![]() This short video by Stuart Vyse, directed by TED-Ed, traces some of the origins of common superstitions that are still around today. Suffice it to say that “fear of Friday the 13th ” is easier to say and remember, not to mention it’s a much better name for a horror flick. The term comes from the Greek word Paraskevi for Friday + dekatreís for thirteen + phobia. This particular phobia is called Paraskevidekatriaphobia, which is certainly a mouthful. According to the founder of the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina, “It is estimated that $800 or $900 million is lost in business on this day because people will not fly or do business they would normally do.” In fact, plenty of people are so fearful that something awful is going to happen to them on Friday the 13th that they avoid traveling, doing normal activities, or even making major purchases. So, long before the popular Friday the 13th movie franchise, this day had a really bad reputation. People in the US, UK and parts of Europe believe that “13” is an unlucky number and “Friday” an unlucky day. Some Common Fearful SuperstitionsĪlthough no longer seemingly applicable, a number of superstitions have hung around to this day. It is not surprising that during the Dark and Middle Ages, when people were for the most part illiterate, superstition flourished. ![]() To him these were the workings of spiteful powers to be propitiated. ![]() The thunder, the lightning, the earthquake and darkness, all filled him with fearful dread. People fear what they don’t know or don’t understand and that includes things that go bump in the night-a fear that goes back to the beginning of recorded history.Īccording to the article “Superstitions and Their Origin,” early man believed that every phenomenon of nature was the work of a spirit or a devil as he could not intelligently fathom any other explanation. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |