Friday, The 13th — Mysterious! What’s The Origin?
Let’s demystify the superstition
The everyday numbers have been existing for centuries. Then what’s the so-called ‘unluckiness’ for a number? How can a number be claimed as ill-fated?
You guessed it right. It’s THIRTEEN, and the day that adds to the fear, Friday.
“What the mind doesn’t understand, it worships or fears.” ― Alice Walker
The Phobia of Friday, the 13th:
In scientific jargon, the fear of number 13th is called Triskaidekaphobia (pronounced trihs-keye-dek-uh-foe-bee-uh), and of ‘Friday, the 13th’ is called Paraskevidekatriaphobia.
Another name for the phobia is Friggatriskaidekaphobia, which originates from the Norse mythology where Frigg is the goddess for Friday.
The consequences are evident today.
US believes the superstition.
At least 10% of US population fear the number 13. They don’t plan vacations, meetings, marriages, and many other essential to important works on 13th, calculating to losses of $800 Million on that single day.
More than 80% of tall buildings in the US lack a 13th floor, and is often substituted with 12a, or 12b. The same with hospitals, hotels, and airport gates as well.
Ireland believes it too.
In Ireland, the vehicle numbers follow the rule: First two numbers indicate that year Like number 11 for 2011 registered vehicle, 12 for 2012. In 2013, the numbers were modified as 131 for first half of 2013, and 132 for the second half of 2013.
Airline companies have no way.
The flight tickets on Friday, the 13th are cheaper. Yes. If you don’t believe superstitions and if you’re planning for a vacation, the earliest time to leave is 13th September of this year.
Who wants to be in the air in the unluckiest day of the year?
Scientifically true?
A 1993 study printed in the British Medical Journal, titled ‘Is Friday the 13th bad for your health?’ states the day is unlucky for some. The risk of hospital admission as a result of a transport accident may be increased by 52%. And it recommends staying at home that particular day.
An incident in the life of Mark Twain:
The famous author Mark Twain was once the 13th guest at a dinner party that a friend warned him not to attend. After the party was over, Mark Twain secretly said to his friend, “It was bad luck. They only had food for twelve.”
That is why superstitious French people hire a professional ‘Quatorzieme’, whose job is to attend dinner parties having 13 guests. He’ll be the 14th one there.
Theories of origin:
1. Norse mythology
According to folklore historian Donald Dossey, the perception of ‘13 is unlucky’ originated with a Norse myth about 12 gods having a dinner party in Valhalla. Loki, the swindler god, wasn’t invited. Yet, he arrived as the 13th guest, and killed Balder.
Dossey said, “Balder died, and the whole Earth got dark. The whole Earth mourned. It was a bad, unlucky day.” This major event holds its part in causing the number 13 to be considered unlucky.
2. Judas theory
At the Last Supper, Judas Iscariot, a disciple of Jesus who betrayed him, was the 13th person to sit at the table. The Bible mentions nothing about the order with which Apostles sat, but totally there were 13 people at the table. Jesus was finally crucified on the next day: Friday.
It’s also stated that on a Friday, Eve gave Adam the fateful and forbidden apple from the Tree of knowledge, and Cain killed his brother Abel. (Bible)
‘Twelve’ bears peace and completeness, unlike 13.
In both of the theories above, surpassing the number 12 into 13 apparently imbalanced the ideal nature. Hence why 13 is seen as irregular and disrespectful, giving it a stain of misfortune.
Scientists and Mathematicians give 12 a prominence. They claim it to have a sense of completeness. It’s a perfect number. The time system we still follow today was developed by the ancient Sumerians. And it’s based on 12. We have:
•12 months in a year
•12 hours on a clock
•12 inches in a foot
•12 elements in a Dirty dozen
•12 Zodiac signs
•12 Gods of Olympus
•12 days of Christmas (Twelvetide)
•12 sons of Odin
•12 labours of Hercules
•12 Jyotirlingas near Shiva
•12 Imams in Shia Islam
•12 tribes of IsraelIncidents that contributed to the superstition:
- On July 13, 1951, the state Kansas was hit with over 25 inches of rain, and over two million acres of land was devastated by the flood. The storm also affected oil tanks, some of which exploded with the pressure. That day is called the Black Friday.
- A Swedish flight just vanished while flying over the Baltic Sea on Friday, June 13, 1952.
- The Apollo 13 space mission was supposed to land on the Moon. On April 13, 1970, its oxygen tank exploded and it had to return back. There are two thirteens here — April 13 and Apollo 13.
- Two flights crashed on the same Friday, October 13, 1972. Russian Aeroflot 217, and Uruguayan Flight 571.
- Pope John Paul II was attempted to assassinate in Vatican City and almost died on May 13, 1981.
