Astrology--GIVE ME YOUR COMMENTS!
sorry to be so demanding of you all, but this is a subject on which I'd really like to poll my blogosphere pals.
I've always prided myself on being a fairly logical gal. Spock-like, really. You'll all remember my post on being a life-long cynic. I'm not religious, I don't believe in 'soul-mates', I'm a bit unclear on my beliefs on love.
So I am embarrassed to admit it, but I believe in astrology. I certainly do not check my horoscope for 'today's plan', but in terms of personality characterstics, the descriptive accuracy of the signs are really quite intriguing to me. Cheese aside, I can't help but to wonder if the ancient Egyptians might have been onto more than pyramid-building techniques...
I am a Scorpio, and am described thusly:
Passionate, vibrant, magnetic, perceptive, emotional, sensual, alert, willful, determined, resourceful, purposeful, directed, dominant, ambitious, fearless, committed, intense, but can be obsessive, extreme, vengeful, jealous, spiteful, unforgiving, bully, menacing, possessive, arrogant
Famous Scorpios:
Ted Turner, Bill Gates, Theodore Roosevelt, Charles Manson, Billy Graham, Pablo Picasso, Jonas Salk, Martin Luther, Marie Curie, Roseanne, Richard Burton, Price Charles, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Calista Flockhart, George Eliot, Pablo Picasso, kd lang, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jodie Foster, Larry Flynt, Jane Pauley, Dan Rather, Bonnie Raitt, Demi Moore
(If you would like to see your full astrological personality profile, check this site)
Every time I read through the list of Scoprio traits, I am just taken aback at the accuracy--one of the problems Scorpios face (apparently) is procrastination: "At the other extreme is the procrastinator, the man or woman who is capable of so much that they do nothing and become indolent and self-indulgent, requiring extravagant praise and flattery from those whom they make their cronies."
Yep. The vices and 'negative traits' of Scorpios? check. Good stuff? check. Habits in relationships? check.
I also routinely check out the signs of sig-o's, potential or realized, and their signs have always made sense, too--to an eerie degree. It's gotten to the point that I may start actively searching out those individuals with signs deemed compatible with mine. (and y'know, it seems just as helpful a search tool as my educational standards might have formerly been...)
And, just to do a completely unscientific study, I researched my friends whom are happily married or coupled up--their signs match and they have a good shot, astrologically speaking. The few relationships I know about that are in trouble (real trouble, not "I can't believe you said that yesterday, but "I can't believe these two ever got together in the first place"), their signs just ain't compatible.
Now, I always stop at the personality summaries. The day-to-day predictions seem like a steaming pile of dogshit, and it also seems highly implausible (even more so than the personality prediction) that the location of sun, moon and stars when I was born can tell me whether or not I'll lose my keys today.
I know the arguments that "anyone could read any sign and find a bit of themselves in that sign's description", but I have to counter that they will not find nearly as much in another's sign as they will their own. Really, I can't find much at all in an Aquarius that describes me, Scorpio though, has always been right on. Further, one might argue that the descriptions are so vague that people simply project themselves onto the signs--i.e., if you want to believe, astrologers make it pretty easy. I have to disagree again. The more detailed the description, the more I'm creeped out about how accurate my sign is.
So, what are your thoughts on astrology? Do you fit your sign? Do you think there's anything to this? All chicanery? Think I just like it because my sign is more likely to be a genius?
I've always prided myself on being a fairly logical gal. Spock-like, really. You'll all remember my post on being a life-long cynic. I'm not religious, I don't believe in 'soul-mates', I'm a bit unclear on my beliefs on love.
So I am embarrassed to admit it, but I believe in astrology. I certainly do not check my horoscope for 'today's plan', but in terms of personality characterstics, the descriptive accuracy of the signs are really quite intriguing to me. Cheese aside, I can't help but to wonder if the ancient Egyptians might have been onto more than pyramid-building techniques...
