Religion and Ethics Forum
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Sriram on February 19, 2018, 02:34:40 PM
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Hi everyone,
Here is a BBC article on the power of the Evil Eye and its continued presence even today.
http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20180216-the-strange-power-of-the-evil-eye
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When it comes to warding off the mystic malevolent forces of the world, there is perhaps no charm more recognised or renowned than the ‘evil eye’. Ubiquitous in its use, the striking image of the cobalt-blue eye has appeared not only in the bazaars of Istanbul, but everywhere from the sides of planes to the pages of comic books.
In the last decade, evil eye imagery has most frequently appeared in the world of fashion. Kim Kardashian has been photographed on numerous occasions sporting bracelets and headpieces featuring the symbol, while fashion model Gigi Hadid jumped on the trend in late 2017, announcing that she would be launching the EyeLove shoe line.
This recent endorsement from A-list celebrities has resulted in the surfacing of countless online tutorials for making your own evil eye bracelets, necklaces and keychains. Though all this attention would suggest the evil eye is seeing a sudden surge in popularity, the truth is that for thousands of years the symbol has maintained its steady hold on the human imagination.
In essence, the curse of the evil eye is not a complicated concept; it stems from the belief that someone who achieves great success or recognition also attracts the envy of those around them. That envy in turn manifests itself as a curse that will undo their good fortune. The concept is well captured by Heliodorus of Emesa in the ancient Greek romance Aethiopica, .....
Belief in the evil eye has transcended mere superstition, with a number of celebrated thinkers attesting to its veracity. One of the most notable examples was the Greek philosopher Plutarch, who in his Symposiacs suggested a scientific explanation: that the human eye had the power of releasing invisible rays of energy that were in some cases potent enough to kill children or small animals.
With such an ardent and widespread belief that a stare held the power to inflict catastrophic misfortune, it’s no surprise that the people of these ancient civilizations sought out a means to repel it, which led to the earliest iterations of the nazar amulet that we know today.
We’re still affixing the evil eye to the sides of our planes in the same way that the Egyptians and Etruscans painted the eye on the prows of their ships to ensure safe passage. It’s still a tradition in Turkey to bring an evil eye token to newborn babies, echoing the belief that young children are often the most susceptible to the curse.
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Cheers.
Sriram
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Very superstitious sririam. I have a beautiful Turkish clock (sitting in a box until I decide where to put it) which has 'evil eye'; doesn't bother me because I don't believe in the power of such things.
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Hi everyone,
Here is a BBC article on the power of the Evil Eye and its continued presence even today.
http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20180216-the-strange-power-of-the-evil-eye
***********
When it comes to warding off the mystic malevolent forces of the world, there is perhaps no charm more recognised or renowned than the ‘evil eye’. Ubiquitous in its use, the striking image of the cobalt-blue eye has appeared not only in the bazaars of Istanbul, but everywhere from the sides of planes to the pages of comic books.
In the last decade, evil eye imagery has most frequently appeared in the world of fashion. Kim Kardashian has been photographed on numerous occasions sporting bracelets and headpieces featuring the symbol, while fashion model Gigi Hadid jumped on the trend in late 2017, announcing that she would be launching the EyeLove shoe line.
This recent endorsement from A-list celebrities has resulted in the surfacing of countless online tutorials for making your own evil eye bracelets, necklaces and keychains. Though all this attention would suggest the evil eye is seeing a sudden surge in popularity, the truth is that for thousands of years the symbol has maintained its steady hold on the human imagination.
In essence, the curse of the evil eye is not a complicated concept; it stems from the belief that someone who achieves great success or recognition also attracts the envy of those around them. That envy in turn manifests itself as a curse that will undo their good fortune. The concept is well captured by Heliodorus of Emesa in the ancient Greek romance Aethiopica, .....
Belief in the evil eye has transcended mere superstition, with a number of celebrated thinkers attesting to its veracity. One of the most notable examples was the Greek philosopher Plutarch, who in his Symposiacs suggested a scientific explanation: that the human eye had the power of releasing invisible rays of energy that were in some cases potent enough to kill children or small animals.
