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Freakonomics Radio

490. What Do Broken-Hearted Knitters, Urinating Goalkeepers, and the C.I.A. Have in Common?

Freakonomics Radio

Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Documentary, Society & Culture

4.632K Ratings

🗓️ 13 January 2022

⏱️ 47 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Curses and other superstitions may have no basis in reality, but that doesn’t stop us from believing.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

I can't think of a single superstition I believe in.

0:08.7

I don't knock on wood, for good luck.

0:11.3

Black cats do not scare me.

0:13.0

I think they're beautiful.

0:14.8

And I think it's silly when tall buildings pretend they don't have a 13th floor and call

0:19.1

it 14 instead.

0:20.8

And yet, according to the Otis Elevator Company, about 85% of tall buildings in the US do

0:27.7

this.

0:28.7

Triska Decafobia, that's a fear of the number 13 in China.

0:33.6

It's the number 4 that's considered unlucky.

0:36.4

Again, personally, I don't have a problem with any number.

0:40.1

I do refrain from walking under ladders, but that's just common sense.

0:43.6

I don't want a brick or a hammer to fall down, hit me on the head.

0:47.1

So the standard superstitions, they just don't move me.

0:51.0

For instance, I pay zero attention to my horoscope, although that is such a Virgo thing

0:56.6

to say.

0:57.6

What about you?

0:59.0

Are you superstitious?

1:01.1

We put this question to our listeners.

1:03.2

You better knock on wood or you're going to break a bone.

1:06.0

I went out to dinner and noticed that my tip rented out to $6.66, which is the devil's

1:13.1

number.

...

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