This past year,
marked as twenty-twelve, has passed. I find myself saddened, but excited
in a bittersweet farewell, accompanied by an equally bittersweet hello to
twenty-thirteen.
The thirteenth
year of the century brought unparalleled skepticism even before the New Year
commenced. But who are we to blame? Our ancestors who abided by the
code of Hammurabi omitted a thirteenth law in suspicion. The number and
date (Friday the 13th) has been deemed unlucky by the Babylonians since
before 1772 BCE when the code was introduced.
What does that
mean? To me, ‘unlucky’ means nothing. The only thing I can imagine
as I sit waiting for class to start is how Hammurabi, young successor to his
father’s key to Babylon, loathed the 13th day because of his losing lotto numbers.
Through the ages
Christians, Vikings, and Persians didn’t settle well with having a 13th
number. Why can’t we omit it from the Arabic system? Will 14 be the
new 13 if we do?
Triskaidekaphobia
is what it’s called – a fear of the number 13.
To my own dismay
Ireland seems to be the new contender in the fight against 13. In Ireland, just
like in any nation, cars of the 2013 model are required to be registered by the
government. Independent.ie reporters Padraic Deane and Allison Bray
wrote in August 2012 that the New Year would diminish car sales and
registration of cars simply due to the fact that the number 13 will be printed
on new plates. Could government law actually be changed due to
superstition?
Apparently yes,
it can. License plates registered in the first six months of the year
will show ‘131’, and if registered within the second six months of the year
will show ‘132’.
“Superstition
over the number 13 could also have a serious impact on the sale of new cars by
owners who fear it will bring about bad luck or accidents…” said the reporters.
It seems as if
the entire nation of Ireland has finally took triskaidekaphobia too far.
The number 13 has
always been by favorite number. I was born on the 13th of
November, and I have never been afraid of the number.
I say down with
the suspicion of the number 13.
I am skeptical of
2013 as a year, though.
This special year
marks the graduation of Fairfield University class of 2013. I haven’t the
slightest clue on what or where I’ll be in near future. Who’s to say that
the brutish working world won’t drag me to the depths of hell?
My ultimate
skepticism of 2013 draws attention to my professional life and future
goals. I’m striving to graduate with a degree in International Studies
and Politics, with a minor in Biology. With interests in international
journalism and photography, my new year’s resolution is to use this blog to share
my experiences with up to date news.
By surfing the
web and pulling from this final semester’s university experiences I can only
hope to produce something useful to my readers.
