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Coronavirus

Why three?

(30 Posts)
coggie Sat 18-Apr-20 23:35:30

Why are we locked down/in in multiples of 3? Is it a magical number?

annodomini Sun 19-Apr-20 16:21:35

During the Black Death, ships' passengers and crew were obliged to remain on board for 40 days before being allowed to disembark. Hence, they were in quarantine

Callistemon Sun 19-Apr-20 15:38:10

The origin of Quarantine is not, though.

Oh yes, 8 and combinations of it are supposed to be lucky.

Personally I like 7 and combinations of that
grin

GabriellaG54 Sun 19-Apr-20 15:36:41

* book of not if

GabriellaG54 Sun 19-Apr-20 15:35:53

All myths Callistemon, all myths from the book if myths.

GabriellaG54 Sun 19-Apr-20 15:34:52

If you are Chinese, it's 8. That's their magic number.

lemongrove Sun 19-Apr-20 15:23:32

Like my boozy 40th Birthday?

Callistemon Sun 19-Apr-20 15:15:41

40 days

The word quarantine comes from the Venetian for 40 days.

40 is also a significant number.
Jesus spent 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness
In Genesis it rained for 40 days and 40 nights
If it rains on St Swithin's day it will rain for the next 40 days
The Jews wandered the desert for 40 years

And many other incidents involving 40.

MiniMoon Sun 19-Apr-20 14:30:47

Eh!!! Indeed.

Not I feed. That would be silly.

MiniMoon Sun 19-Apr-20 14:28:25

Three is a liminal number, a mysterious number, neither here nor there.

The ancient Greek philosopher, Pythagoras, postulated that the meaning behind numbers was deeply significant. In their eyes the number 3 was considered as the perfect number, the number of harmony, wisdom and understanding. It was also the number of time – past, present, future; birth, life, death; beginning, middle, end – it was the number of the divine.

A magic number I feed.

Callistemon Sun 19-Apr-20 13:25:00

Oh dear, depressing.
Perhaps a vaccine will be available before too long.
3 months?

EllanVannin Sun 19-Apr-20 13:21:11

This second wave was repeated when Spanish 'flu broke out and it was over 2 years before the virus fizzled out.

Maybe the " three " as has been mentioned is 3 years ? grin
Imagine living like this for 3 years !

EllanVannin Sun 19-Apr-20 13:16:41

There are fears that China is facing a second wave of coronavirus as staff are reported as having it and to date 16 have contracted the disease in Wuhan.

EllanVannin Sun 19-Apr-20 13:10:33

3 types of 'flu ( ABC ) viruses from different parts of the world---Singapore and the East. Australasia , and Africa/Europe.

Doodledog Sun 19-Apr-20 13:05:06

The first time something is said it makes the point, the second reinforces it, and the third rams it home.

The power of three has been used since Ancient Greek rhetoric, and is seen across cultures. There are countless examples - 'The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth', 'I came, I saw, I conquered', or as Nellie Pledge used to say, 'All alone, by myself with nobody with me' grin.

The Holy Trinity is another example of how powerful it is.

coggie Sun 19-Apr-20 12:55:35

3 Little Pigs, Goldilocks and the 3 Bears. Snow White ( the 3 drops of blood at the beginning) . I'm sure there are others.

Taste the Difference.

Every Little Helps.

Gran52 Sun 19-Apr-20 10:03:14

Yes 3, 6, 666 are definitely significant in coronavirus 'pandemic' unfortunately. 5 as in 5G also very significant. Would suggest all research further on this.

Callistemon Sun 19-Apr-20 09:44:59

Always plant in multiples of 3 (or 5 or 7 or 9 etc)

silverlining48 Sun 19-Apr-20 09:33:47

Oh apart from

Another three weeks!

silverlining48 Sun 19-Apr-20 09:32:41

Stay at home
Do not hug
Wash your hands
Wash your food
Wash your mail
Wash it all
Keep some distance
Help a neighbour
Clap on Thursdays
Support the NHS
Don’t get sick
Get a slot
Don’t give up
We’ll meet again.
Think that’s it. ....

Daisymae Sun 19-Apr-20 08:26:29

They think that's all we can cope with at any one time

Calendargirl Sun 19-Apr-20 08:13:04

Stay Home, Protect The NHS, Save Lives.

Chewbacca Sun 19-Apr-20 08:07:00

Location! Location! Location!

Well, well, well!

M0nica Sun 19-Apr-20 08:01:30

I have just fullly read my link (above), it really is interesting on the way we use groups of three in life all the time, often without noticing.

Friends, Romans, Countrymen

Yes we can

Education, education, education

Do or die

M0nica Sun 19-Apr-20 07:57:41

Primary numbers, 1, 3, 5, 7 etc have always been seen to have mystical significance, 5 less than others, because it is half of 10. The number 3, groups of 3, are of great significance to us in so many ways we never notice. www.alivewithideas.com/blog/three-is-the-magic-number/

Also 4 weeks = 1 month, or is always seen to, and 1 month seems a long time, where three weeks doesn't.

Calendargirl Sun 19-Apr-20 07:54:21

2 doesn’t sound much, neither here nor there, and 4 sounds like a month, a lot longer, so 3 is more comforting, a reasonable time, but not too daunting.