# Correct Usage: Synchronicity or Serendipity? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 8, 2001, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/correct-usage-synchronicity-or-serendipity/61283 "2001-04-08T22:23:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2001, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/correct-usage-synchronicity-or-serendipity/61283/1 "2001-04-08T22:23:31Z")
You’re driving down a country road on a beautiful Sunday afternoon and suddenly your internal plumbing goes into an acute peristaltic mode. You _know_ there’s very little time left so you begin the anal maneuver (squeeze, relax, squeeze, relax), but you know that you’re not going to make it home and something’s going to give. Soon. You round a curve, and _there_, where there _was_ none before, is a brand new convenience store/filling station! You can almost see the rays of sunlight shining upon it from the skies and all that is missing is that heavenly “Ahhhhhhhhhhhh” choir. You run in, the very nice clerk points you to the back where you find a **clean** toilet! You make your deposit and continue you on your drive with a smile. Now is that serendipity or is that synchronicity? Thanks Quasi ---
**Author:** ![berdollos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@berdollos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/berdollos)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2001, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/correct-usage-synchronicity-or-serendipity/61283/2 "2001-04-08T22:33:14Z")
“Serendipity” is not correct as it refers to coming up with new ideas or insights. “Synchronicity” refers to the meaningful convergence of events, but it has heavy metaphysical and Jungian associations. Simply, “good luck” or “lucky break” or “lucky coincidence” seem to have the best fit to what you described. You must have been “relieved”; pardon the pun. ---
**Author:** ![Jeremy\_s\_Evil\_Twin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Jeremy\_s\_Evil\_Twin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeremy_s_Evil_Twin)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2001, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/correct-usage-synchronicity-or-serendipity/61283/3 "2001-04-08T22:33:45Z")
That’s serendipity. Synchronicity would be the person arriving at the convenience store 2 seconds after you, finding the door locked, and crapping his pants instead. ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2001, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/correct-usage-synchronicity-or-serendipity/61283/4 "2001-04-08T22:47:49Z")
This was posted alone (and is somewhat redundant), but thought I’d add it here. - Jill berdollos Member Registered: Feb 2001 Posts: 184 The convergence of events with similar meaning without known cause and effect is synchronicity. Serendipity has to do with coming up with new ideas or clever innovations. Actually, the idea of synchronicity has to do with a meaningful connection between unrelated events. I thing it is more accurate to call what happened to you “good luck” or “co-incidence” or better, “lucky break” or “lucky coincidence”. These latter terms do not have the metaphysical baggage or Jungian connotations of “synchronicity” Hope this is not confusing. ---
**Author:** ![Jeremy\_s\_Evil\_Twin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Jeremy\_s\_Evil\_Twin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeremy_s_Evil_Twin)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2001, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/correct-usage-synchronicity-or-serendipity/61283/5 "2001-04-09T06:45:23Z")
I always used the word as running across something (like a restroom) just when you needed it. From [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com): > [@](#): > > **ser·en·dip·i·ty** _n._ > The faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident. and > [@](#): > > **serendipity** n : accidental sagacity; the faculty of making fortunate discoveries of things you were not looking for Granted, coming up with new ideas could fall under these definitions, but it definitely does cover “fortunate discoveries (of things)” Do I win a prize for this? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2001, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/correct-usage-synchronicity-or-serendipity/61283/6 "2001-04-09T07:22:28Z")
Yeah, but I’d say it would only really be serendipity if he found the bathroom in the process of trying something else. Or if an unrelated piece of good fortune occurred due to his being at that bathroom to take a shit. ---
**Author:** ![dondrac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ab097/32.png) [@dondrac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dondrac)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2001, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/correct-usage-synchronicity-or-serendipity/61283/7 "2001-04-10T03:05:51Z")
Perhaps this is simply a case of ‘flirtin’ with disaster’. Suppose that just prior to setting out on this drive, the driver had consumed a bowl of split pea soup with ham, knowing the inevitable ‘outcome’. Could it still be considered serendipitous?