Rex Trulove
Many people have a strong fear of the number 13. In fact, there is even a name for it; Triskaidekaphobia. Naturally, since a lot of people are afraid of 13, Friday the 13th is thought to be unlucky by many people.
Nobody knows for sure how the fear of 13 started. In some countries, there is no fear of 13, though in a few, there are fears that involve different numbers. Some things have perpetuated the fear of 13, though. The gallows typically was thought to have 13 steps and a hangman’s noose was made with 13 loops of rope. Not all gallows had 13 steps, though, still, the idea lingers. In fact, many buildings that are over 13 stories high omit the enumeration for the 13th floor. This is all based on the fear of 13.
Naturally, many good things have also happened that involved the number 13, too. Jesus and the 12 disciples were thirteen and it is difficult to find many things that are ‘luckier’ than that. Apollo 13 had a catastrophic failure but was able to return to the earth; a pretty fortunate event.
The fear of Friday the 13th is a fairly new idea, though, and is thought to be a 20th-century invention. Even President Franklin D. Roosevelt had a tremendous fear of the number 13.
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Are you afraid or apprehensive about the number 13?
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Yes
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No
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A little bit
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Extremely
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Weird, isn’t it? Many modern housing estates in the UK will not give the number to a house, for fear that people will not want to buy it. However, that does not apply to older streets, such as the one I live in, which definitely has a 13 – and I’m not aware of any misfortunes having befallen our near neighbours (we live at number 15)!
It is something that many people have noted, based on their focus. If a person is convinced that something bad will happen if they buy the 13th loaf of bread or whatever, they are right. Good things and bad things happen all the time. If a person is focused on bad things, that is what they are more apt to notice. It isn’t mysterious, but you are right, it is weird.
In this digital age, it is really surprising that so many people still believe in superstition.
True, but people often clutch at any explanation for something they don’t understand and often try to come up with a meaning when there really isn’t any. Such are the things that myths are based on.
Very interesting post. !3 is among my lucky numbers and Friday the 13th has always been a particularly lucky day for me because I was born on a Friday so even at such a young age just having come into the world I was ready for the weekend and since 13 is a lucky number for me I have no worries.
You aren’t alone. The number 13 is considered a lucky number in many cultures. In the US, the number 7 is usually considered lucky. It is a cultural thing.
Well, there is the history concerning the Knights Templar, they were getting too powerful and too wealthy and the King of France did not like it and neither did the current pope.
So they burnt the Knights of Templar at the stake and I believe it was on the 13th on a Friday. Where the leader cursed the King and the pope as he was burnt at the stake.
Within a short time both that King and pope died
However, many of this group of Knights of the Templar is reported to have escaped to Scotland.
Good post, I had a friend from early school who was very superstitious and especially of Friday the 13th.
For a time, when I was in my youth, I was also superstitious about Friday the 13th. I gradually got over it when I realized that many good things were happening on that day. Any calendar month that starts on Sunday will have a Friday the 13th, which also removes some of the mystery.