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Walking under a leaning ladder is considered extremely unlucky in Western cultures. People will often take extra steps to go around a ladder rather than pass beneath it, even when no practical danger exists.
This common superstition originates from multiple sources:
• Ancient Egyptian belief that triangular shapes (formed by a leaning ladder) were sacred
• Medieval Christian symbolism associating the ladder with Jesus’s crucifixion
• Practical medieval concerns, as criminals were executed on ladders before the invention of the gallows
Each interpretation warned that disrupting the sacred triangle or space beneath a ladder would bring misfortune.
This remains one of the most widely followed superstitions in Western society. A 2019 YouGov poll found that 14% of Americans actively avoid walking under ladders. While safety concerns provide a practical reason for this behavior, many people admit to avoiding ladders specifically due to superstitious beliefs.
Sacred geometry involved
Individual protective behavior
Ancient and religious origins
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Despite widespread access to scientific knowledge and rational frameworks, superstitions continue to influence everyday behavior across cultures and demographics. From
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