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Romance and reality of numerical superstition (2)

(People's Daily Online)

08:24, January 11, 2013

(Photo/ Chinanews.com)

Will the love and marriage of a couple become more solid because of the numeral "201314" (as a date, Jan. 4, 2013 is pronounced similar to "love you for a lifetime" in Chinese language)? The answer is no, obviously.

Related: Feng shui, pilosophy or sham?

In fact, marriage requires more prudence than impulse, especially for the young people who have not yet thought over it in a mature way. Marriages in a hurry at the so-called "date of perpetual love once in 10,000 years" may well create another wave of "divorce tide" a few years later. At the same time, the irrational massive registration of marriages will undoubtedly cause waste to social administration cost. Such "rigid rationalism" style analysis is not as romantic but has its point.

On the other hand, one can tell from "201314" that the preferences and taboos about figures have now become different from traditional superstition. It is no longer based on predictions of good or ill luck, but rather cares more about personal feelings, as well as brings a little entertainment and fun. Their interpretation of special dates either starts with love or is led by affection. For example, May 20, homonym to "I love you" in Chinese, has been called the "Internet Valentine's Day"; while Nov. 11 (the 11th day of the 11th month) is aptly called "Single's Day".

Such artificial Day based on digital superstition add a lot of humor to the otherwise ordinary dates. The reason for this new trend, to put it nicely, is that the younger generation which has grown up in the Internet era is generally more creative; but to put it bluntly, it is that we all are too "lonely" and under too much pressure. The reality is more brutal than that. In fact, the popularity of such digital superstition is largely the result of businesses fudge and hype. In today's consumption age, digital superstition can very well be used as a promotional gimmick. Obviously, the "Single's Day", the Valentine's Day and Christmas alike have become a gimmick for merchants to take in gold hand over fist.

Whether it is a kind of traditional digital superstition or a new style for the young, the figures in it is no more than a simple symbol. It cannot prevent the occurrence of anything bad or bring any good luck. Once we know the tricks the merchants are playing with the figures, more people can recognize the true colors of digital superstition and no longer be fooled or swept along so easily, but regard the fortuitous combination of numbers solely as a manner of entertainment and recreation.


Cultural puzzlements[Special]



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