Setting: A cozy Moscow apartment on a snowy evening. The kettle is whistling. Two friends, Misha (superstitious) and Yura (rational thinker), are sitting by the window sipping black tea with lemon. They just finished watching a movie and are now chatting.
Misha: (grinning) You know, we were just talking about Sasha five minutes ago, and guess who messaged me? Sasha! I’m telling you, he’s going to be rich someday. You know the saying—talk about someone before they enter, and they’ll have a long and wealthy life.
Yura: (chuckles) Misha, come on. That’s like saying, “If I sneeze three times, I’ll meet a billionaire.” Coincidence doesn’t equal causation.
Misha: No, no! This happens all the time. Last week, I mentioned Aunt Klava before dinner, and boom—she calls, says she just won a microwave in a supermarket raffle!
Yura: First of all, that’s not even wealth. That’s just heating your borscht faster. And second, it’s probably just confirmation bias. You remember the few times it “works” and forget the hundreds when it doesn’t.
Misha: (leans in, teasingly) Ah, Mr. Science strikes again. Next you’ll say my plants aren’t thriving because I talk to them!
Yura: Actually, there’s some evidence that talking to plants can help them—mostly because of vibration and airflow. But you’re deflecting! We’re talking about Sasha’s imaginary billions.
Misha: Look, Yura. It’s not just some ancient thing. My babushka swore by it. She’d say, “If people speak your name kindly, fortune walks toward you.” Isn’t that beautiful?
Yura: It is poetic, I’ll give you that. But science isn’t about beauty, it’s about testable outcomes. Has anyone ever measured the wealth trajectory of people based on how often they were spoken about before entering a room?
Misha: Okay, fine. Let’s say no one has. But what if it’s like quantum physics? You know—observation changes the outcome?
Yura: (laughs) Wow. Did you just compare your grandma’s superstition to the double-slit experiment?
Misha: Why not? You can’t prove it’s wrong.
Yura: Ah, the old “you can’t disprove it” trick. I can’t disprove that there’s a tiny invisible bear living in your sock drawer either, but I don’t base my life around it.
Misha: Wait—are you saying there’s not a bear in there?
Yura: (sips tea) Only on Thursdays.
Misha: Look, I know it’s not “logical,” but these little beliefs—don’t they give life a bit more texture? A bit of fun? Maybe even… hope?
Yura: Sure. As long as they don’t make you do anything dangerous, like refusing medical treatment because Mercury’s in retrograde.
Misha: Never! I’m not that far gone. But you have to admit—it’s kind of nice thinking good things happen when someone remembers you.
Yura: That part I agree with. Being remembered is meaningful. But the wealth part? Misha, if that were true, celebrities would be trillionaires from gossip alone.
Misha: Hmm… maybe they are. Ever see Beyoncé’s tax returns?
Yura: Touché.
Misha: So we agree: talking about people could, maybe, magically make them rich.
Yura: We agree you can believe that… and I’ll believe in data. Deal?
Misha: Deal. But next time I mention you before you walk in, I expect at least a yacht.
Yura: I’ll settle for a warm blini and some raspberry jam.
[They clink their teacups and laugh as snow continues to fall outside.]
Science Vs Superstition 
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