This might be a fun one.
There's a bit in the AOS book where Baker is talking about how much of a 'thing' superstition was in Spare's era:
"Superstition of one sort and another was also rife in working class London. People might attend Church, as a one-off event, not because they were Christians but to 'change their luck'. Lucky horseshoes were widespread, along with elephant charms (still sold by hawkers door to door in the 1960s and perhaps later). Spilling salt was unlucky, along with the colour green, crossing on the stairs, crossed knives and forks, scissors or penknives as gifts, and passing a cross-eyed person - or a black cat - in the street. A picture falling from the wall foretold a death in the household. "
I used to have the salt one, like if I was cooking, I used to throw excess salt over my shoulder.
And I also had a thing about cracks in the road when I was younger.
Another was not to talk under bridges if there was a train going over, as it would cause the bridge to fall.
My wife doesn't like flying and always orders a tomato juice on flights as a lucky charm.
My mum has loads, won't do anything important on a Thursday, for example.
My auntie is superstitious around scissors, doesn't like it if you do 'empty' cuts, like if you have the scissors in your hand and just cut the air.
Baker quotes Oscar Wilde, from a letter he wrote to a guy who'd set up a society where they flouted superstitions on purpose. He wrote to Wilde to join, and this is what Wilde said:
"They are the colour element of thought and imagination. They are the opponents of common sense. Common sense is the enemy of romance. The aim of your society seems to be dreadful. Leave us some unreality."
There's a bit in the AOS book where Baker is talking about how much of a 'thing' superstition was in Spare's era:
"Superstition of one sort and another was also rife in working class London. People might attend Church, as a one-off event, not because they were Christians but to 'change their luck'. Lucky horseshoes were widespread, along with elephant charms (still sold by hawkers door to door in the 1960s and perhaps later). Spilling salt was unlucky, along with the colour green, crossing on the stairs, crossed knives and forks, scissors or penknives as gifts, and passing a cross-eyed person - or a black cat - in the street. A picture falling from the wall foretold a death in the household. "
I used to have the salt one, like if I was cooking, I used to throw excess salt over my shoulder.
And I also had a thing about cracks in the road when I was younger.
Another was not to talk under bridges if there was a train going over, as it would cause the bridge to fall.
My wife doesn't like flying and always orders a tomato juice on flights as a lucky charm.
My mum has loads, won't do anything important on a Thursday, for example.
My auntie is superstitious around scissors, doesn't like it if you do 'empty' cuts, like if you have the scissors in your hand and just cut the air.
Baker quotes Oscar Wilde, from a letter he wrote to a guy who'd set up a society where they flouted superstitions on purpose. He wrote to Wilde to join, and this is what Wilde said:
"They are the colour element of thought and imagination. They are the opponents of common sense. Common sense is the enemy of romance. The aim of your society seems to be dreadful. Leave us some unreality."
