This Friday Is The 13th! Are You Ready?
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American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift and her fans may consider 13 a lucky number. However, millions of people worldwide do not share that sentiment. Things get even worse for the superstitious when the date, as will happen this week, coincides with a Friday. Some of the anxiety surrounding Friday the 13th can be blamed on the namesake movie series. However, the day was feared long before the film's hockey-masked villain, Jason Voorhees, made his debut in 1980.
The superstition starts with the dread of the number 13 or "triskaidekaphobia." Thomas Fernsler is an associate policy scientist at the University of Delaware. He believes 13 gets a bad reputation because it follows the "complete" number 12. There are 12 months in a year, 12 zodiac signs, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 apostles of Jesus, and so on. Many consider 13 "incomplete" and, therefore, unlucky.
Folklore historian Donald Dossey has another theory. He attributes 13's unpopularity to a Scandinavian legend. Twelve gods were enjoying a quiet dinner when Loki, the trickster Norse god, arrived. He caused Hoder, the blind god of darkness, to kill Balder, the god of joy and gladness. To this day, many people avoid inviting 13 guests to a party.
Friday has its own negative associations. In the Bible, Jesus was crucified on a Friday. It was not the 13th, but the execution happened shortly after the Last Supper, attended by Jesus and his 12 apostles. Many biblical scholars believe Eve tempted Adam with the forbidden fruit on a Friday. The one historical event thought to have occurred on Friday the 13th is when Adam and Eve's son Cain killed his brother, Abel.
Regardless of the reason, the fear of Friday the 13th is widespread. Experts estimate that over 20 million Americans, and many more worldwide, suffer from "friggatriskaidekaphobia." Their symptoms range from mild anxiety to full-blown panic attacks. For those working in injury-prone professions such as construction, the nervousness often results in accidents. This makes them fear the day even more.
Surprisingly, Friday the 13th also hurts the US economy. Businesses lose about $900 million on the dreaded date as the superstitious avoid going to work, traveling, or making big purchases. As it turns out, their fears are unfounded. A 2008 study by the Dutch Centre for Insurance Statistics found that fewer traffic accidents occur on Friday the 13th than on other Fridays. The number of fires and thefts reported was also much lower.
For the brave, the day may be extremely lucky, given that many companies offer large discounts to encourage people to shop. So, enjoy this year's final Friday the 13th by treating yourself to a bargain or two!
Happy Friday the 13th!
Resources: ibtimes.com, wikipedia.org, businessinsider.com, Nationalgeographic.com
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116 Comments
likydafamezoabout 2 monthsI am a swiftie but I just can't agree with Taylor on that one! Good things have happened on Friday the 13th so I think it's nothing to be scared of. I am kind of scared of it still though... 😬
iloveanimals109 monthswho else thinks that Taylor Swift should make a song about Friday the 13th?
piperjune20 daysYes!!!!!!100%
zacharymichel9 monthsFriday the 13th is great because nobody gets mad when you put on a Texas Chainsaw Massacre costume, scare your brother half to death, and say "Happy 13th!"
taylorswift139 monthsI like Friday the 13th and my dad was born on Friday the 13th. I like all the suspense of it.
mico149 monthssurprisingly even though i have anxiety im not superstitious about anything
bean1210 monthsIn 2024 Taylor Swift's birthday is Friday the 13th
izthisrizz10 monthsI kindof like friday the 13th because lots of creepy stuff happens to you. It's happneend to me so many times.
rawr212 monthsi rlly dont care abt friday the 13th
iluvstrangerthi12 monthsI dont belive in this stuff but I LOVE the horror movie Friday the 13th
doggiechristmasabout 1 yearHonestly, I don't believe in superstitions, I mean, I have had great days on Friday the 13th, so... Yeah. I think People will be okay (my favorite number is 25)!
