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Numbers

Feb 8, 2009

1353

1 an arithmetical value, expressed by a word, symbol, or figure, representing a particular quantity and used in counting and making calculations and for showing order in a series or for identification : she dialed the number carefully | an even number.

• ( numbers) dated arithmetic : the boy was adept at numbers.

2 a quantity or amount : the company is seeking to increase the number of women on its staff | the exhibition attracted vast numbers of visitors.

• ( a number of) several : we have discussed the matter on a number of occasions.

• a group or company of people : there were some distinguished names among our number.

• ( numbers) a large quantity or amount, often in contrast to a smaller one; numerical preponderance : the weight of numbers turned the battle against them.

3 a single issue of a magazine : the October number of “Travel.”

• a song, dance, piece of music, etc., esp. one of several in a performance : they go from one melodious number to another.

• [usu. with adj. ] informal a thing, typically an item of clothing, of a particular type, regarded with approval or admiration : Yvonne was wearing a little black number.

4 Grammar a distinction of word form denoting reference to one person or thing or to more than one. See also singular (sense 2), plural , count noun , and mass noun .

• a particular form so classified

Macintosh Dictionary about number

My name is Aditya Prathomo P., 25 years, 2 month, and 8 days year old. My salary is Rp. 1.709.000,00 (minus taxes), and the list goes on and on. I could babble all day, but my point is, well I think is all about the number, not money but number.

Number is an amazing thing, even superstitious, western believe that 13 brings bad luck, while eastern, Chinese to be exact, believe 4 brings bad luck (it sounds the same as death in Chinese). Western believes in lucky 7. Some people believe about “sacred” number that effect their life, the number that most common appear in their life. Me for instance, I believe that number 83 is my number, I was born on 1983, one of my favorite anime is Gundam 0083 (the perfect one year war saga), my ID card (including working ID, social number, insurance, etc) consist of 83, etc, or to understand more about number watch Jim Carrey Movie “The Number 23”.

In the old days, people worship number, but the most hardcore number worshiper ever recorded in history is Pythagoras (the exact dude from the dreadful math class with triangle trigonometry). He founded, established a cult of eccentric math worshipper in the 6 B.C., they believe they can understand the secret of the universe through number (I’m not lying, check he history book, it’s there). To ensure the “logical purity” for mystical counting, this worshipper took an oath to keep their secret, only wear white dress and having no sex, and forbid themselves to touch peanut? (must be easy for a bunch of geek eh?). Their motto is “everything is number”, it means that this universe is an expression of imperfect higher abstract universe with higher intelligence, a world of number with perfect harmony (I don’t understand what the hell is he teaching, maybe that’s why my math suck)

Well, it’s obvious that we all obsessed with number. We all want to be the best, number one. It’s all about quantity, not quality. I mean, think about it, in everyday life, it’s all about number, rating, surveys, prediction, possibility, odds, chances, etc. Feel annoyed when you were compared to someone else like this, “his salary is bigger than mine”, “his taller than me”, even “damn! His cock is bigger than mine”.

I began to wonder that this thing indicates that we all are materialistic, just because material is numerical. Maybe we obsessed with number cuz we need some tools to standardized or to measure things in life. Maybe we all need something more countable, solid, reliable, something that can be measure accurately, numbers or quantity that we can count, not quality. Example, I ask about how was your holiday? You probably said ”It’s great. From one to ten, It’s eight.” Well, I’m more comfortable with number than alphabetical grade, I mean “B” is equal as 8 (scale 1 to 10), but “C”? It could be 6 or 7, cuz “D” is a flunk. Things without number: bias, full of prejudice, unfair.

Number oriented other thing is birthday. It is strange cuz everyone is eager and excited to having a birthday. They count the day to the birthday cuz they think it’s some sort of gateway to happiness. Well maybe cuz I’m a God damn pessimist, I think that with every birthday my share of chance of life is decreased. Just like a battery run out of energy, each birthday reminds me of how close my end is. My days are numbered here and I don’t wanna be the last one home. Damn numbers why couldn’t I live without it.