The Origins and Superstitions of Friday the 13th

TLDR The fear of Friday the 13th, known as pereskevedecotriaphobia, is a cultural construct that combines superstitions surrounding the number 13 and Friday. This fear has roots in Norse mythology and Christianity, and while there is no real reason to be afraid of Friday the 13th, it is considered bad luck in many cultures.

Timestamped Summary

00:00 There is a genuine phobia of Friday the 13th.
03:10 The fear of Friday the 13th, pereskevedecotriaphobia, is a cultural construct that combines the superstitions surrounding the number 13 and Friday, which have roots in Norse mythology and Christianity.
06:46 Christianity and Judaism borrowed popular beliefs from ancient Egyptian mythology, particularly the similarities between Horus and Jesus Christ, which undermines the early Christian church's competition with other religions and explains why certain dates were chosen for Christmas and Easter to compete with pagan holidays.
10:30 Friday the 13th is considered bad luck because of various historical events that occurred on Fridays and the number 13, and studies have shown that there is an increase in car accidents and hospital admissions on Friday the 13th compared to a normal Friday.
13:48 Friday the 13th is considered bad luck in many cultures, but in Italy the unlucky number is 17, and in Judaism, 13 is seen as a positive age of maturity for boys.
16:48 Friday the 13th is considered unlucky in many cultures, but there have been famous athletes who wore the number 13 and had successful careers, and there have also been 12 Friday the 13th films released, with a remake of the original being released on Friday the 13th.
19:53 The modern fear of Friday the 13th is mostly based on superstition and there is no real reason to be afraid of it.
22:49 The hosts thank listeners for their corrections and feedback, and mention that if anyone wants to send a podcast about ancient Egyptian gods or any other topic, they can send it to stuffpodcast at howstuffworks.com.
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