# Why was \_\_\_ afraid of seven? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 17, 2010, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-___-afraid-of-seven/550548 "2010-08-17T18:18:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Civil\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-___-afraid-of-seven/550548/21 "2010-08-18T03:15:06Z")
Obligatory: Dr. Freud, what comes between fear and sex? _Fünf._ In German, vier (four) is pronounced ‘fear’, likewise sechs (six) is pronounced (sort of) like ‘sex’. So the answer is five, _auf Deutsch_. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-___-afraid-of-seven/550548/22 "2010-08-18T03:20:39Z")
This is the best poll ever. > [@Civil\_Guy](#): > > Dr. Freud, what comes between fear and sex? Drink. ---
**Author:** ![torie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@torie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/torie)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-___-afraid-of-seven/550548/23 "2010-08-18T03:39:11Z")
Obviously 6 is afraid of 7 because 7 8 9. 10 may also be apprehensive and horrified by 7’s behavior, but he’s not in sequence, so he’s not a part of the main storyline. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-___-afraid-of-seven/550548/24 "2010-08-18T03:40:50Z")
Turns out that all this time we were under-informed about who the worse number is. Seven is a pretty bad guy, but [nothing’s going to save you from the six six six](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QnjsHEvaaI). ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-___-afraid-of-seven/550548/25 "2010-08-18T15:14:22Z")
Do I get the award for most lopsided poll ever? ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-___-afraid-of-seven/550548/26 "2010-08-18T15:19:26Z")
Shhhh_hhhhhhhhh_, you’re gonna jinx it! ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-___-afraid-of-seven/550548/27 "2010-08-18T18:36:57Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > Do I get the award for most lopsided poll ever? So, how _does_ your friend feel about _argumentum ad populum_? ---
**Author:** ![Frazzled](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frazzled/32/3368_2.png) [@Frazzled](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frazzled)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-___-afraid-of-seven/550548/28 "2010-08-18T19:58:15Z")
Has your friend seen this poll? What was his reaction? ---
**Author:** ![Tethered\_Kite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-___-afraid-of-seven/550548/29 "2010-08-18T20:58:30Z")
Why wouldn’t both six and ten be afraid of seven? ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-___-afraid-of-seven/550548/30 "2010-08-18T21:07:54Z")
> [@Tethered\_Kite](#): > > Why wouldn’t both six and ten be afraid of seven? Seven is vicious, but doesn’t have much of an appetite. Once six had been dusted off, seven took a nap. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-___-afraid-of-seven/550548/31 "2010-08-18T21:20:51Z")
> [@Tethered\_Kite](#): > > Why wouldn’t both six and ten be afraid of seven? No, no, no! Six the key number here. Think about it. 6 Flags. 6 Million Secrets. 6 Day War. That’s the number. Triplets of the beast. Six little monkeys jumpin’ on the bed, one fell off and bumped her head. Mother called the doctor and the doctor said, “No more monkeys, jumpin’ on the bed!”. You know like that old children’s rhyme. It’s like you’re dreaming about Gorgonzola cheese when it’s clearly Brie time, baby. Step into my office because you’re fired! ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-___-afraid-of-seven/550548/32 "2010-08-18T21:49:16Z")
I’m a 1 You’re a 2 I’m a 3 You’re a 4 I’m a 5 You’re a 6 I’m a 7 You’re an 8 (Get it? “Urinate”) ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-___-afraid-of-seven/550548/33 "2010-08-20T12:23:20Z")
The answer to why Six is afraid of Seven (and why Ten might not be) can be found [here](http://imago.hitherby.com/?p=771). > [@Six's Story](#): > > The room stills. > > “Six,” says Five. > > “Six,” say the others. > > They have turned to see the newest arrival, and they are all murmuring her name. > > Looking at Six, Helen thinks: Surely this is the greatest lady in all the world. > > Six is tall and graceful and her eyes are fixed on Nine: and Nine meets her by the entrance and their hands touch: and then Nine walks away. > > And Six stares after her, her eyes unfocused, and Helen realizes that something is wrong. > > She sees a truth but not its reasoning. > > She asks, “Where is Nine going?” > > And, “Why is Six afraid of Seven?” > > But there is no one listening to her just then to give the answer to those words. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-___-afraid-of-seven/550548/34 "2010-08-20T12:35:41Z")
> [@Tethered\_Kite](#): > > Why wouldn’t both six and ten be afraid of seven? Both are [Kevin Spacey](http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y41/joshdies/films-seven.jpg) fans? ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-___-afraid-of-seven/550548/35 "2010-08-20T19:34:05Z")
> [@Tethered\_Kite](#): > > Why wouldn’t both six and ten be afraid of seven? Because 10’s not afraid of anything. 10 could beat the crap out of 7 with one digit tied behind his back. You don’t wanna fuck with 10. Trust me on this. ---
**Author:** ![Gustav](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/919ad9/32.png) [@Gustav](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gustav)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-___-afraid-of-seven/550548/36 "2010-08-20T19:44:03Z")
If anyone besides 6 should be afraid it’s 11, or possibly 5. 10 doesn’t make sense no matter how you look at it. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-___-afraid-of-seven/550548/37 "2010-08-20T20:07:50Z")
Why is eleven afraid of seven? Because 7, 8, 9, and 10. That’s how I heard it, and to me this seems to have better meter. But now I wonder if I only heard some mutant strain of the joke. 😕 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-was-___-afraid-of-seven/550548.md?page=1)