Prompt Cast
The Significance and Superstitions Surrounding the Number 23
TLDR The number 23 has been associated with various coincidences and superstitions, including its connection to Michael Jordan, the Illuminatus trilogy, and Discordianism. While there is no actual mystical meaning behind it, our brains have a tendency to search for patterns and find significance in certain numbers.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
The podcast episode discusses the significance and superstitions surrounding the number 23, including the mention of a bad Jim Carrey movie called "The Number 23."
02:01
The number 23 has been associated with Michael Jordan and basketball, but its obsession can be traced back to a book by William S. Burroughs.
04:12
William S. Burroughs became obsessed with the number 23 and his friend Robert Anton Wilson went on to co-write the Illuminatus trilogy.
06:10
The number 23 is a major foundation of the Illuminatus trilogy and is also a holy number for Discordianism, which is a parody religion that blurs the lines between reality and non-reality.
09:51
Some interesting coincidences related to the number 23 include Kurt Cobain's birth and death years adding up to 23, the numbers in the date of the 9/11 tragedy adding up to 23, Shakespeare being born and dying on April 23rd, and the "birthday paradox" where having 23 people in a room gives a 50% chance of two people having the same birthday.
12:08
The number 23 appears in various films, such as Star Wars and THX 1138, and is also associated with famous people like mathematician John Nash and Pope John the 23rd, as well as being referenced in the Bible and the first telegraph message sent by Samuel Morse.
14:25
Our brains have a tendency to search for patterns and ascribe significance to certain numbers, such as 23, even though there is no actual mystical meaning behind it.
Categories:
Society & Culture
