The number 23 is a recurring theme in my life, a reminder that the universe is full of strange coincidences.
— William S. Burroughs wrote “In The Adding Machine: Collected Essays.”
William S. Burroughs wrote them, people read them but I feel them. The persistent, inexplicable encounters with the number 23 bring me and William S. Burroughs on the same boat – the boat number 23. It's a mystery that has captivated me, and I've shared my experiences in my recent post, I Found the Secret Code of Universe - The Number 23.
Can such a seemingly ordinary number like 23 leave a profound impact on how you think, write, and perceive the world? The experiences of William S. Burroughs, who popularized the 23 enigma, are fascinating to explore.
1960s - Origin of the 23 Enigma
William S. Burroughs, an enigmatic author, was behind the popularity of the concept of the number 23 enigma. In 1960, while living in Tangier, Burroughs met a sailor named Captain Clark. During their conversation, Clark boasted that he had never experienced an accident in his 23 years of sailing. However, fate took a dark turn that very day. Tragically, Clark's ship sank, claiming his life and the lives of everyone aboard.
As Burroughs processed this eerie coincidence, he heard a radio announcement that evening about a plane crash in Florida. To his astonishment, the pilot of the ill-fated flight was another Captain Clark, and the flight number was 23. This series of uncanny events struck Burroughs deeply and led him to believe that the number 23 held some sort of cosmic significance.
1970s - Spread of the Myth
Robert Anton Wilson and Robert Shea took the seed planted by William S. Burroughs and nurtured it into a sprawling narrative in their work, The Illuminatus! Trilogy.
As the trilogy gained popularity, the 23 Enigma began to seep into the consciousness of the counterculture movement. It became a symbol of the interconnectedness of events and the idea that the universe communicates through numbers.
The Law of Fives is never wrong. All things happen in fives, or are divisible by or are multiples of five, or are somehow directly or indirectly appropriate to 5. The 23 Enigma is a corollary of this law.
–The Illuminatus! Trilogy
1980s-1990s - Cultural Expansion
In the 1980s and 1990s, the 23 Enigma began to spread beyond the pages of literature, infiltrating various cultural and artistic circles. It found its way into music, art, and even conspiracy theories, as people began to notice the number in their own lives.
Writers and artists began to reference the number and began using it in their works as a symbol of hidden meanings and synchronicity. The 23 Enigma also seeped into music, with bands and artists incorporating it into their lyrics and themes. In art, the number 23 became a motif for those exploring the boundaries of reality and perception.
The Film "The Number 23"
Directed by Joel Schumacher, the movie follows Walter Sparrow (played by Jim Carrey), a man who becomes obsessed with a mysterious book that seems to mirror his own life. He discovers that the number 23 appears everywhere, triggering a spiral of paranoia and obsession.
While the film isn't directly connected to William S. Burroughs, it certainly helped amplify interest in the number.
Chapter 23. You can call me Fingerling. My real name is Walter. Walter Paul Sparrow. What you’ve read so far is not the whole truth…
— Walter Sparrow in The Number 23
2010s - Present
The fascination with the number 23 continues to grow through online communities, memes, and social media. People share their personal experiences and coincidences related to the number, creating a sense of camaraderie among those who believe in its significance.
The 23 Enigma invites readers to question their perceptions of reality and encourages a sense of wonder and curiosity about the world around them. The legacy of the 23 Enigma continues to thrive today, a testament to the power of storytelling and the human desire to find patterns in the universe.
Recommended Books for Further Reading:
- "The Adding Machine: Selected Essays" by William S. Burroughs
(Essays containing references to the 23 Enigma).
- "The Illuminatus! Trilogy" by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson
- "Cosmic Trigger I: The Final Secret of the Illuminati" by Robert Anton Wilson (Exploration of the 23 Enigma and other occult topics).