Do threes really bring happiness? Superstitions about numbers

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Superstitions about lucky and unlucky numbers seem like mere fictions, but in reality they affect various aspects of our lives. These beliefs have long gone beyond gambling.

Number 13

The number 13 has a terrible reputation, and even has its own special name – triskaidekaphobia, although many people cannot pronounce it correctly.

The fear of this number is so strong that businesses in the US lose about a billion dollars every time Friday the 13th rolls around. This is why more than 80% of high-rise buildings do not have a 13th floor – architects simply jump from 12 to 14 in order not to annoy suspicious people.

Why did the number 13 become so scary? Perhaps it all began with a Scandinavian myth, where the 13th guest at a feast with 12 gods led to tragedy and destruction. Another factor is Judas, who was the 13th guest at the Last Supper, and everyone knows how it ended.

Even and odd

Numbers can also be the object of superstition. For example, some people believe that even numbers bring bad luck and odd numbers bring good luck. This makes odd numbers a popular choice for gambling.

It is not clear why this is believed to be the case, but it is possible that even numbers are considered unlucky because they can be divided, which supposedly reduces their power. Odd numbers do not have this property, so they are considered stronger.

These beliefs even extend to money. For example, some people believe that it is better to tear off the corner of a two-dollar bill to give it an unusual triangular shape and thus attract good luck.

The lucky three

The number three is considered the luckiest of several reasons First, it symbolizes the creation of a new life: a man and a woman together can create a child, which gives the number three certain magical powers.

This number is also important in many religions. In Christianity there is a Holy Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Hinduism has its own Trinity, and Islam has three sacred places. In some pagan traditions, the trinity of the elements of Earth, Sea, and Air is celebrated.

Of course, the number three is not always associated only with luck. There are superstitions associating it with negative events. For example, there is a belief that bad things happen in threes. If you break something at home, it is advised to immediately break two more small things to avoid further destruction of more important items.

There is even a belief that celebrities die three times or that lighting three cigarettes from one match can lead to to death.

Number nine

The number nine is considered very lucky, because it is three times more than the magical number three, which is associated with the Holy Trinity.

Even the nine-tailed whip used to punish sailors gained some magical power from the number nine. Many people believe that the nine tails of this device were able to transform a criminal into a worthy sailor.

However, in Japan, the number nine has negative associations, as its pronunciation resembles a word that means “torture” or “ suffering”.