After the suggestion, 'hyperstition.'
The tendency to invent villainous agents to ameliorate feelings of helplessness.
Quick question; can you think of an example of a totally helpless situation? Globe warms? You can plan coastal escape routes. Worried about supernovae? You can at least ensure the globe isn't totally sterilized.
Also, an ah-ha moment. Why does 'storm' have such a strong negative connotation to it? Because storms used to actually be worth worrying about. It used to puzzle me because the storms in my life are light shows, not threats. The worst I've seen would have made the day somewhat inconvenient for a tent-dweller, let alone anyone behind brick. There's actual blizzards, but I live many many miles south of where they happen.
I assume it was storms at sea that caused it. A really nasty one can imperil even the most sophisticated independently powered ships of modern times.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typhoon_Cobra_(1944)
Yeah, that could also be the explanation.
ReplyDeleteSea storms, with no land to get in the way, are far more furious.
Amusement...yet another reason that, for the military, submarines are simply better than surface ships.