With such an ardent and widespread belief that a stare held the power to inflict catastrophic misfortune, it’s no surprise that the people of these ancient civilizations sought out a means to repel it, which led to the earliest iterations of the nazar amulet that we know today.
We’re still affixing the evil eye to the sides of our planes in the same way that the Egyptians and Etruscans painted the eye on the prows of their ships to ensure safe passage. It’s still a tradition in Turkey to bring an evil eye token to newborn babies, echoing the belief that young children are often the most susceptible to the curse.
***********
Cheers.
Sriram
Daft superstition! ::)
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More of Sriram's woo.
ippy
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But it’s interesting, adds colour to the world. Mildly irritating that it’s become a celebrity bandwagon but hey. It relates to the folklore thread. This stuff is something we do.
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I agree, Rhiannon that in general it's just an interesting article but I have an issue with the line:
'Belief in the evil eye has transcended mere superstition, with a number of celebrated thinkers attesting to its veracity.' It really hasn't transcended superstition and this sort of lazy written is exactly what someone might seize on as 'evidence' if they were easily confused or deliberately trying to confuse.
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As Rhinnon has said...all this is part of what we humans are. Religion, faith, emotions, imagination, hope, fear, superstition.....all are part of being human.
I see rationality as just a means to regulate our emotions and motivations such that they are not harmful to others and to society at large. Otherwise nothing wrong with being human.
Just because some people have over done the rationality bit and made themselves into machines, does not mean everyone should.
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Response to increasing anxiety?
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Response to increasing anxiety?
Ah, you appear to be setting up Kim Kardashian as your prophet
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Ah, you appear to be setting up Kim Kardashian as your prophet
Actually I was thinking of taking this along the lines of world anxiety means people are resorting to weird and militant expressions as a defensive mechanism.
Is Kim Kardashian a prophet? Tell on.
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Actually I was thinking of taking this along the lines of world anxiety means people are resorting to weird and militant expressions as a defensive mechanism.
Is Kim Kardashian a prophet? Tell on.
Read the OP. You seem to think that Kim Kardashian producing a line of jewellery is evidence for an increase in world anxiety.
Oh and I didn't say KK was a prophet but that you seemed to be setting het up as one - why the misrepresentation?
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Response to increasing anxiety?
Like wearing a St Christopher?
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I agree, Rhiannon that in general it's just an interesting article but I have an issue with the line:
'Belief in the evil eye has transcended mere superstition, with a number of celebrated thinkers attesting to its veracity.' It really hasn't transcended superstition and this sort of lazy written is exactly what someone might seize on as 'evidence' if they were easily confused or deliberately trying to confuse.
I must admit the link with celebrity led me to skim read the article.
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I must admit the link with celebrity led me to skim read the article.
It's a bit of a weird article - I almost suspect someone said can you get Kim Kardashian and Plutarch in an article together.
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It's a bit of a weird article - I almost suspect someone said can you get Kim Kardashian and Plutarch in an article together.
Yes, to offer Plutarch’s optical death rays as an example of how it isn’t mere superstition seems a bit odd.
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Like wearing a St Christopher?
Compared with the butch aggression of an evil eye, a St Christopher is a talismanic Teddy Bear I would have thought.
Is wearing an evil eye a 2010's version of wearing that badge that says 'You called me a bitch like it was a bad thing''?
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While on the subject of KK...
https://mobile.twitter.com/KimKierkegaard?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
‘There she stands, the envoy from the kingdom of sighs, the chosen favorite of suffering, the apostle of grief, the silent friend of pain. Meet my new trainer Melissa’
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While on the subject of KK...
https://mobile.twitter.com/KimKierkegaard?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
‘There she stands, the envoy from the kingdom of sighs, the chosen favorite of suffering, the apostle of grief, the silent friend of pain. Meet my new trainer Melissa’
That's a better piece of writing than the original article.
It does make it sound as if Kierkegaard did the announcements for UFC or the darts
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Read the OP. You seem to think that Kim Kardashian producing a line of jewellery is evidence for an increase in world anxiety.
Oh and I didn't say KK was a prophet but that you seemed to be setting het up as one - why the misrepresentation?
I read that it's popping out everywhere no just for prophet.
I'll keep an eye out for it.
.
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I read that it's popping out everywhere no just for prophet.
