9/6/2006 - Jinx

Not too long ago I had talked about knocking on wood and I said that I would do an entry on the idea of the jinx and I thought now would be a good time to do so. Most of us are familler with the concept of a jinx and it is one supersistion that I think is perhaps one of the most well known and practiced. The basic concept of the jinx in someways mirrors the old saying of not counting your chickens before they hatch. It is the idea of doing something that somehow tempts fight. For instance talking about a job premotion you applied for and feel confidaunt about but have not been offcialy given yet, or to make some bold statement as to say such and such has never happend to you before.

Jinx can be seen as a sort of mild form of hubris which is a speical kind of pride and the object of the story of Ulyssiess, it is when you tempt or insult the Gods in someway with your own self-assurance and not showing the proper resepect for the Gods.