Friday 17: Popular Culture, Individual Superstition or Collective Influence?
THEheptacaidecaphobia is a term that derives from the Greek ἑπτακαίδεκα and it means "seventeen" and from φόβος or "fear". It is precisely the fear of the number 17. In particular of Friday 17. The number 17 combined with the day Friday is considered particularly unfortunate in Italy and in other countries of Greek-Latin origin.
What happened over the centuries on Friday the 17th?
There are several prejudices related to Friday 17 mainly related to popular culture and superstition.
In Ancient Greece, the followers of Pythagoras despised the Numero 17 since it is a number between 16 and 18. Numbers that for them perfectly reflected the representation of quadrilaterals 4 × 4 and 3 × 6.
In the Old Testament (Genesis, 7-11), however, it is said that the starting date of the universal flood is precisely the 17th of the second month. According to the Bible, the 17th would be the same day that Jesus died.
In Ancient Rome on the tombs of the dead it was customary to write "VIXI", or "I lived" equivalent to "I died". XVII anagram representing the number 17 in the Roman numeral system.
It is also said that heptacaidecaphobia derives from the Battle of Teutoburg in 9 AD fought between the Romans and the Germans of Arminius. And it also derives from the destruction of the Legions 17, 18, 19. These numbers, considered inauspicious, after that date, were no longer attributed to any Legion.
The Number 17 for the Neapolitan Grimace corresponds to the misfortune. It has always been feared in Naples because it is associated with fatal events.
Italy: country strongly linked to superstitions and popular beliefs
Our Italy is a land rich in deeply rooted and particular traditions and popular beliefs. They are intertwined with the history of our beautiful country. Italians at home or abroad are superstitious.
Who has never read a horoscope in their life? I think very few! Whether we believe it or not, we have all been tempted at least once to heed magical and superstitious forms of thought. Whether it is to have your hand read, to avoid going under a ladder or not to leave the house on Friday 17th. Each of us has some little ritual which he just can't give up.
Superstition: a psychological concept
The belief in these magical and superstitious forms is based on a form of thought defined as pre-logical. In his studies on cognitive development, piage, Swiss psychologist, he rediscovers magical thinking in the preparatory stage, whereby children construct reality based on beliefs, such as animism, realism and magical participation. In particular, theanimism it is configured as the tendency of children to attribute a soul, like living beings, to all objects, animated and otherwise;
il realism, on the other hand, consists in the scarce distinction between external and internal reality, while the magical participation it concerns the belief that, by performing a particular gesture, the occurrence of an event will be influenced. At this stage, therefore, the principles of causality as understood by rational thought are not yet structured, but are based on different relationships, such as that of similarity and contiguity.
http://www.magnaromagna.it/leggende/superstizioni-e-credenze-popolari-in-italia-e-nel-mondo/
