a floor after sunset brings bad luck, and that it’s a curse to leave chopsticks standing in a bowl of rice. In the U.S., some people panic...

Read more: How did the superstition that broken mirrors cause bad luck start and why does it still exist?

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