Why are We So Gullible About Horoscopes And Astrology? — Time to Get Real
Have you read your horoscope today? If you are like me, you probably have. Then you say it is all rubbish.
But we still do it. Join the club!
I used to know a girl in my building who wrote horoscopes for a magazine and I bet you she just made them up. I thought this might be an easy way to make money but I never bothered.
I just went on being an idiot and reading my horoscope every week. I usually read the weekly one. At least, I am not addicted on a daily basis. Not yet.
I love the story about the guy in the pub who used to write his horoscopes there for a newspaper. Nice work if you can get it!
Well, one night he got drunk and told everyone there that they had better stay at home tomorrow because otherwise, they might die!
Some awful astrological event was about to happen. Believe it or not, some people stayed at home and did not even venture out of the house to go to work. They were still alive but they blamed the “astrologer”. He told them that they should have thanked him for saving their lives!
As I am on the cusp between Capricorn and Aquarius, I choose which one looks promising and then go with that one. In reality, I forget it as soon as possible.
It’s all fake
Why the vague statements? Typical ones are:-
· Look out for possible opportunities today
· Disagreement and conflict could damage a relationship
· Be careful before deciding on buying an expensive item you would really like
When I read these, I just think they could mean anything I want them to mean. They could apply to me, my aunt or the homeless guy on the street.
That’s the secret. It is all so vague that you just put your own interpretation on it.
“You are always born under the wrong sign, and to live in this world properly you have to rewrite your own horoscope day by day.” ― Umberto Eco, Foucault’s Pendulum
Maybe you even have an app on your phone. One of the most popular ones is called Co-Star, and this one is using artificial intelligence (AI). Scary!
The other thing we fall for is that our character is all due to which sign we were born under and how those signs are interacting with each other! That’s a bit complicated.
“While a Sagittarian tends to be candid, there’s also a part of them that could be described as being more devious than Pisces, more deceptive than Gemini and more carnal than Scorpio.” ― Rosemary Breen, Horoscope Compatibility for All the Zodiac Signs
I often ask myself WHY I am doing this. I know that there is no scientific basis that has been proven to show that the stars are actually going to affect how we feel, work, love, and win the lottery.
“Scientific studies involving astrology have stopped after attempting and failing to establish the validity of astrological ideas. So far, there are no documented cases of astrology contributing to a new scientific discovery.”
This is taken from the University of Berkeley “Understanding Science” page.
I even played the lottery
I got a reading by email and just for the hell of it, I played my lucky numbers which were 3, 6 and 19 or any combination of those three numbers.
No need to ask whether I won. Because if I had, I wouldn’t be writing this article and slaving over Medium! I would be off planning my next dream home, holiday, and car.
Today is going to be awful
The other thing which defeats my rational self is when something goes wrong. Then I meet another obstacle. Then I am convinced that the whole world is plotting my downfall and determined to make this the worst day of my life.
We see a pattern. Actually, there is no pattern at all but we convince ourselves that today will go so badly.
But we also do it when something nice happens. This is going to be the way the whole day is going to go. We are on a winning streak and there is no stopping us now!
What utter nonsense! But, on the other hand, being upbeat will probably affect the way we get through the day….maybe.
When my rational self gains the upper hand, I become a normal, intelligent human being.
But I still like to dream. That is precisely why all these fraudsters are making loads of money.
- Charlatans
- Quacks
- Faith healers
- Psychics
- Rogue pastors
- Homeopaths
They love gullible folk.
However, I would never go to one of those because I have watched James Randi’s video in which he challenges anybody to prove (with a rigorous scientific test) that paranormal powers exist.
And the prize? Just 1 million dollars. Now isn’t it strange that nobody has yet won 1 million dollars?