Are we too superstitious? Today is Friday 13th. Should we watch out for unlucky things? Or do we need to let go of superstitious ideas?
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It's the unluckiest day of the year. Again!
Are we too superstitious? Today is Friday 13th. Should we watch out for unlucky things? Or do we need to let go of superstitious ideas?
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What's happening?
It's Friday 13th! SuperstitiousBelieving in old ideas about luck and magic, instead of ideas based on human reason or scientific knowledge. people think it is an unlucky day.
There is even a name for this superstition: paraskevidekatriaphobia, which is a fear of the number 13.
Plane tickets tend to be cheaper when the 13th falls on a Friday, and some planes even have no Row 13.2
Find out more
Nobody knows exactly when people began to think that Friday 13th is unlucky. But the number 13 has been considered unlucky for much of history.
In east Asian societies, the number four is thought to be unlucky, because in Chinese it sounds like the word for "death".
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Are we too superstitious?
Yes! Superstitions are silly. We now have scientists to tell us why most things happen. We should not let ideas like this control how we live.
No! Superstitions are a key part of many cultures. And some studies have shown that believing in good and bad luck can make you more successful!
Keywords
Superstitious - Believing in old ideas about luck and magic, instead of ideas based on human reason or scientific knowledge.
It’s the unluckiest day of the year. Again!
Friday the Fear-teenth: On average, there are 1.72 Friday the 13s per calendar year. Glossary
Superstitious - Believing in old ideas about luck and magic, instead of ideas based on human reason or scientific knowledge.