Who is afraid of black or white--or red? -2

Confusion and superstitions

Before the readers think that I am a new

fortune-teller or feng shui expert on the block (as

any Chinese would be asked about these things),

let me assure you that I was brought up in a family

where we were not aware of any superstitious

beliefs. There had been no instructions or ban on

any color. Colors are for visual pleasures and

comfort. Therefore, it was rather a mystery for me

why people believe that certain objects or colors

could have so much power on their lives.

Superstitions abound in our very gullible society.

We are more than willing to adopt any beliefs from

the different cultures we come in touch with -

Spanish, Chinese, American - and make up the

unique Pinoy version of superstitions. It is as if the

more superstitions one believes in, the safer and

the more secure he is. And as for the Chinoy, we

can't quite make up our minds whether to follow

the traditional Chinese or the Western customs,

thus eliminating both black, and white from our

wardrobe.

With the samples I mentioned about colors, we can

observe that even in only on one area of customs,

the different cultures contradict each other's

beliefs. And even within a single culture, the same

color could mean opposite when applied to

different situations. This does not mean, however,

that I approve of offending someone by our lack of

respect for his beliefs. Even when I don't believe in

the role colors play in our lives, I still need to be

sensitive to another person's feelings. In a local

print shop in Manila, a wedding invitation had this

sentence added: "Please refrain from wearing

black". Many dinner guests, apparently for the love

of fashion, had somehow offended the celebrants

by their ignorance of or indifference to traditions

and customs.

For courtesy's sake

Observing traditions or customs for other people's

sake is a form of courtesy. Arriving on time and

using the right utensils are good manners. They

don't bring bad luck or good fortune to the other

party. I believe we are controlled by a greater

power than ourselves- certainly not objects,

dates, or colors. But imposing extra powers on

events, objects, and colors, men have made

customs into superstitions; and superstitions, in

turn, have strengthened traditions. Both traditions

and superstitions are man-made in a particular

society. There is no universal agreement across

diverse cultures, and no universal laws to legalize

traditions.

My mother-in-law had only elementary education.

But she said it well: Superstitions are like ropes we

tie around ourselves. The more loops we tie, the

tighter we get locked in, and the less free we can

move.