We humans are a funny bunch. For whatever reason, we seem to find comfort in that which we have experience, or that which has been passed down through the ages as accepted knowledge. Moreover, we base much of our unforeseen decisions — our future proof — on what we think will happen based on historical precedents. While this can certainly occur since history (or trends) has a way of repeating itself, we occasionally set precedents that are far from justified or create superstitions that are just plain foolish.

Not surprisingly, there are a few dates or important psychological numbers from history that are still repeated in popular culture that are really nothing more than superstitions meant to scare the sheeple or reinforce societal norms.

These days, it’s my somewhat cynical belief that promoting these psychological numbers and superstitions is nothing more than a clever marketing ploy designed generate revenue. Since the smart money is well aware that most of us are sentimental creatures and that we spook fairly easily, marketers cleverly remind us about these psychological numbers time after time to play on our sympathies or create an emotional buzz around a trivial event (e.g. the fear trade) so money can be made.

Here are a few of my favorites…

Dow 10,o00

(Video from trading coach Dr. Doug Hirschhorn)

The Dow Jones Industrial average breached the 10,000 around 1330 hours today (October 14, 2009). You would think it was a momentous occasion worthy of being doused in champagne or a scantily clad young lady jumping out of a cake.

Nope!  Sorry.  Been there, done that about a decade ago. As the video says above: think like a champ, not a chump!

Just more old news on a slow news day built to give confidence to the retail investors who sold at Dow 7,000 fearing the end of the capitalism, but now, is supposed to mean that Wall Street is in better financial health now that the Dow is above 10,000.

If anything, it only gave speculators a great trade setup to make a few quick bucks by going long the Dow if the market closes over Down 10,000. However, it was rather quaint to see the NYSE handing out “Dow 10,000 2.0” baseball caps. Not like that wouldn’t jinx the rally or anything.

2012 – The End of the Mayan Calendar

Granted, it’s a future event and we don’t know what will happen yet, but it’s just another date on a calendar folks.

The Mayans were stellar astronomers and mathematicians in their day, but unless they identified a big ass comet that modern day astronomers haven’t located yet, it’s just another soothsayer predicting the End of Days.

The “End of the World in 2012″ prediction has helped create a really good action movie, though. Box office returns, like the end of the world, has yet to be determined.

Y2K

That much hyped date when my personal computer was going to explode or violently dematerialize into a Poltergeist like event. Once again, much ado about nothing, as my computer didn’t do anything but keep on trucking.

However, I’m sure a lot of people made money on selling software, advertising dollars and maybe even published a few survival guide like books after we go back to writing on the cave walls.

However, I am thankful that Y2K did play a small role in the cult film classic that all 90s college students love — Office Space!

Friday the 13th

Triskaidekaphobia, or a fear of Friday the 13th, is just one more superstitious holiday meant to spook the kiddies or generate a little buzz among the sheeple that we’re supposed to look over our shoulders for fear of something bad happening to us. If that were true, those “Shit Happens!” bumper stickers would only be valid on a handful of days every millennium.

Although, I must admit, the Friday the 13th myth did lead to a wildly popular series of horror movies that scared the bejesus out of me as a kid. Good times!

What about you?

Got any other freaky psychological numbers or historical dates that give you the willies? I’m sure there are a few I left out since I’m one of the least superstitious people on the planet.