Many religious traditions center on a lifelong struggle against fear and temptation, and even without religion we all strive for a positive sense of self. The struggle can be difficult, but it helps us to develop our strengths, accept our limitations, and understand our role in relation to the world around us.

An exploration of utterances like “bless you” and “excuse me” – should these be classified as prayer, manners or magic? Have their meanings changed over time? And what value do these phrases have in the modern world?