The superstition that refuses to die

For non-believers, Friday, September 13, 2024 simply marks the beginning of a well-deserved weekend. Others, however, may not share this sentimentMillions of people worldwide consider Friday the 13th to be the unluckiest day of the year. origin of the terrifying day reputation remain unclear, but experts have a number of theories.

The superstition begins with the fear of the number 13. The condition is called “triskaidekaphobia.” Thomas Fernsler is an associate policy scientist at the University of Delaware. He believes that 13 is a bad reputation because it follows the “full” number 12. There are 12 months in a year, 12 zodiac plates, 12 apostles of Jesus, and so on. Many consider 13 “incomplete“and therefore unhappy.

Folklore historian Donald Dossey has another theoryHe thinks that 13 is considered an unlucky number because of a Scandinavian legendAccording to the story there are 12 Norwegian gods were sitting down to eat when Loki, the deceitful god, showed up. He convinced Hoder, the god of darkness, to kill Balder, the god of darkness joyTo this day, there are many people prevent Having 13 guests at a party.

Friday has its own negative associations. In the Bible, Jesus was crucified on a Friday, although not specifically the 13th. But this event took place after the Last Supper with its 12 apostlesincluding Judas who cheated him. Many Bible scholars believe that Eve tempted Adam with the forbidden fruit on Friday. The only historical event believed to have occurred on Friday the 13th is when Adam and Eve’s son Cain murdered his brother Abel.

Regardless of the reason, fear of Friday the 13th is widespread. Experts estimation that more than 20 million Americans, and many more worldwide, experience a certain level of tension on this day. For people in risky jobs such as buildthe capture often leads to accidents. This makes them even more afraid of the day.

Interestingly, Friday the 13th is also detrimental to the US economyCompanies lose about $900 million on this day because believers… prevent work, travel or make big purchases. As it turns out, their fears unfounded. A 2008 study found that there were fewer traffic accidents on Friday the 13th than on other Fridays. The number of reported fires and thefts was also much lower.

For the brave, the day can even bring good luck. Many companies offer discounts encourage people to shop. So celebrate the first Friday the 13th of 2024 by treating yourself to a bargain or two!