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What are your honest thoughts on astrology? Nothing will offend me because I already question it. My mother has been an astrologer for over 30+ years and I was raised with it. She does people's full charts and a lot of math is involved with it. I do find some "accuracy" or coincidences in it, as my personal chart describes me fairly well I suppose. However, my scientific beliefs go against it. I've looked up both sides of the argument and there's science articles that say it's "real" and others say it's not, like NASA (who I am a huge fan and supporter of). I'm a curious and skeptical person by nature. I can't have any discussions on the "it's not real" side of the argument with my sister or my mother. Any input from an outsiders perspective would be greatly appreciated! 🙂 also, I have resentment from Christians because they've shamed my mother and have called her a devil worshiper, a witch, etc. etc. for being an astrologer. My thoughts, just leave her alone and let her do what makes her happy lol.

vjohnson51 7 Aug 3
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1

It's a massive pile of steaming unscientific bollocks and anyone who believes in it (as in, genuinely believes in it, rather than says they do in order to scam gullible people) is neither a devil worshiper nor a witch, but an idiot. If anyone can provide a link to a proper peer-reviewed article by an actual accredited scientist arguing that it's "real", I'd be very surprised.

Jnei Level 8 Aug 3, 2019
1

Along with some people's need to believe, we have subject validation.
Subjective Validation and the Forer Effect
“Subjective validation” occurs when two unrelated or random events are perceived to be related because a belief, expectancy, or hypothesis demands a relationship. Thus, people find a connection between the perception of their personality and the contents of their horoscope.

The concept of subjective validation was put to the test in 1948 by psychologist Bertram R. Forer. Forer gave a personality test to each of his students. Afterward, he told his students they were each receiving a unique personality analysis that was based on the test’s results, and to rate their analysis on a scale of 0 (very poor) to 5 (excellent) on how well it applied to themselves.

The analysis presented to the students was as follows:

You have a great need for other people to like and admire you. You have a tendency to be critical of yourself. You have a great deal of unused capacity which you have not turned to your advantage. While you have some personality weaknesses, you are generally able to compensate for them. Disciplined and self-controlled outside, you tend to be worrisome and insecure inside. At times you have serious doubts as to whether you have made the right decision or done the right thing. You prefer a certain amount of change and variety and become dissatisfied when hemmed in by restrictions and limitations. You pride yourself as an independent thinker and do not accept others’ statements without satisfactory proof. You have found it unwise to be too frank in revealing yourself to others. At times you are extroverted, affable, sociable, while at other times you are introverted, wary, reserved. Some of your aspirations tend to be pretty unrealistic. Security is one of your major goals in life.

The trick? In reality, each student received the exact same analysis: On average, the rating was 4.26/5 (that is, the students found their “personal” analysis to be 85% accurate). It was only after the ratings were turned in was it revealed that each student had received identical copies assembled by Forer from various horoscopes.

As can be seen from the profile analysis, there are a number of statements that are vague and could apply equally to anyone. These statements later became known as Barnum statements, after P.T. Barnum, who used them in his performances, allegedly stating “there’s a sucker born every minute.”

Guaquelin’s Horoscope Experiment
In another experiment, the famous French Astrologer, Michael Gauquelin, offered free horoscopes to any reader of Ici Paris, if they would give feedback on the accuracy of his supposedly “individual” analysis. He wanted to scientifically test the profession of astrology. As with Forer’s experiment, there was a trick: he sent out thousands of copies of the same horoscope to people of various astrological signs – and 94% of the readers replied that his reading was very accurate and insightful.

What they didn’t know was that the horoscope was that of a local mass murderer, Dr. Petiot, who had admitted during his trial that he had killed 63 people.

1

Song 'Horoscope' by Donald Swann (1923-1994):-

"Jupiter is passing through Orion
And moving to conjunction with Mars.
Saturn is wheeling through infinite space
To its pre-ordained place in the stars.
And I gaze at the planets in wonder,
At the trouble and time they spend,
All to warn me to be careful
In dealings involving a friend."

Donald Swann sung this song with a wonderful tone of sarcasm - particularly that last line - because it is, indeed, utterly ridiculous that the movements of distant planets in some way gives us personal (and universally unclear and untestable) warnings about our personal lives.

