Do you believe in astrology?

DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
edited October 2017 in General Discussion Posts: 17,727
img-37.jpg

Well, as it's October yet again, I get into the mood for continuing my hugely successful 'Do you believe in...?' series.

This is most likely the last of these, so I hope we can make the most of it as a community.

This time we're looking at astrology.

Do you believe in astrology at all?


Personally I don't believe in it at all but I do have a friend who does and who claims the chart of, say, Adolf Hitler shows all of the ups and downs of his turbulent life. He's an intelligent man, but he is rather a lover of conspiracy theories, chief amongst them being the Hollow Earth Theory and Nazi UFOs flying into the centre of the Earth. I know...

Then you have 'Your Stars' in the newspapers and magazines that everyone from say a 98-year-old great-granny to a 15 year-old schoolboy reads and which gives them the same same readings that they can apply to their very different lives! Laughable really, but there you are.

I hope this proves to be an interesting discussion. My stars have foretold that it will be anyhow... ;)

«1345

Comments

  • royale65royale65 Caustic misanthrope reporting for duty.
    Posts: 4,417
    No.
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 23,102
    I never did until one of my ex girlfriends kept talking about Astrology she was obsessed by it, I will say one thing that I do share the majority of traits of my star sign there must be something to it though I never read horoscopes etc.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    edited October 2017 Posts: 13,384
    NO ! It's all rubbish. ( typical Aries, I know ) :-D
  • Posts: 7,653
    No, but it is a hoot and a half. And a girl magnet.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,727
    SaintMark wrote: »
    No, but it is a hoot and a half. And a girl magnet.

    You could say that it has fringe benefits, then? ;)
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,368
    The astrology/horoscope nonsense does nothing for me, either. You can look at any sort of sign and read about something that's the most basic description of countless people. It's the same thing with psychics: all it takes is the reading of the most basic information that applies to millions of people, and the easily gullible surmise it's the universe speaking to them and only them.
  • Posts: 19,339
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    SaintMark wrote: »
    No, but it is a hoot and a half. And a girl magnet.

    You could say that it has fringe benefits, then? ;)

    Yes,it is perfect for 'horizontal alignments'...
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited October 2017 Posts: 23,883
    My view on it, based on some personal research into it on account of friends (mainly female) who are into it: I think there is some scientific and mathematical validity to it based on what I can tell. It seems more than a parlour trick. The same goes for palmistry, numerology and other so called 'occult' teachings.

    The daily forecasts in the rags are not to be taken seriously, because they are too general. Anecdotally, there are certainly high level characteristics that are similar between certain people born in certain months even during different years. However, there are an almost infinite number of permutations and combinations of character traits based on time, day, part of the world one is born etc. that one must account for in order to fully understand persona.

    So the issue becomes whether one can ever fully understand or interpret 'the wheel' correctly. As with most things, probably not. There is also the issue about whether being told 'the future' automatically changes it for you. It raises an interesting philosophical question about whether we are not meant to know.

    At best, it's probably best looked at as a general high level study of character attributes rather than anything more. Not because it's not worthy of investigation, but because most people can't properly come to grips with it.

    I found more simplistic study of character attributes (like Myers Briggs personality type) to be quite interesting. Again, it's a question of understanding how to interpret the tests.
  • Posts: 7,653
    barryt007 wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    SaintMark wrote: »
    No, but it is a hoot and a half. And a girl magnet.

    You could say that it has fringe benefits, then? ;)

    Yes,it is perfect for 'horizontal alignments'...

    Nice too see other fellas have noticed this as well.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    If it can't be tested, then it ain't a science. It's a belief system. Don't insult scientific research by
    Calling it anything other than that. It has as much validity as Feng shui and phrenology.
  • Posts: 7,653
    If it can't be tested, then it ain't a science. It's a belief system. Don't insult scientific research by
    Calling it anything other than that. It has as much validity as Feng shui and phrenology.

    If it gets you laid, I'll take it seriously as a science. That made be my lesser instincts talking though.

    Nobody calls it a science really.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,727
    SaintMark wrote: »
    If it can't be tested, then it ain't a science. It's a belief system. Don't insult scientific research by
    Calling it anything other than that. It has as much validity as Feng shui and phrenology.

    If it gets you laid, I'll take it seriously as a science. That made be my lesser instincts talking though.

    Nobody calls it a science really.

    You belong in the Stone Age! ;)
  • RemingtonRemington I'll do anything for a woman with a knife.
    Posts: 1,532
    I don't believe it but mine is pretty accurate. I'm a Virgo and my personality is very much like that of a Virgo.
  • edited October 2017 Posts: 19,339
    SaintMark wrote: »
    barryt007 wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    SaintMark wrote: »
    No, but it is a hoot and a half. And a girl magnet.

    You could say that it has fringe benefits, then? ;)

    Yes,it is perfect for 'horizontal alignments'...

    Nice too see other fellas have noticed this as well.

    Oh yes...the look into her eyes ,saying "according to the stars we are so compatable" ,with my Roger Moore raised eyebrow.

    2 bottles of wine later and "yyyyeeeeeeeeeeehhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa"

  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    edited October 2017 Posts: 23,883
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    The astrology/horoscope nonsense does nothing for me, either. You can look at any sort of sign and read about something that's the most basic description of countless people. It's the same thing with psychics: all it takes is the reading of the most basic information that applies to millions of people, and the easily gullible surmise it's the universe speaking to them and only them.
    @Creasy47, it's far more than that. Astrology has nothing to do with psychics.

