Ridiculous History: “Unlucky Numbers Across the Globe—And Why They Are Ridiculous”

Hosts: Ben Bowlin & Noel Brown
Super Producer: Max Williams
Released: September 2, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Ben and Noel dive into the quirky and sometimes surprisingly impactful world of unlucky numbers, exploring both personal superstitions and broader cultural taboos. Through their signature blend of historical deep-dives and playful banter, they investigate why certain numbers—namely 13 and 4—elicit fear, avoidance, and even tangible changes in architecture, manufacturing, and daily life across the globe. Along the way, they pepper the episode with fun facts, pop culture references, and personal anecdotes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Personal Lucky and Unlucky Numbers

• The episode opens with Max’s favorite number (41), Noel’s weird fixation on 845, and a brief acknowledgment that even the hosts have secret number superstitions.
  • “It's just my mind glommed onto that [number] for some reason and there's nothing wrong with that.” — Noel (01:45)
• The hosts consider how these personal preferences can be whimsical (icebreakers) or deadly serious, depending on cultural context and individual beliefs.

The Universality and History of Numerals

• Most of humanity now uses the same number system (Arabic numerals), regardless of language:
  • “Wherever you go nowadays, with a few exceptions… people… are going to use the same number system.” — Ben (09:13)
• The “Arabic” numeral system originated in India, was spread by Persian/Arab scholars (notably Al-Khwarizmi), and overtook less efficient systems like Roman numerals thanks to ease of use and applicability to trade/commerce.
  • “What you're using today, folks, is called the Arabic numeral system, and it's a misnomer because it's from an ancient Indian numerical system and it spread via trade.” — Ben (10:13)

Numbers Beyond Math: Symbols and Superstitions

• Humans universally recognize quantifiable things, but “assigning good or bad fortune to numbers” is a “time-honored human hobby.” (07:05)
• The hosts reference numerology (like Kabbalah and the film Pi) where numbers are thought to have mystical meanings or uncover spiritual secrets.
  • “We're connection making machines.” — Noel (22:33)

Unlucky Number #1: 13 in the West

Cultural Permeation and Origins

• 13 is the most infamously unlucky number in Western culture; its fear, “triskaidekaphobia,” is so widespread it even has a clinical name.
  • “There's even a specific word for this phobia. Can you give us a reading of this phobia?”
    “Triska da kaphobia.” — Ben (21:43)
• 10% of Americans reportedly fear the number 13 (21:41).

Pop Culture References & Real-life Impact

• Friday the 13th (both the date and horror film franchise) looms large as a touchstone for bad luck.
  • “There's even a whole horror movie franchise literally called Friday the 13th.” — Ben (24:28)
• Buildings often skip the 13th floor; elevators, hospitals, airports, and hotels may label floors 12, 14, 15, etc., avoiding the “ominous” 13.
  • “It is even now in 2025, not uncommon to find an elevator with no 13 floor button on it.” — Ben (30:43)

Why Did 13 Become "Bad"?

• Popular theories:

  • Hammurabi’s Code: Allegedly omitted the 13th law, but actually a myth/translation error.
    • “But it turns out the reality… is kind of ridiculous and classic Human. It was probably a typo based on the earliest translations. They accidentally skipped a line of text.” — Ben (27:16)
  • Religious Roots: Judas Iscariot as the 13th guest at the Last Supper, betrayer of Jesus.
  • Nordic Myth: Loki as the unwelcome 13th guest at a mythic Norse feast.

• The number 13's infamy is a Western phenomenon; other cultures may even see it as lucky.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “Are you going to stay on that [13th] floor of the hotel? Da da da da da. It's so weird.” — Ben (31:50)
• “Even if you don’t actively practice superstition, we all have a thing where we kind of err on the side of caution … I will stay on floor 15 just to be safe.” — Ben (31:58)

Unlucky Number #2: 4 in Eastern Cultures

Cross-National Paranoia

• In China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and across much of East Asia, the number four is deeply unlucky, a phenomenon known as “tetraphobia.”
  • “Tetraphobia. And that is unfortunately not related to tetris phobia, which would have been funnier.” — Ben (38:41)
• Elevators and floor numbers will skip 4 as in the West with 13; license plates and product numbering avoid it.

