Today is Friday the 13th. Because of this, many superstitious Saratovs will experience anxiety. But the fear of this date has no real basis and is explained by the peculiarities of the brain.
The “fatal” horror of the number 13 goes back to antiquity. Christians associate this figure with Judas at the Last Supper, and Scandinavian myths - with the god of discord Loki. Friday in Europe has historically been considered a hard day: in Britain, executioners executed convicts, and Christians remember the crucifixion of Christ, which, according to the Bible, occurred on Friday.
But the mystical subtext of this date acquired in 1307. On Friday, October 13, King Philip IV of France arrested hundreds of Knights Templar who were burned at the stake. Later writers and filmmakers turned this historical event into a persistent myth.
Psychologists attribute the popularity of superstition to cognitive bias—confirmation bias. If a person breaks a cup on a normal day, they don’t care. Breaking dishes on the 13th seems like a bad sign. Studies confirm that on such dates people often complain of anxiety, but this is only the effect of autosuggestion.
Therefore, Saratov today should rely on reason, not on signs. As Faina Ranevskaya said, for a long and happy life, you need to smile more often and believe less in stupidity.
Friday the 13th remains an ordinary day of the calendar, and the outcome of events depends only on personal mood.
