So there I was, mindlessly scrolling through my WordPress stats like any normal person when BAM! – 1,337 likes. Achievement unlocked:

Quick history lesson: Back in the 1980s, computer geeks turned “ELITE” into “LEET” and then into “1337” by replacing letters with numbers (Look at them Upside Down)

This number has infiltrated modern culture like a meme in a corporate LinkedIn post. It’s everywhere: easter eggs, game scores, software versions.

But why do you care about 1337, you ask? (I’m pretending you asked. Just go with it.) You’re right – I’m not a hacker or anything like that. I’m just a number theory geek who gets excited about digits with personality.

And 1337 does have personality!

It’s not just any number – it’s a prime number, which means it’s only divisible by 1 and itself.

It’s basically the introvert of mathematics: refuses to be grouped with others and does its own thing.

It is like 1337 is just standing there, arms crossed, saying “Nah, I’m good by myself.”

Getting 1337 likes hits different than getting 1,000 or even 10,000.

While everyone’s out there hitting their impressive round numbers, here I am getting excited about a quirky prime number with an internet backstory.

And you know what? I’m totally okay with that.