I know many people who read their daily horoscopes in the newspapers as well as the weekly ones in the end of the week issues as well as magazines. I also know many people who consult professional astrologers for just about everything in life. In India, astrologers play a very important role in finding or rejecting suitable marriage matches based on the compatibility of both horoscopes. I personally did not when I got married and had a very fruitful and joyful married life for 40 years. I sometimes wonder what would have happened had I consulted an astrologer before I got married!
I personally do not believe in horoscopes and do not ever read the columns in the press. I think that it is a lot of hocus-pocus. I know professional content writers who write for horoscope columns who haven’t a clue about astrology but, who are wordsmiths who can write drivel like the following three insertions for Cancer, my sun sign, in three different newspapers last Sunday.
1. Health shall improve, wear more of orange and yellow to retain your health and energy levels this week. You might also be compelled to behave in such a way as you shall see people doing and saying outrageous things, even though it might hurt them in the long run. My advise to you is to just hear what you want to hear and see things as a casual observation. You might even wake up to realise how pathetic the modern material life is. But God has blessed you with super intuition to guide you in times of crisis and you need to trust yourself through in spirt of how things might appear at any time. Sometimes you need to be a bit selfish and think of your interests and concerns first. Wear reds, pinks and maroons to improve your professional prospects.
2. This is an excellent moment for business transactions and negotiations. You are disciplined and your critical faculties are sharp. You are open to divergent views. Ego drives are high and you attract arguments and altercations but, you manage to get your way in the end.
3. It is a useful moment for all ambitious crabs and if you are pursuing a professional goal, or increased status in your community, go for it. Maternal type relations are seen to be the most significant, and it looks as if you could benefit from people who come forward to protect you.
Can any of my readers make any sense of any of the drivel that the three have dished out for me? I could not. That is why I would rather call it HORRORSCOPE.
I had suggested this topic as a lark for our weekly Friday 2 on 1 posts. Please go along to Shackman’s blog to see what he has to say on the same topic.
I remember the years when the common ‘pick up’ line was “what’s your sign?”
president Reagan’s wife totally believed in it. and when she was advising him concerning certain meetings and such … just goes to show how our lives might have been affected by her belief in it without our even knowing it! a rather scary thought.
I don’t know about astrology but I do believe that farmers who ‘plant by the moon phases’ get better production or whatever. but then… who really knows? also law enforcement can tell a moon phase by crime rates. oh. but that’s the moon. not sun signs! oh well. fun stuff.
That “pick up line” can only ever warrant one answer: “Guess”. It’s most educational.
U
Following the seasonal requirements in agriculture is a universal phenomenon and over millennia farmers have understood how the system works. I doubt however that this has anything to do with astrology! Lunacy’s link to the phases of moon is well documented and one of these days, some theory will evolve for that phenomenon too.
Well, my dear Ramana, those three hoRRor examples show that you’ll be just fine – because that is the whole purpose of horoscopes in the daily papers and monthly magazines. Making you feel good, maintaining hope that all will be well. Sod the stars. Who wants to cause discomfort to their readership?
And yes, you are right, whoever at the editor’s desk has nothing more urgent to do this minute plus a way of saying nothing in a most convincing way will be given that day’s job.
Astrology (as in the alignment of stars at birth) I do believe in to some extent. A birth chart (which is not about the future but who you are) can be somewhat surprisingly accurate. I had mine done many years ago – and it pinpointed some of the POSSIBLE (not predictable) pitfalls of my particular mix. It’s kept me in good stead – with hindsight :); though, unfortunately, and it’s vexing, the very one I had totally ignored not least because it points at something to do with my old age appears to be coming on “nicely”. Well, I suppose if the worst comes to the worst I can either commit a crime or suicide. There is one other thing I could do to secure my future but it’s out of the question. Sorry to be so mysterious but even I remember occasionally that blogs are not private. Anyway, I shouldn’t be laughing at my future … which I am as I am typing this. It’s too ridiculous for words, Ramana.
My crystal ball predicts many a comment on today’s topic – not least one from a Pisces who will poo poo the whole idea as he does so many.
Mercurial greetings,
U
I don’t need those predictions to tell me that I will be fine Ursula but thanks. I am actually amazed that you are a believer! Somehow it is out of character in my view!
One more nail into the coffin of my existence in blogland: I did NOT say that I am a “believer”. I said that I am flummoxed, and somewhat bewildered, at the accuracy of my birth chart (and that of others) – not least with the benefit of hindsight. This has nothing to do with the frivolity of today’s papers’ forecast for the next twenty four hours which, obviously, any idiot knows is rubbish.
I give up, Ramana. Those who know me have told me a million times that blogging/commenting on blogs is not my medium. There is never enough room given to discuss anything in detail. In the end, even on your always accommodating blog, it’s just soundbites. Blown with the wind.
Sorry I sound disenchanted. I am. The art, now, is to convert insight into practice. Distance myself. By which I don’t mean from you or others I found a connection with via blogging. Just the medium as such.
U
I understand.
I agree with Ursula on the pinpointing of our location on earth at the exact moment of our birth and mine has proven astonishingly accurate. General astrology is bollix and meant to soothe the masses. We are all stardust and our makeup as humans can be predictable depending on quadrants and moon location etc. We are under much influence from the heavens.
XO
WWW
Whatever floats your boat WWW!
“Drivel” … Codswallop .. or .. A load of old bollocks ! … Just “Cross my palm with silver”.. and .. “I can do that” … 😉
Big John recently posted..A royal baby ? .. I’m losing count !
Thank you John.
“Ambitious crabs.” That’s funny.
Horoscopes are deliberately vague or written so that they fuel apply to anyone. There’s not a speck of science behind any of it. I don’t for a minute believe whether you happened to be born one day versus another in terms of stars positioning affects anything about you. What MIGHT make a difference is if you are born on a holiday or a day of some significance to your family (like on the death anniversary of someone close), but only because it would impact people’s thoughts about you or other aspects of your life. Like my son’s birthdays often coincide with Thanksgiving, which means they sometimes got a bit lost in the shuffle of the holidays. But other than that, just no.
We recently had two deaths in the family of uncles who died on the birthdays of nephews. The nephews are convinced that I remember their birthdays because of this coincidence!
I think horoscopes are total bunk, yet thousands of people read them religiously. As you say, horoscope columns are usually written by professional writers who know nothing about astrology. When I worked on a local newspaper many years ago, there was a woman on the staff who dreamt up the horoscopes. I daresay there’s now an algorithm that could manufacture horoscopes without any human input.
I shall explore if algorithms can be generated to spew out daily predictions. I know some programmers who may just be able to and perhaps make a killing!
My grandmother – the woman who raised me – was an astrologer. She took it all very seriously and had I not escaped her clutches when we moved to Ca I would have been seriously exposed to the stars and charts. Alas – we got outta that place and I became a California kid. I occasionally read my horoscope. Believe it? Please do not confuse fat with stupid.
My father’s elder brother was a well known astrologer and had a great following. Luckily for me, I too escaped from his attentions. No, sir, I shall not ever make the mistake of confusing one for the other.
Some Indonesian people also believe what is called a divination or horoscope.
But in modern urban society, fortune tellers have trouble getting customers.
We have discussed this before some years ago about the many common features of our two societies. I am not surprised.