Breaking a Mirror = 7 Years Bad Luck
WHAT PEOPLE BELIEVE
If you break a mirror, you're cursed with 7 years of bad luck. Some traditions say you can break the curse by burying the pieces under moonlight or by spinning around three times counterclockwise.
HISTORICAL ORIGIN
Ancient Romans believed mirrors reflected your soul. Breaking one meant damaging your soul. They also believed the soul regenerated every 7 years — hence the specific 7-year timeline. Before Romans, ancient Greeks used mirrors for divination (catoptromancy), making them sacred objects.
THE REAL REASON
Mirrors were insanely expensive for most of human history — early ones were polished bronze or obsidian, later ones used mercury and silver backing. Breaking one was a genuine financial catastrophe. The "7 years bad luck" was the ancient equivalent of "be careful with expensive things or you'll regret it." The moonlight burial cure? That's just safe glass disposal where kids won't find it.
THE MODERN TWIST
You can buy a full-length mirror for $15 at IKEA. The financial catastrophe argument is dead. But breaking a mirror still triggers a visceral "oh no" reaction in most people — even those who don't believe in superstitions. It's hardwired into our cultural DNA at this point. Also, the front camera on your phone is technically a mirror. Has anyone calculated the bad luck from cracked phone screens?
VERDICT
This one doesn't hold up to scrutiny. Pure myth, no substance.
FUN FACT
The reason we say 7 years specifically is probably because of the Roman belief that life renews every 7 years. Modern cell biology shows most cells DO replace themselves every 7-10 years. The Romans weren't entirely wrong about the biology — just about the mirror part.
YOUR VERDICT
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