I'll keep an eye out for it.
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Maybe it could be your third eye?
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As Rhinnon has said...all this is part of what we humans are. Religion, faith, emotions, imagination, hope, fear, superstition.....all are part of being human.
I see rationality as just a means to regulate our emotions and motivations such that they are not harmful to others and to society at large. Otherwise nothing wrong with being human.
Just because some people have over done the rationality bit and made themselves into machines, does not mean everyone should.
'Just because some people have over done the rationality bit and made themselves into machines, does not mean everyone should'.
This O P of yours would appeal to the David Ikes or Von Danikens of this world too Sriram, you dream away and enjoy there's no harm in that.
Regards ippy
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or Von Danikens
any relation to Richard von Dawkinens
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Evil Eye?
Mare Orientale from Space
https://uk.images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=AwrIRhDfSoxafwwABXJ3Bwx.;_ylu=X3oDMTEybTVqNjNnBGNvbG8DaXIyBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDQjQ5MjlfMQRzZWMDc2M-?p=Mare+Orientale+From+Space&fr=yhs-adk-adk_sbnt&hspart=adk&hsimp=yhs-adk_sbnt#id=4&iurl=http%3A%2F%2Foregonl5.org%2Fimages%2Fsr2002e1.jpg&action=click
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any relation to Richard von Dawkinens
Chariots of the God Delusion?
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Chariots of the God Delusion?
;D
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Hi everyone,
Here is a BBC article on the power of the Evil Eye and its continued presence even today.
http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20180216-the-strange-power-of-the-evil-eye
***********
When it comes to warding off the mystic malevolent forces of the world, there is perhaps no charm more recognised or renowned than the ‘evil eye’. Ubiquitous in its use, the striking image of the cobalt-blue eye has appeared not only in the bazaars of Istanbul, but everywhere from the sides of planes to the pages of comic books.
In the last decade, evil eye imagery has most frequently appeared in the world of fashion. Kim Kardashian has been photographed on numerous occasions sporting bracelets and headpieces featuring the symbol, while fashion model Gigi Hadid jumped on the trend in late 2017, announcing that she would be launching the EyeLove shoe line.
This recent endorsement from A-list celebrities has resulted in the surfacing of countless online tutorials for making your own evil eye bracelets, necklaces and keychains. Though all this attention would suggest the evil eye is seeing a sudden surge in popularity, the truth is that for thousands of years the symbol has maintained its steady hold on the human imagination.
In essence, the curse of the evil eye is not a complicated concept; it stems from the belief that someone who achieves great success or recognition also attracts the envy of those around them. That envy in turn manifests itself as a curse that will undo their good fortune. The concept is well captured by Heliodorus of Emesa in the ancient Greek romance Aethiopica, .....
Belief in the evil eye has transcended mere superstition, with a number of celebrated thinkers attesting to its veracity. One of the most notable examples was the Greek philosopher Plutarch, who in his Symposiacs suggested a scientific explanation: that the human eye had the power of releasing invisible rays of energy that were in some cases potent enough to kill children or small animals.
With such an ardent and widespread belief that a stare held the power to inflict catastrophic misfortune, it’s no surprise that the people of these ancient civilizations sought out a means to repel it, which led to the earliest iterations of the nazar amulet that we know today.
We’re still affixing the evil eye to the sides of our planes in the same way that the Egyptians and Etruscans painted the eye on the prows of their ships to ensure safe passage. It’s still a tradition in Turkey to bring an evil eye token to newborn babies, echoing the belief that young children are often the most susceptible to the curse.
***********
Cheers.
Sriram
Nice.
However, the Greek bloke nicked the concept from Egypt (Most Greek ideas were nicked from Egypt and 'Hellenised.)
The original was the Wadjet - - the eye of Horus, supposedly the falcon aspect of Re-Horakhty which supervised Ma'at.
It was allso symbolic of the 'Ba' - an aspect of the soul which lived on after mummification.
Two painted eyes were often shown on the side of coffins of the Middle kingdom - the body being laid on its' side in the rectangular coffin - so that the body could see the tomb contents (food, drink, model slaves, etc) and be refreshed in the afterlife.
The eye thus became a charm, an amulet, and now a Hollywood craze.