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ChangingMinds Blog! > Blog Archive > 02-Jan-09

Friday 02-January-09

New year, tradition and superstition

It's the new year, so the first thing I must do, dear reader, is to wish you a very happy new year. I've welcomed first footers with lumps of coal, sung 'Auld lang syne' and made a resolution which I cannot tell a soul.

Yes, new year is one of those moments when those two jolly bedfellows, tradition and superstition, come knocking at my door, both of which are characterized as encapsuling quaint rules that must be followed without fail, lest 'bad things' befall.

Tradition happens when I do something because it has 'always' been done. Superstition happens when I do something to encourage good luck or stave off misfortune. Both are based in blind belief as opposed to experience or scientific knowledge.

Also interesting is the way some people tend towards such belief, ascribing events to external, mysterious forces, whilst others feel they are in charge of their own fate. This can have a big impact on how you persuade. For the 'scientific', you might explain rational cause and effect, whilst you might talk more with the 'superstitious' about ritual and luck.

May all your wishes for the year come true and may you succeed in your loftiest resolution.

Your comments

I think the New years resolution tend to be a spur of the moment thing. Checkout an article I wrote about the New years resolution: http://www.enterdablogger.com/new-years-resolution-bail-out/2009/

-- D J

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Site Menu

| Home | Top | Quick Links | Settings |

Main sections: | Disciplines | Techniques | Principles | Explanations | Theories |

Other sections: | Blog! | Quotes | Guest articles | Analysis | Books | Help |

More pages: | Contact | Caveat | About | Students | Webmasters | Awards | Guestbook | Feedback | Sitemap | Changes |

Settings: | Computer layout | Mobile layout | Small font | Medium font | Large font | Translate |

Please help and share:

Quick links

Disciplines

* Argument
* Brand management
* Change Management
* Coaching
* Communication
* Counseling
* Game Design
* Human Resources
* Job-finding
* Leadership
* Marketing
* Politics
* Propaganda
* Rhetoric
* Negotiation
* Psychoanalysis
* Sales
* Sociology
* Storytelling
* Teaching
* Warfare
* Workplace design

Techniques

* Assertiveness
* Body language
* Change techniques
* Closing techniques
* Conversation
* Confidence tricks
* Conversion
* Creative techniques
* General techniques
* Happiness
* Hypnotism
* Interrogation
* Language
* Listening
* Negotiation tactics
* Objection handling
* Propaganda
* Problem-solving
* Public speaking
* Questioning
* Using repetition
* Resisting persuasion
* Self-development
* Sequential requests
* Storytelling
* Stress Management
* Tipping
* Using humor
* Willpower

Principles

Explanations

* Behaviors
* Beliefs
* Brain stuff
* Conditioning
* Coping Mechanisms
* Critical Theory
* Culture
* Decisions
* Emotions
* Evolution
* Gender
* Games
* Groups
* Habit
* Identity
* Learning
* Meaning
* Memory
* Motivation
* Models
* Needs
* Personality
* Power
* Preferences
* Research
* Relationships
* SIFT Model
* Social Research
* Stress
* Trust
* Values

Theories

* Alphabetic list
* Theory types

And

– About
– Guest Articles
– Blog!
– Books
– Changes
– Contact
– Guestbook
– Quotes
– Students
– Webmasters

| Home | Top | Menu | Quick Links |

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