INSCOP Research : We are observing 'a pandemic' of esotericism and magic among countrymen, politically exploited  

The INSCOP Research manager, Remus Stefureac stated that the barometer ‘ Romania between Magic and Esoterics ‘ shows ‘ a pandemics’ among co-nationals, frightening being the fact that, for some time, these beliefs have been exploited politically by people who look for influence or easy financial gain at the expense  of exploiting and manipulating their neighbour.Remus Stefureac presented on Monday at the Media hall of the Museum of the Romanian Peasant, the barometre ‘ Romania among Magic and Esoterics’ made by INSCOP Research, according to which 75.3% of the Romanians consider that good luch is important in life, and 41.6% say that had a happening in life when a superstition came true.   'With this survey, we do not intend to cast anathemas, to ironize the beliefs of our fellow citizens, but we want a serious debate, based on figures that some may consider alarming, others may consider very high, others may consider very low, because some respondents on such issues do not fully reveal their own opinions. But we are definitely seeing a 'pandemic' of esotericism and magic among our fellow countrymen. And here we are not just talking about a transfer of, let's say archaic beliefs, which we have found in the countryside for centuries, but we are talking about a broader phenomenon. On certain issues, the intensity is even higher in urban areas,' Remus Stefureac said on Monday. He also showed that, on certain issues, there are similar opinions among the population with higher education as well as with primary education.'We're talking about an urban phenomenon, let's say a new kind of culture, which we find in other countries. It is also a global phenomenon. In the urban area, on the one hand, there is an intense search for certainty, order, a sense of control, of meaning. And because of a lack of trust in institutions, perhaps because of economic and social anxieties, people do not tend to cling to anchors that are sometimes illusory. The most worrying part of this phenomenon, let's say, is that we have been observing for some time how these beliefs - I repeat, which we do not propose to judge - are being exploited politically, exploited by people who are seeking influence, easy financial gain at the expense of exploiting and manipulating their neighbors. Which is really, really worrying,' he said. As for some conspiracies, the director of INSCOP Research argued that 'we do see some pretty serious conclusions there'. ‘For example, a conspiracy which affects seriously public health – 40% of our co-nationals believe that vaccines are use to control world population, In this context, surely, we have experienced pandemics,which was associated with powerful disinformation operations, some explicitly supported by hostile states, all affecting negatively the public health policies. It is worth discussing in depth, as the negative effect of these conspiracies, deliberately maintained, including by political actors is huge for the population of all ages, for children who are no longer vaccineated up to the senior who is no longer protected’ said Remus Stefureac.Remus Stefureac also showed that there are ‘ apparently funny’ conspiracies but, which, at the same time, ‘show lack of significant education’ or ‘ connection to certain trends, global debates’.‘Almost half of the Romanians believe that man has not reached the Moon or that we have been visited by aliens. These matters are important, people state their attachment to certain superstitions, they believe that  good luck – we have a high percentage – is very important in life, a percentage of almost 70%, which, surely, good luck is a relative, subjective matter but astrology, trust in the existence of beings who can influence with their mind, I know, the state of health, either by touching or by telepathy, everything is found in the beliefs inventory which are in the magic-esoteric area and which draw our attention. I say it again, we do not intend to judge, but it is necessary to find the causes for this’ Stefureac said.He also pleaded for a better effort of the society as a whole to correct such attitudes.'We're talking about the state, the education system, educating the younger generation, but also educating the educators, because here again we have a lot of surprises where the educators of our children, also some of them resonate with such beliefs. Society as a whole, the media, the private sector, all of which can support educational projects, projects to connect with real culture, real culture. We live in a democratic kingdom, nobody bans beliefs and it would be absolutely absurd to do so, because then certain beliefs will flourish. What I think is important, however, is to draw some limits when people's sincere beliefs - and they have every right to have these beliefs - are exploited by politicians, exploited by people seeking influence or easy financial gain, exploiting people's fears, fears of the population', said INSCOP Research director Remus Stefureac.