How Popular is Astrology? (Do Intelligent And Rational People Believe That Crap?)

Astrology Now ^ | Astrology Now

[Revolting cat!]

9 out of 10 Americans who don't believe in astrology believe themselves highly original thinkers when they re-state the obvious!

[jstone78]

{"....I think most people who even claim to believe astrology or their horoscopes are doing it for fun...."}

Fun? People spend billions of dollars on the stuff. And many such people can hardly make ends meet. They are sort of like the low income folk who spend all their money on lottery tickets.

And there are people who set their wedding dates, change travel plans, choose life partners, etc., based on the hocus pocus of astrology.

Many people have had their lives ruined by the stuff, just like gamblers and alcoholics have been ruined by their addictions.

[FreeTally]

LOL!! Good catch.

[Dog Gone]

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22): It be easier touching your toes if you keeps them close to your chest. Though they jingles more when you walk, using your keys for earrings is impracticable.

[SES1066]

... like the many cases of twins that were separated shortly after birth and went on to lead remarkably similar lives.

Can you cite me any of these cases that were not IDENTICAL Twins, ie. natural clones? I was talking about non-related babies and the inability of Astrology practitioners to derive matching characteristics not otherwise explicable by heredity. Occam's razor would indicate that for Identical Twins, Heredity trumps Astrology.

[dalebert]

Arabs believe it.

[HairOfTheDog]

There are weirdos on our fringes that have ruined their lives or wasted money on a lot of things, some sillier than astrology... I don't make my rules around the fringes. I said most. You sound like astrology and horoscopes are the root of all evil! Do you really think this is a big deal?

[FreeTally]

The basis of astrology is cleverly designing "readings" that SEEM specific, but which apply to everyone and their opinion of themselves. Even quite intelligent people can be fooled by this.

Yes, this is generally how it is done. Even the "on-air" stuff like Miss Cleo, you can tell the questions asked are not too specific, something that may be partially true for most people. People get tricked because they "want to believe".

That being said, I used to have a good friend who is fairly intelligent who believes in it, and does tarot card readings for friends and family. She claims to be fairly accurate. But then again, I don't think she could tell specifics. I would always hack on her and say things like, "Hey, what did I eat for breakfast last Thursday?".

[FreeTally]

Fun? People spend billions of dollars on the stuff. And many such people can hardly make ends meet. They are sort of like the low income folk who spend all their money on lottery tickets.

I've known many low-income, elderly people who gave most their money to tv evangelists. To each his own, I guess....

[RightWhale]

I think that people who believe in astrology are stupid, and are certifiable idiots and morons

If used for augury, it is about 5% accurate, same as a stopped clock. If it is used as a system for keeping track of psychological factors like Tarot, I Ching, or Kabala, it is at least useful for keeping the mind active. That becomes important once one gets older than 20 and is started on the downslope to dotage. If astrology or other -mancies aren't attractive, try music, math, or writing. Even knitting ought to help to a degree.

[Sloth]

or that a recent Gallup poll found that over 50% of Americans believe in Astrology.

Over 50% of Americans are, indeed, really that stupid -- but I wonder how many could, even after confidently answering such a poll question, explain the difference between astrology and astronomy. Or the difference between anthropology and monopoly, for that matter.

[Izzy Dunne]

I saw an article somewhere, a long time ago:

Some psychology professor brought in an "astrologer" to class.
This "astrologer" spent a few minutes alone with each student, asking questions, then wrote his impressions on paper and put in an envelope with the student's name on it and gave it to the student.
After everyone was done, they opened up the envelopes.
Everybody read the "impressions" and something like 90% of the students said that the "impressions" were 90% accurate.
Then the students exchanged papers with their neighbors.
Turns out that the "impressions" were all identical !
He had written the same thing on every paper. !
But everyone (almost) was willing to believe that it was personally about them.

[jstone78]

{"....I'm amazed that people I've met from all over the world believe in astrology at the same rate Americans too...."}

In third world countries, the equivalent of astrology is witchcraft, and witchdoctors are the local astrologers.

[cricket]

". . .9 out of 10 Americans know there sign. No big deal. Doesn't mean much. "

. . .that would be 'their' sign. . .must have been written by a 'scattered' Saggitarrius. . .or a Pisces. . .maybe a beyond-the- present Aquarius. . .or an impatient Aries. . .

[Dog Gone]

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scorpio, your moon is aligned with Uranus, so things are moving well this month.

[Billthedrill]

Us Scorpios with Saggitarius rising don't believe in astrology. We can't help it - the stars make it so.

[Sloth]

But I can tell you that the analyses I have seen done by my wife about real people are not interchangeable.

How about a challenge, then? Have some skeptic here provide whatever birth information she needs, let her run an analysis, post it, and the subject can comment on its accuracy while the rest of us evaluate how vague or specific it is.

[SES1066]

The more I have seen of astrology as an analytical tool -- especially in couples counseling -- the more difficulty I have in dismissing it as entirely bogus.

My take on your wife is that she is probably better than her tools. The problem with soft sciences like psychology is that there is very little that is independent of the practitioner. If your wife uses and is successful with Astrology, as a skeptic, I'm of the belief that it is because she is using what feels comfortable and useful to her.

[jstone78]

{"....However, I will say that if you were ever to have a full-blown astrological analysis done by an experienced astrologer, you would be amazed at how uncannily accurate it can be with respect to describing personalities and life issues...."}

I think astrologers are in the business of weighing probabilities.

For example, which Freepers meet the following description: white, male, middle-class, middle-aged, married, American, home owner, owner of a SUV, voted for Reagan in 1984, may have only one parent living, etc.?

One simply has to create a profile of a certain group, and the chances of hitting the right buttons are quite high.

[Free_at_last_-2001]

I agree that no one can predict the future... - I knew you were going to say that!