Horoscopes and Star Signs: Are They Incredible or Idiotic?

Rebecca says Idiotic:

Horoscopes, or should I say those stupid things that people believe are about them, are simply ridiculous.

How could one paragraph describe the day/week/month of hundreds of peoples’ lives? It’s just not possible. The writing is so waffly in them that it could be about anyone. It’s such an obvious con.

“You will have to make a decision today…” Everyone regardless of their star sign has to make lots of decisions every day. The decision could be anything from should I change careers to should I have regular tea or peppermint.

And as for the bearing it has on personality, give me a break! I’m a Pisces. Yes I’m imaginative, no I’m not lazy. Yes I take things to heart, no I don’t lack self-discipline. Yes I’m sympathetic, no I’m not mysterious. In a nutshell, I’m an open book with a strong work ethic and a tendency to cry at spilt milk.

According to the star sign laws I’m a semi-typical Pisces. But how convenient that each sign can go one of two ways in terms of personality. Finally everything is explained, my faith in horoscopes is restored and I can go on with my life knowing that I’m a Pisces after all!

The scary thing is that people actually believe them and let them determine what they do. Whatever you do, don’t leave your job because you “need a change” and don’t dump your boyfriend because he’s a Scorpio and “those two star signs aren’t compatible.”

Horoscopes are a soft form of brainwashing and you should avoid them at all costs. 

 

Michelle says Incredible:

I am a practical, rational person. I rarely indulge conspiracy theorists, and I take most ‘out-there’ notions with a pinch of salt.

But… I love horoscopes.

The ultimate in guilty pleasures, I know I should just skip the page and ignore such nonsense, but I never do. And what’s worse – I’m a believer.

A horoscope app on my phone tells me that today it’s ‘full steam ahead on the work front’ for me. You’ll have to ask my editor, but I’m pretty chuffed with that, and as it so happens I’m feeling very productive today.

I know already that reading this many girls will be shaking their heads slowly at me thinking ‘what a load of crap’, but if it is, then it’s crap that’s lasted a lot longer than your favourite TV show or the latest celebrity wonder diet.

Astrology dates back to at least three millennia before the current era (read: very, very, very, long time), and cultures across the world have their own ancient systems of predicting earth events from what’s going on with the stars.

For me, there’s a tiny but valuable sense of comfort in having just the smallest belief that the universe has got you sorted, and that the road you’re on is somewhere that you’re meant to be.

I’m not silly enough to let it rule my life, but if it makes me think a bit more about the bigger picture, what harm? So, if I look at my horoscope in the morning and it tells me I’m going to have a wonderful day, I’m damned if I’m not going to do my absolute best to make that come true. If it tells me I’m going to have a tough one, I just buck up – I’m a Sagittarius, we always land on our feet.