I am a Scorpio, and am described thusly:
Passionate, vibrant, magnetic, perceptive, emotional, sensual, alert, willful, determined, resourceful, purposeful, directed, dominant, ambitious, fearless, committed, intense, but can be obsessive, extreme, vengeful, jealous, spiteful, unforgiving, bully, menacing, possessive, arrogant
Famous Scorpios:
Ted Turner, Bill Gates, Theodore Roosevelt, Charles Manson, Billy Graham, Pablo Picasso, Jonas Salk, Martin Luther, Marie Curie, Roseanne, Richard Burton, Price Charles, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Calista Flockhart, George Eliot, Pablo Picasso, kd lang, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jodie Foster, Larry Flynt, Jane Pauley, Dan Rather, Bonnie Raitt, Demi Moore
(If you would like to see your full astrological personality profile, check this site)
Every time I read through the list of Scoprio traits, I am just taken aback at the accuracy--one of the problems Scorpios face (apparently) is procrastination: "At the other extreme is the procrastinator, the man or woman who is capable of so much that they do nothing and become indolent and self-indulgent, requiring extravagant praise and flattery from those whom they make their cronies."
Yep. The vices and 'negative traits' of Scorpios? check. Good stuff? check. Habits in relationships? check.
I also routinely check out the signs of sig-o's, potential or realized, and their signs have always made sense, too--to an eerie degree. It's gotten to the point that I may start actively searching out those individuals with signs deemed compatible with mine. (and y'know, it seems just as helpful a search tool as my educational standards might have formerly been...)
And, just to do a completely unscientific study, I researched my friends whom are happily married or coupled up--their signs match and they have a good shot, astrologically speaking. The few relationships I know about that are in trouble (real trouble, not "I can't believe you said that yesterday, but "I can't believe these two ever got together in the first place"), their signs just ain't compatible.
Now, I always stop at the personality summaries. The day-to-day predictions seem like a steaming pile of dogshit, and it also seems highly implausible (even more so than the personality prediction) that the location of sun, moon and stars when I was born can tell me whether or not I'll lose my keys today.
I know the arguments that "anyone could read any sign and find a bit of themselves in that sign's description", but I have to counter that they will not find nearly as much in another's sign as they will their own. Really, I can't find much at all in an Aquarius that describes me, Scorpio though, has always been right on. Further, one might argue that the descriptions are so vague that people simply project themselves onto the signs--i.e., if you want to believe, astrologers make it pretty easy. I have to disagree again. The more detailed the description, the more I'm creeped out about how accurate my sign is.
So, what are your thoughts on astrology? Do you fit your sign? Do you think there's anything to this? All chicanery? Think I just like it because my sign is more likely to be a genius?
posted by slickaphonic at 7:31 PM
12 Comments:
Oh crikey Lex, you've done it again. Not only, practically word for word, are these my feelings on astrology, but also been on my mind the last few days as I've searched for the compatibility between virgo and scorpio.
Dammit! So, yeah, you already know how I feel about astrology, right down to the, how did you describe the daily horoscopes? As a steaming pile of dogshit?
My daughter is a Scorpio, and so is my new love interest. Funny though, nowhere in the description of Virgos have I found that we are supposed to be brave fools willing to surround themselves with stingers.
The absolute best book I read on horoscopes was this ancient volume called something like The Birthday Book. This broke astrology down into your sign, but also evolved and less evolved manifestations of each sign, and and then it was further broken down into four more categories, and finally there was a full page for your actual birthdate.
It was downright eerie. To test it, I actually brought the book to someone, then read the page of a mutual friend's birthday and after reading it out loud, asked him who it sounded like a description of. Without seeing the date I was reading from, he named the person right away. Astonishing.
I'm with ya.
ok, let's see...
i wonder if you can figure out which one of your friends this is, based on the astrological descriptions? i'd say they're pretty fucking dead on in my case. here's what your site said about my personality based on my sign:
I tend toward preciseness, refinement, a fastidious love of cleanliness, hygiene and good order, as well as conventionality and an aristocratic attitude of reserve.
I am observant, shrewd and critically inclined. On the surface I am emotionally cold, and may shrink from committing to friendship, make few relationships, and am careful to keep these superficial.
I do not trust others, nor do I have confidence in my judgments. I hide my apprehensiveness about myself under a mantle of matter-of-factness and undemonstrative, quiet reserve.
However, I can be sensible, discreet, well spoken, wise and witty, with a good understanding of other people's problems which I tackle with a practicality not always evident in my own personal relationships.
In addition, I am intellectually enquiring, methodical and logical, studious and teachable. I combine mental ingenuity with the ability to produce a clear analysis of the most complicated problems. I have an excellent eye for detail but may be so meticulous that I neglect larger issues. Also, although I am a realist, I may slow down projects by being too exact. Indeed, I am such a perfectionist that, if things go wrong, I am easily discouraged.
Language especially I use correctly, clearly, consciously and formally, but as a grammarian and etymologist rather than for literary interests.
