Prediction, Forecast, and Superstition

When scientists predicted certain events based on their fact findings, do we consider their discoveries as superstitions, predictions, or forecast? When astronomers predicted certain asteroids will hit Earth soon, do we hastily rebut their forecast as superstitions or excessively cautious observations? 

According to Wikipedia,

• A prediction or forecast is a statement about the way things will happen in the future, often but not always based on experience or knowledge.
• Forecasting is the process of making statements about events whose actual outcomes (typically) have not yet been observed.
• Superstition is a belief in a non-physical (i.e. supernatural) causality: that one event causes another without any physical process linking the two events.

A friend of mine predicted Dr Tony Tan would be the likely president in the recent Singapore Presidential Election. He posted his predictions earlier on an external site that’s popular with opposition-party views. Unfortunately, there were negative comments about his prediction, claiming his observations were superstition-based. They even suggested him to predict the winning numbers of local lottery draws so they can bet on it.

The methodological approach in predicting the next president and the next winning lottery number could be similar – they could be using relevant sets of data for forecasting. However, the conclusions are usually different when we consider philosophical and moral reasons in the prediction made.

Some people asked me about using the Elements of Numbers (EON) method to predict numbers, or for gambling purpose. I feel that misusing our knowledge to encourage gambling may create social ills, and may have consequential effects.

Let’s put it this way – if a person claimed to be accurate in predicting lottery numbers, why would they want to help you get rich? Wouldn’t it be better for them to maximise their skills and donate the winning money to charities, like a modern-day Robin Hood where more people can benefit together?

Do we consider predictions made by fortune-tellers as superstitions? If the prediction came true, many would assume the fortune-teller has “divine knowledge” that’s not based on superstitions. If the prediction did not happen, we’d considered it as superstitious beliefs that have no basis at all.

If someone knowledgeable in metaphysics advised you to improve your health as they’d noted your health may not looked promising in the next few years, would you listened to their advice? If you ignore their advice and stick to your unhealthy food intake, and then experienced the negative effects a few years later, do you consider the earlier forecast as superstitions? What if you followed their advice and change your eating habits and the negative effects in the next few years were minimal, do you consider the forecast as superstitions because you didn’t face the ill effect at all?

“It will never happen to me.” That’s one of the common thinking many people would first think of when they heard a negative prediction. But when they heard a positive prediction (like winning state lottery, and promotion), the mind quickly change to a more positive “Oh yes!, it will happen to me” thought.

Not all forecasts made would come true to everyone since we have a choice to believe and take remedial action. We could also disbelieve these forecasts and continue living the life we’re having now and leaving fate or Heaven to take care of your future.

Predicting a natural event may be easier than making a forecast on a person. The result of a natural event would need collective efforts from everyone, much like the scientists forecasting about global warming and endemics. The forecast result of a person is subjective as the person can decide whether to take remedial action earlier, or leave it to fate to decide their destiny.

Late last year, I did a forecast about possible mutation of the H1N1 virus and included it in my article “Numerological Predictive Observations 2011”. I also repeatedly suggested taking up medical or health insurance, for your own health’s sake. Now, there’s report the bird flu has mutated and the strains has hit China and Vietnam, as reported in this report. Is it coincidence or just my lucky streak when making the forecast?

At the coming 2nd EON Workshop on 24 Sep 2011, I’ll share the techniques to identify yearly tendency influences, and why sometimes the influences may not happen only in the specific year. I’ll also be sharing new discoveries with you at the workshop session. If you can make it for the workshop, I promised the techniques you’ll get to learn would change the way you use numbers (and elements) to profile a person’s traits and their annual predictions.

So, the next time when you read about forecast, do not hastily put it aside as superstitions. Probe further if you have the time. The person making the forecast could have made the observations from their information knowledgebase. Whether the prediction would come true depends on many reasons. When predictions involved you personally, you have a choice to make and to decide the actions to take that could influence the result of the prediction. Often, it’s better to err on the cautious side and take precaution.

Have Plan B on standby while you focus on Plan A. With that, you can have the “Feel the Fear, Experience the Success” outlook.

Regards, Ron WZ Sun