    As I said, my research into it indicated that it's a useful tool to try and understand personality or character type (like Myers Briggs is). Trying to forecast the future based on it has far too many variables. However, astrologers attempt to do it mathematically. It has nothing to do with inner feelings.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Like most things people believe for comfort or validation, it's a crock. An amusing crock (as an outsider looking in at it all), but a crock nonetheless.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384

    Penn and Teller showing how easy it is to fool people, add a belief to it and it's
    always easy to fool stupid people. With something as easy as a few "cold reading"
    Statements.
  • Posts: 7,653
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    SaintMark wrote: »
    If it can't be tested, then it ain't a science. It's a belief system. Don't insult scientific research by
    Calling it anything other than that. It has as much validity as Feng shui and phrenology.

    If it gets you laid, I'll take it seriously as a science. That made be my lesser instincts talking though.

    Nobody calls it a science really.

    You belong in the Stone Age! ;)

    I was born in in the stone age, before the digital world destroyed our safe little world. I should have read my horoscope beter I would not be as surprised when the digital world started.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,727
    SaintMark wrote: »
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    SaintMark wrote: »
    If it can't be tested, then it ain't a science. It's a belief system. Don't insult scientific research by
    Calling it anything other than that. It has as much validity as Feng shui and phrenology.

    If it gets you laid, I'll take it seriously as a science. That made be my lesser instincts talking though.

    Nobody calls it a science really.

    You belong in the Stone Age! ;)

    I was born in in the stone age, before the digital world destroyed our safe little world.
    I should have read my horoscope beter I would not be as surprised when the digital world started.

    Yes, I think we're birds of a feather in that regard.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Happily I spent many years as an amateur magician, so have studied many of the
    techniques used by these " Psycis" in many forms. I used to enjoy doing the cold
    Reading on friends of friends ( usually impressed, with how well I knew their Personality)
    Or on one occasion a bit of Psycic surgery. Where I removed a small piece of " inner
    flesh" with a little blood etc and yet , leaving no scar ! ..... at all times with empty hands.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,727
    Happily I spent many years as an amateur magician, so have studied many of the
    techniques used by these " Psycis" in many forms. I used to enjoy doing the cold
    Reading on friends of friends ( usually impressed, with how well I knew their Personality)
    Or on one occasion a bit of Psycic surgery. Where I removed a small piece of " inner
    flesh" with a little blood etc and yet , leaving no scar ! ..... at all times with empty hands.

    Yes, I recall that featuring in the Jonathan Creek Christmas Special in December 1998. Watched it again on DVD last year in fact.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Easily done, and can be aquired at any magic shop. Same with "spirit writing"
    supposedly from dead relatives.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,727
    Easily done, and can be aquired at any magic shop. Same with "spirit writing"
    supposedly from dead relatives.

    Could be said to have a placebo effect on the patient, even though it is only a scam?
  • j_w_pepperj_w_pepper Born on the bayou. I can still hear my old hound dog barkin'.
    Posts: 8,655
    I'm not superstitious. It only brings bad luck.
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,727
    j_w_pepper wrote: »
    I'm not superstitious. It only brings bad luck.

    Brilliant! :))
  • bondjamesbondjames You were expecting someone else?
    Posts: 23,883
    Dragonpol wrote: »
    Easily done, and can be aquired at any magic shop. Same with "spirit writing"
    supposedly from dead relatives.

    Could be said to have a placebo effect on the patient, even though it is only a scam?
    The placebo effect is a huge element of many future oriented pronouncements. As with the religious discussion, this whole thing rests on our fear of the unknown (future?) and our mortality. If we had infinite time, none of this would really matter all that much to people.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    edited October 2017 Posts: 28,694
    Happily I spent many years as an amateur magician, so have studied many of the
    techniques used by these " Psycis" in many forms. I used to enjoy doing the cold
    Reading on friends of friends ( usually impressed, with how well I knew their Personality)
    Or on one occasion a bit of Psycic surgery. Where I removed a small piece of " inner
    flesh" with a little blood etc and yet , leaving no scar ! ..... at all times with empty hands.

    Fascinating, @Thunderpussy. It's great to see trained magicians or even mentalists coming out to stop people from believing what are simply well executed tricks. I guess the modern day equivalent of that kind of role is filled by James Randi, with Penn & Teller as well. And even back in the old, old days, we had Harry Houdini standing against the spiritualists of his time because, as a man of trickery, he knew all the tricks himself and understood how easy it was to fool people or plant suggestions in the mind.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    @Dragonpol I can't believe a Christian would agree with the practice of " Scamming " sick or
    dying patients. Many of these surgeons charge thousands to remove tumours!
  • DragonpolDragonpol https://thebondologistblog.blogspot.com
    Posts: 17,727
    @Dragonpol I can't believe a Christian would agree with the practice of " Scamming " sick or
    dying patients. Many of these surgeons charge thousands to remove tumours!

    No, a real faith healer would do it for free, though I know you don't believe in them either!
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy My Secret Lair
    Posts: 13,384
    Criss Angel is another who hatese ( I mean really HATES ) these frauds. @OBradyMOBondfanatic7
    One of the problems are the people who say they belive in it or say there is
    something to it. As they are actually doing the advettising for the fraudsters !
Sign In or Register to comment.