My mind is such that I need the stimulus of practical problems to be solved rather than the mere routine or working to set specifications that need no thought. I am careful with money and interested in statistics.
My faults, as is usual with all zodiacal types, are the extremes of my virtues: fastidious reticence and modesty become old-maidishness and persnicketiness; balanced criticism becomes carping and nagging; and concern for detail becomes overspecialization. I am liable to indecision in wider issues and this can become chronic, turning molehills of minor difficulties into Himalayas of crisis. My prudence can become guile and my carefulness, turned in on myself, produces a worrier and hypochondriac.
still don't know?
here's a hint...
it says that our compatibility lends to the fact that "a friendship or business arrangement may be the best idea." so i guess that means lesbian political science lovers is out now, huh?
"Anonymous": interested in statistics...hmmm, perhaps my beloved D? good lord, see? creepy!
btw, i think the lesbian political science lovers is dead on--i mean, it's really a business relationship we're after, right? perfect.
FJ: i'll look for the book you mentioned. can't help myself!
bah hah hah! You want to have the sensuality of Ted Turner, the passion of Hillary Rodham Clinton, the magnetism of Bill Gates? oh yeah! you so kkkkkrazy!
TT: No, I'm vibrant like Dan Rather.
But seriously, do you believe in it or not? I would really like to see some meta-astrology; i.e., which signs are more susceptible to believing in astrology...
of course it's me, delia the fastidious statistician.
i think for the most part astrology is crap, and that we're likely to read into it what fits. i obviously cut and pasted the parts that made the most sense.
but then again, i have been known to believe that "monday's child..." nonsense, just 'cause i was born on a tuesday and like to have external validation that i'm "full of grace."
so make of it what you will.
I'd actually prefer not to believe in it...I mean the whole jealous, bullying, arrogant, etc., description--not to mention the fact that I'm apparently romantically incompatible with just about everyone but the likewise-clingy Cancer...
Sadly, all the negative traits fit to a tee. Things I had already decided to work on before reading the "external validation" of my personality, but that just made it even creepier to read.
At some point, I have either been consciously aware of all of my Scorpio traits, or others have observed/articulated them to me.
I would love love love to be an aloof Aquarian, not caring about sex, but rather solely mental stimulation--having excellent taste in music, etc. But I really am a hotheaded, intense, emotional gal wiht a knack for logic, reasoning, and intuition...
The question I now wonder about is how successful can I be in fighting against my nature? No, I don't think that because I've read somewhere that I'm "supposed" to be jealous that I am necessarily so, but the shoe already fit--so how much can I do to change sizes? (note: this question applies whether you believe in astrology or not)
um, no I don't beleive in it at all.
TT: hmmm. i'm not saying you actually believe in it, but i know that i was so ashamed to admit that i did, i adamantly maintained it was rubbish...though secretly (not so secretly anymore), it compelled me.
i have a friend--a very very smart uchicago philosophy friend--who believes in astrology but not dinosaurs. his reasoning: "I don't have to believe in dinosaurs. but everyone checks their horoscope."
basically, you lend some objective truth to something by believing in something...there's no need to substantiate dinosaurs.
Causation. You have little newspapers tell you that you're strong-willed from age four on, and maybe you'll start identifying as strong-willed.
There's a difference between believing in astrology and believing that the eight adjectives used to describe you since you were a kid have begun to fit. Maybe you should check the stuff beyond your sun sign. Your Venus and Mars signs should have a significant effect as well, even though they're not advertised nearly as heavily. Do you have a lot in common with people born when Mars was in the same house but who have a different sun sign? What house was Pluto in when you were born (and does it count, given that it's not a planet any more)?
Ah, the Pluto comment made me smile.
I've thought about it from that angle, too...and while that might be true for some things, I only recently (and I mean within the lat five months) looked up the more detailed descriptions of Scorpios...and stuff I'd never read before popped out pretty clearly. I think before this year, I could count on my two hands the number of times I've read anything about astrology...including stuffs about my sign.
Oh, but I'll check that other stuff...you better believe it. (btw, in the description of my sign, it says that scorpios are likely to be protagonists in dramatic relationships, playing out fantasies of 'star-crossed lovers')
Astrology is characterized as, "the divination of the alleged impacts of the stars and planets on human undertakings and earthly occasions by their positions and perspectives." There's a well-known axiom that things are "written in the stars," and for adherents of astrology,
Best Astrologer in Mumbai
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