It's Just a Superstition -- but Is It Harmless?
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Airports typically exclude Gate 13. Some buildings skip the 13th floor. And Friday the 13th is not known as a lucky day. The fear of the number 13 is a superstition with a complicated name — triskaidekaphobia. The idea the number 13 is unlucky isn't rational, of course, and for most, any unease about the number doesn't rise to the level of a phobia. And yet an awful lot of people give the number a subtle (or overt) power over their actions.
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@win-tim Personal superstitions around a black cat crossing your path being an ominous sign or a lucky charm bringing good fortune can also arise from personal experience. When people connect two unrelated events — like winning a sporting event while wearing a particular jersey or pair of socks — Once they see that link, it can be quite difficult to stop, because it is spontaneous and unconscious.