It feels disrespectful to me, especially when people are really pushy about it, and they often are.
I don't respond this way in public, I just roll my eyes and tell people my sign and let them explain my own personality to me and sit in silent frustration. But this is an anonymous Internet forum so I wanted to vent about it.
It is ultimately harmless however.
People say this but I've encountered numerous people irl who make fairly important life decisions based on zodiac signs, like what candidate to vote for and who to date. And I've heard stories about countries where they take astrology way more seriously, like India, where people can get denied jobs or housing based on birth sign. Makes me wonder if there are astrology nerd landlords in the west quietly doing the same shit.
It certainly can evolve into something harmful. With institutions eroding in the world more people seem to be falling into mystical conspiracies, like anti-vax and alternative medicine. That's why I think there should be some pushback to this stuff, it's fun and games until a bunch of hippy moms cause an infant measles outbreak.
Edit:
Makes me wonder if there are astrology nerd landlords in the west quietly doing the same shit.
That's fair. I guess I am inclined to see this as a symptom of magical thinking instead of a cause. If they are willing to make big life choices with astrology they are not going to use the scientific method you know. If it wasn't astrology it would be any other random thing. Astrology is not a unique cognitohazard I don't think.
We should try and dissuade people from that type of thinking in general, not just astrology specifically. But this constant dismissal of the bad effects of astrology doesn't help with that.
Yes, we should get people onto materialism. However, being sassy about stuff people like is not the dialectic way to do it. My point here is two fold. I used to hate astrology until I did some self crit and realized it was not coming from a real reasoned productive place and I feel I am happier now that I have understood why I felt the way and did and why people feel the way they do. Second, it is a fun game to play with girls so that is cute and fun. Just tell one that whatever thing they said is " such a Capricorn thing" enjoy the chaos
being sassy about stuff people like is not the dialectic way to do it.
Like I said I don't get into fights about this shit in public I was venting online, that just evolved into me making a more serious argument against astrology apologia.
I'll close with this: I feel like a lot of these defenses of astrology based around its associations with the feminine kinda feed into sexist stereotypes. Like the whole idea that women are chaotic and emotional and fey while men are ordered and logical, that's some Jordan Peterson shit. Maybe the reason so many women are into astrology is the the same reason less women are in STEM? The patriarchy directs them in those directions.
Most of the knowledge any random person on the street will have is wrong. In that it is a systematic attempt to understand the world outside liberal terms I am less opposed to it than other similar ideas. Especially as there is no direct path from astrology to antivaxx. It is all personal preference stuff. It is one of the least offensive manifestations of modern magical thinking.
It feels disrespectful to me, especially when people are really pushy about it, and they often are.
I don't respond this way in public, I just roll my eyes and tell people my sign and let them explain my own personality to me and sit in silent frustration. But this is an anonymous Internet forum so I wanted to vent about it.
People say this but I've encountered numerous people irl who make fairly important life decisions based on zodiac signs, like what candidate to vote for and who to date. And I've heard stories about countries where they take astrology way more seriously, like India, where people can get denied jobs or housing based on birth sign. Makes me wonder if there are astrology nerd landlords in the west quietly doing the same shit.
It certainly can evolve into something harmful. With institutions eroding in the world more people seem to be falling into mystical conspiracies, like anti-vax and alternative medicine. That's why I think there should be some pushback to this stuff, it's fun and games until a bunch of hippy moms cause an infant measles outbreak.
Edit:
Okay not hosing but apparently there are rumors Jennifer Lopez fired backup dancers based on zodiac signs so no this is not always harmless.
That's fair. I guess I am inclined to see this as a symptom of magical thinking instead of a cause. If they are willing to make big life choices with astrology they are not going to use the scientific method you know. If it wasn't astrology it would be any other random thing. Astrology is not a unique cognitohazard I don't think.
We should try and dissuade people from that type of thinking in general, not just astrology specifically. But this constant dismissal of the bad effects of astrology doesn't help with that.
Yes, we should get people onto materialism. However, being sassy about stuff people like is not the dialectic way to do it. My point here is two fold. I used to hate astrology until I did some self crit and realized it was not coming from a real reasoned productive place and I feel I am happier now that I have understood why I felt the way and did and why people feel the way they do. Second, it is a fun game to play with girls so that is cute and fun. Just tell one that whatever thing they said is " such a Capricorn thing" enjoy the chaos
NO I WANT ORDER!
Like I said I don't get into fights about this shit in public I was venting online, that just evolved into me making a more serious argument against astrology apologia.
I'll close with this: I feel like a lot of these defenses of astrology based around its associations with the feminine kinda feed into sexist stereotypes. Like the whole idea that women are chaotic and emotional and fey while men are ordered and logical, that's some Jordan Peterson shit. Maybe the reason so many women are into astrology is the the same reason less women are in STEM? The patriarchy directs them in those directions.
I get that. I just don't agree. Astrology is a very organized system of knowledge
But the knowledge is wrong tho.
Most of the knowledge any random person on the street will have is wrong. In that it is a systematic attempt to understand the world outside liberal terms I am less opposed to it than other similar ideas. Especially as there is no direct path from astrology to antivaxx. It is all personal preference stuff. It is one of the least offensive manifestations of modern magical thinking.