> The question is "Does belief define reality, or
> reality define belief"?
> In Glorantha the answer is "Yes"
Surely if you're using HQ, it's "yes, but"? :)
> but most beliefs
> are probably there because of reality.
"But" - possibly not the reality the believers think it is.
> So if a broken mirror causes seven years of bad
> luck, there is probably some
> *thing* that is offended by breaking a mirror that
> curses you.
And it may not be the "thing" you think it is. And the rituals you go through that you think appease it may in fact be strengthening its enemy, the one you didn't know about. Just a little bit more of that, and war is going to break out, and you'll be right in the middle :)
> (Clapping keeps away elephants. No, really it
> does. See any Elephants around here?).
No, because you can't see them. They're all hiding upside down in bowls of custard with their feet painted yellow. (Who else is old enough to remember that joke?)
If you want a superstition that really isn't based on anything, it's worth remembering that this sort of negative logic is the easiest way to do it. No-one's going to stop clapping: it's easy, and you never know.
Then again... what supernatural entity has moved into the area recently because it *likes* clapping? Who believes in fairies?
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