A newfound respect for folk wisdom
Belief in black magic – is it possible to justify it in this day and age? My answer, ever since I started to think for myself, has always been an emphatic no. Not any more though.
Before I offer an explanation, it will be worthwhile to recall that broadly speaking, there are two approaches usually taken when it comes to questions such as this. There is the analytical approach, in which one deals with logical arguments for and against a belief; and then there is the utilitarian approach, in which one considers usefulness or otherwise of a belief, quite independently of its veracity or demonstrability.
Youth is said to be the season of certainties. It was no different for me. It is in later years that one starts to discern nuances and it is then that assertive postures on complex issues become much more difficult to maintain. So it is that now I find myself inclined to less hardline views. Another outcome of advancing years – perhaps even more significant than the last – is that idealism makes way for pragmatism; practical aspects of things assume far more importance than metaphysical, academic questions about their reality.
It will be intellectual treachery not to acknowledge here that notwithstanding my new position on this issue, the arguments usually employed to demonstrate the effects of black magic still don’t hold up to scrutiny (these arguments haven’t changed in centuries). However, it has recently dawned on me that by overly focusing on the analytical, I had been blind to the utilitarian side altogether, a grave omission on my part.
The results of an honest examination of the utilitarian aspect of the problem have been eye-opening, to say the least. I have come to appreciate significant practical benefits of believing in black magic, the foremost being, one can place all blame for one’s failures on one’s haters and their nefarious machinations. This absolves one of all sins of omission and commission, with the pleasant consequence that one can continue going on one’s merry way.
Secondly, consider how much more manageable it renders the processes of diagnosis and treatment of all life’s problems. What with health issues, academic setbacks, business difficulties, general melancholy and the like, life is complicated enough as it is without having to investigate each of its problems logically. We are talking about one reliable spiritual guide, healer or troubleshooter (what’s in a label, as long as he is well versed in the craft of magic) replacing whole teams of lawyers, physicians, private eyes, shrinks and what not! As far as straightforward answers to complex problems go, it is well-nigh impossible to beat this one. Occasionally, there may be some loss of accuracy but the immense gain in simplicity can more than make up for it.
Thirdly, there’s the much needed ego-boost generated by the thought that one is great enough to compel all relatives and acquaintances to spend their hard-earned resources employing black magicians to bring about one’s downfall. This increase in one’s self-esteem works wonders for one’s ability to successfully manage life’s ups and downs.
And finally there’s the national economy to consider. There’s no denying the contribution of the magic industry to our mostly undocumented economy. Imagine the plight of the practitioners of magic if this craft were to go extinct owing to lack of customers. These professionals, who possess no other skill, rely desperately on the stock of black magic in society. Some people, in the name of egalitarianism, may object to multitudes contributing for the welfare of a select few, but a little reflection will expose the superficiality of this objection. After all, can’t the same be said about all business? What about monarchy, insurance, and lottery – all practised by some of the most advanced peoples of the world? It is a well-known fact that, thanks to the trickle-down phenomenon, a minority becoming super-rich is beneficial for the masses as well.
In conclusion, far from being debilitating, belief in magic may in fact be rendering the citizenry better-equipped for facing life’s challenges. This means that at least some of the folklore that ends up indoctrinating our impressionable youths is not a bunch of hogwash. In consequence, I have developed a new appreciation for folk wisdom. In fact, I have started to wonder if other apparently silly items that I rejected out of hand – ghosts, evil-eye and the like – aren’t worth reconsidering as well.
While I realise that many of my readers will still be holding my former position on the subject, I know much better than to expect them to necessarily follow my suit. If you are one such reader, I believe I have given you all the requisite information to make up your own mind. The judgment is yours to make.
