[kelvin0]

This demonstrates to me the 'power' of the mind, similar to the placebo effect? If a belief is objectively 'true' or not is irrelevant, what the mind believes and is able to immerse itself into can manifest some unexplained results.

Of course, I'm not advocating any superstitions, but simply it seems that powerful beliefs can yield astonishing results sometimes (good or bad).

[IceMetalPunk]

The placebo effect has control over a person's own perceptions and, to a much lesser degree, their own health. It can make them feel happier or less pain, it can even bolster the immune system by reducing stress, but it won't cure cancer. It also will not manifest money, or turn you into a cat or a banana, or do anything supernatural. It cannot manifest anything beyond a person's own perceptions and mild health benefits.

Whether something is true or not is absolutely relevant. To quote Tim Minchin's brilliant poem "Storm": is truth "so loose-weave of a morn / When deciding to leave your flat by the door / Or the open window on the second floor?"

[codezero]

I think it speaks more to the social pressures of cultures. When a practice is embedded in the social expectations of a culture, it becomes very hard to remove or to dismiss without breaking social ties or generational ties. Breaking those ties can leave people without support, finances, or even shelter, so it's often taboo to even try.