# Serendipity **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 11, 2006, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serendipity/356441 "2006-05-11T23:46:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vpriest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/49beb7/32.png) [@vpriest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vpriest)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2006, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serendipity/356441/1 "2006-05-11T23:46:14Z")
What is behind the phenomenon of serendipity? What are the laws of averages that might account for ‘serendipity’? I’ve always believed that if one takes advantage of opportunities rather than be passive and non-active when they come around, one has a greater chance of ‘luck’ or ??? serendiptity??? Here’s a question for those who are spiritual or perhaps religious and also for those who are scientific. WHAT IS SERENDIPITY in reality??? Vona ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2006, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serendipity/356441/2 "2006-05-12T00:36:44Z")
ser·en·dip·i·ty (sĕr’ən-dĭp’ĭ-tē) n., pl. -ties. The faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident. The fact or occurrence of such discoveries. An instance of making such a discovery. [From the characters in the Persian fairy tale The Three Princes of Serendip, who made such discoveries, from Persian Sarandīp, Sri Lanka, from Arabic sarandīb.] This says it is related to discoveries but I more often hear it used in a “when good things happen inspite of bumbling and bad judgement” and feel Homer Simpson to be a prime example of this. Inspite of his mistakes, he flys on the shuttle, meets Presidents, and many other rare things regardless of the mixed up methods. ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2006, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serendipity/356441/3 "2006-05-12T01:00:16Z")
“One in a million chances crop up nine times out of ten.” --Terry Pratchet Basically, it comes down to the fact that there are a whole mess of people on this great world of ours, doing a whole bunch of things at any one time. Eventually, someone somewhere will do something stupid that winds up doing some good. This is related to the birthday paradox, which isn’t a paradox, but what can you do. It turns out that if you have 23 people in a room, there’s about a 50% chance that two of them have the same birthday. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2006, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serendipity/356441/4 "2006-05-12T01:17:56Z")
One in a million events happen to 6000 people every day. Is any further explanation needed? ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2006, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serendipity/356441/5 "2006-05-12T01:20:55Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > One in a million events happen to 6000 people every day. [Groucho]And they’re getting sick and tired of it![/Groucho] ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2006, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serendipity/356441/6 "2006-05-12T14:20:18Z")
I can’t believe I stumbled across this thread!!! ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2006, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serendipity/356441/7 "2006-05-12T15:10:08Z")
> [@vpriest](#): > > I’ve always believed that if one takes advantage of opportunities rather than be passive and non-active when they come around, one has a greater chance of ‘luck’ or ??? serendiptity??? “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” Variously attributed, possibly Seneca: Roman dramatist, philosopher, & politician (5 BC - 65 AD).