Why Does 4 = Bad Luck?

• Linguistic Origin: The word for “four” sounds almost exactly like the word for “death” in Mandarin (as well as in Japanese and Korean).
  • “In Japanese, for or she and death, she share the same pronunciation. … In Korean, however, both are pronounced sa.” — Noel (45:29)
• In Japan, 49 is even worse (sounds like “pain until death”).

Real-World Impact

• Asian carmakers and Western brands will alter product names/model numbers to avoid 4 (e.g., Alfa Romeo 144 was renamed for these markets).
• Ben and Noel discuss how international companies will go to great lengths to avoid this number, much as in the West with 13.

Notable Cultural Moment: The “Lion-Eating Poet” Poem

• Ben and Noel play an audio clip/poem showcasing the tonal complexity of Mandarin, where every word is pronounced “shi” but carries radically different meanings based on tone (44:03–45:06).
  • “You see what I'm saying makes your head spin in the best way… It's about the tonality…” — Noel (44:44–45:04)

Reflection & Broader Takeaways

Cultural Subjectivity of Number Superstitions

• The two unlucky numbers discussed (13 in the West, 4 in East Asia) both exist due to a mix of linguistic coincidence, historical myth-making, and cultural transmission—a “game of telephone.”
  • “The fear of this number is not a cross cultural phenomenon. It is culturally dependent. … If you are not from western society … you will probably think it’s somewhere between cute and weird that people care so much about what floor of the hotel they’re sleeping on.” — Ben (31:58)
• Much of our relationship to numbers isn’t rational, and the social legacy of these superstitions leads to real-world consequences (missing floors, product recalls, altered naming conventions).

Pop Culture and Number Superstition

• Music references: Pixies’ “Number 13 Baby” and the psych-rock band The 13th Floor Elevators (21:03, 33:28)
• Meme culture: Current numerical slang like “67” (meaning to reject someone/off something), “86” (out of something in restaurant slang), etc.

The Hosts’ Humor & Insights

• Regular asides and playful tangents deepen the discussion, such as Sprint’s references, a running bit about Max’s “dubious facts” (30:14), and debate about Friday the 13th movie timelines (25:01).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Now who are we to 86 superstition?” — Ben (46:38)
• “Maybe you get a deal on 13.” — Noel (48:14)
• “We are down to sleep on floor 13 as well as floor 4. Maybe we do an episode on lucky numbers in the future. What do you think?” — Ben (48:19)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:45] — Noel shares his pseudo-mystical number fixation (845)
• [09:13] — The universality of Arabic numerals
• [12:34] — Max gives Roman numeral fun (Super Bowl LIX)
• [16:22] — Numbers as symbols: “some numbers good, others bad”
• [21:43] — “Triskaidekaphobia” and fear of 13
• [24:28] — Friday the 13th and its horror franchise legacy
• [27:16] — The myth of the Code of Hammurabi omitting law 13
• [30:43] — Elevators skipping the 13th floor
• [34:34] — Enter “tetraphobia,” the fear of 4 in East Asia
• [39:20] — Decorations/products omitting “4” in China, Japan, Korea
• [44:03] — The Lion Eating Poet poem & Mandarin tonality
• [45:29] — Death/four language connection in Japanese and Korean
• [48:19] — “Maybe you get a deal on 13”—bargain hunting and superstition
• [48:39] — Discussion of lucky numbers and future episode teasers

Conclusion

The episode is a wry, wide-ranging exploration of why we assign luck to numbers, how these beliefs percolate through societies, and the ways they create genuinely odd consequences worldwide. With references spanning historical law codes, religious myth, modern pop culture, and global consumer behavior, Ben and Noel demonstrate that some aspects of “ridiculous” history are alive and well in the present day—and may be as much about connection-making as about real risk.

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