- A 13-year-old boy of England was hit by a lightning strike at an air show. It was on a Friday, the 13 August, 2010, at 13:13. Fortunately, he recovered soon.
- The largest passenger ship, Costa Concordia sank into the ocean on Friday, January 13, 2012, killing 32 on-board people.
- Future: According to NASA, an asteroid will come to a close proximity of 20,000 miles to the Earth on Friday, April 13, 2029. It’s very close in space relations.
Remember the movie ‘2012’?
The ancient Mayan phenomenon states that December 21, 2012 is the last date on their calendar, and that’s the end of the world. The movie 2012 is based on that belief. The belief is so strong that people even partied on the Dec 20, to enjoy their last day on the Earth.
The movie got excellent box office of $769.7 Million. It’s obvious that directors and writers see superstitions in a different way. They cash it, to entertain us.
Here’s a Movie and a Novel that cashed the superstition Friday, the 13th and took the fear to a next level:
Movie directed by Sean S. Cunningham in 1980:
Directors are experts in taking people’s fears to their benefit and making huge profits out of them. One such movie is ‘Friday, the 13th’, where the killer villian Jason Voorhees gets birth on a Friday, the 13th. There are 11 sequals (12 movies) relating to this movie between 1980 and 2009. The total budget was only $81 Million, and they made $755.6 Million making it a blockbuster.
An Indian movie 13B also is related to the number, where Madhavan buys the flat 13B, from when he starts observing strange things happening in his life. A TV show relates closely in a creepy way to his life.
Novel written by Thomas William Lawson in 1907:
Thomas William Lawson was an American businessman and author. In his book Friday, the 13th, he depicts a notorious stockbroker of New York who plays on superstitions on that day to intentionally crash the stock market on Wall Street.
Cases of extreme triskaidekaphobia:
1. Arnold Schoenberg, a great Austrian-American composer:
This man was so over-particular about the number 13. He was born on 13th September 1874. Throughout his life, he was very averted to 13 that he pedantically avoided room numbers of 13 and its multiples. He refused to rent a house because it’s in 13 Pine Street. He was extremely terrified of the number all his life.
Adding to his fear, in his 76th year, one of his colleagues suggested it would be an unlucky year because 7+6=13. And for everyone’s surprise, he passed away that year (Friday, 13th July, 1951).
2.Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the US:
He didn’t travel on the 13th day of any month and never has hosted 13 guests at a party. He also doesn’t like to plan important meetings, or take important decisions on 13th of every month.
And yes. People made efforts to debunk the superstition — The Thirteen Club:
The Thirteen Club is a secret society created in 1880 to debunk the superstition of Thirteen. Especially ‘13 at a table’. They defiantly used to meet in groups of thirteen.
By 1887, the club reached 400 people, with many public figures joining hands with it. It gained five US Presidents. And they’re some of the honorary members — Chester Arthur, Grover Cleveland, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt.
Yet, the superstition is still lingering in the minds of people.
Other countries fear other dates.
Like Friday, the 13th especially in the US, other countries consider some other dates to be unlucky. Examples:
- China, Japan: April 4th (4/4): The number ‘four’ sounds like ‘death’ in Chinese and Japanese, making April 4th the unluckiest day of the year. That’s why many hotels in China omit fourth floor.
- Greece, Spain: Tuesday, the 13th: Constantinople’s fall happened two times — On April 13th, 1204 (Tuesday) and on May 29th, 1453 (1+4+5+3=13). So, they treat Tuesday, the 13th as a day of misfortune.
- Italy: Friday, the 17th: 17 in Roman numbers implies XVII, anagramming to VIXI, which means “I’m dead” in Italian language.
- Japan: September 9th (9/9): Japanese word for nine sounds like torture or suffering, so they try to avoid the day for auspicious things.
- India: August 8th: In the Hindu mythology, Eight is the number of the Hindu god Shani, who’s the god of breakups. This makes 8/8 an inauspicious day for Indians. There’s also a horror film called Ei8ht Shani.
Let’s talk something positive.
- The iconic HOLLYWOOD sign in Los Angeles was officially dedicated on July 13, 1923. (Fun fact: The sign originally read HOLLYWOOD LAND until 1949)
- NASA announced on November 13, 2009 that it has found significant amount of water on Moon (90 litres).
- The popular video game ‘Super Mario Bros’ was released on September 13, 1985 exclusively in Japan.
- Forget about Friday, the 13th. It’s still the last day of a week. Rest and enjoy till Monday eats you up!
Final words:
Personally, I don’t believe in superstitions. In some cases when I’m in authority, I try to boldly defy them, and encourage people not to believe absurd superstitions. However, there are superstitions that back science. And I follow them religiously.
I’m not superstitious, but I am a little stitious. — Michael Scott, The Office 2005.
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