Astrology is just another baseless, nonsense superstition, believed by the deluded.

1

Utter and complete nonsense for it's intended purpose and useful only as a parlor game.

0

I do fine without it

twill Level 7 Sep 21, 2019
0

It's just like s religion. I guess it's less harmful.

0

Are you kidding!

0

It's bunk. Like many pseudosciences... it's ambiguous enough to be able to be applied to anything without any actual facts to back up any of the beliefs. :/

0

Astrology used to be the same as astronomy. In the time of Newton, he could do a chart for a person, no trouble. The problem as I see it is that there is no real connection between where the planets are at a particular time and a person when they are born, other than the event being seen as special to the person born. If I am at a party and someone wants to do my chart I will give them information just to see what they come up with. Conversations can be interesting even if the topic is made up.

0

It's humourous to see how many people are taken by it.

0

In short, it is a load of horse manure. Wait, horse manure actually exists and serves a purpose in nature. It is a load of unicorn manure.

0

The vagueness of the horoscopes allows imagination to fill in the gaps. "You'll meet a stranger..." well that's pretty likely since I will leave my house. "It will be a frustrating day..." (gestures at the White House w/a 'no shit Sherlock ' expression on my face). Its a bunch of hoo-doo & road apples.

0

I've known people to defend astrology and its accuracy, but I've seen no good evidence for it. I'm not referring only to the daily horoscope stuff, but the people who get into exact time and place of birth, etc. It still seems like there's great reliance on vagueness for some of it and confirmation bias for much of the rest. I don't see it as any more based in good evidence than the supernatural claims made by supposed psychics or the pseudoscientific claims made by iridologists, for example. While it's probably harmless in most cases, other than people wasting their money, I don't feel like I can give astrology a pass: It can still be used to take advantage of those desperate for answers. It can mislead someone to forego medical treatment. It can convince someone to make a risky investment or to pass up a job opportunity in favor of something better on the horizon. In short, it holds influence in important life decisions, and I think that has the potential to cause great harm. I'm confident that your mother believes in what she's doing, just as many psychics and iridologists have faith in their abilities, and that's what makes it hard to condemn the practice because it may feel like condemning the person as well.

0

I think humans do live by the season and i do think there is a degree of typing (mostly communication things) in relationships and we give birth in the zone sometimes, against the zone sometimes and the explanations of astrology are based on psychology and storyline. Btw christians, i think do not believe in psychology n such, they wished people to be actively involved in prayer: anyone can be a good christian i think they think, regardless of more magical things. In a way astrology simply asks us to regard the sky, the stars, the planets. That being said i feel a little better in my explanation saying my mother gave birth to me in a spot she thought was possible, plausible and containable, as well as the season can affect our mindset and fertility. A good astrologer can be a confident and fine friend, even if the accuracy of the onformation is "up in the air".

0

Astrology is a way to get your money and only that.

Giess Level 4 Aug 4, 2019
0

Mars has 100% zero effect upon my personality....only planet earth is integrated into my personality and there is no astrology chart for that....all is time of birth looking upward at constellations the moon transit and planet "conjunctions" which are millions if not billions of miles UNCONJOINED.....Sorry you were brainwashed to think your personality resembles one of 12 star patterns....I am glad you're on your way out of the gibberish talk about who to marry when to invest or sell.....I was married to a nutcase astrology believer called herself aquarian and our daughter a crab.....total bullshit....Shirley TEMPLE and ADOLF HITLER have the same sign.....how insane do you have to be believing stars and planets made them both famous????

0

Never believed in that crap either.

0

I think astrology is sheer bunk. But, if she wants to delude herself, that is her choice.

0

It’s fun for entertainment but that’s it
If your mom and sister believe in it then what stops them from believing in trolls, fairies, and Santa Claus?

There are ZERO credible sources of science that say astrology is real.

Please post your sources.

I can pull any random tidbit from a hat feel like it relates to me.

It’s like in MEd school when we learn disease. That week everyone is afflicted with that disease or can think of someone that is.
Wishful thinking

0

I put it in the same category is mugs with witty sayings. Fluff.

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