Superstitions- C.A.

Superstitions

By Aldous Huxley

Critical Appreciation

In the essay, Superstitions, Aldous Huxley addresses, as the title suggests, the belief in superstitions. He explains that even today, in this so-called age of enlightenment, superstitions are common. Though these superstitions might be different in their appearance, they are still existent.

Huxley explains that superstitions are caused by states of the mind. Since these have not changed throughout history, it is only logical that they are still existent. The main emotions which cause superstitions to become rampant are fear and insecurity. Huxley points out that during the war, superstitions were very common and were given many powerful abilities. At this time, loss of life was common and people were constantly in a state of fear. As the war ended, people became relatively less fearful, so did superstitions but they never died out completely.

Huxley also destroys the notion that says that this is an enlightened age. Even though technology has greatly advanced, people still have the same states of mind and therefore are still superstitious. In fact, the only way this age is different from all the previous ones is that now superstitions are not coordinated with a religion anymore. The Catholic Church, Huxley explains, was instrumental in exploiting people by creating various superstitions. Now, this is not the case, but nevertheless the same kinds of superstitions still exist today.

One of these forms of superstitions is germs. Women, especially, try to get rid these invisible monsters in any way they can. They carry out crazy rituals, to counteract their influences, are always keen to destroy them wherever they can and live in never-ending fear of them at all times. For many, these are today’s superstitions. Huxley elegantly ends his with the following short sentence.

“The forms change, but the substance remains.”