• Diuretic_Materialism [he/him]@hexbear.net
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    12 days ago

    Nah it’s still woo woo crap that’s often a gateway to other more unhinged pseudo-mysticism shit like the crystal healing. Plus modern astrology has got more to do with early 19th century occultism than it does any ancient tradition from Babylon. It was originally crap for bored rich white dudes who wanted to pretend to be special wizards.

      • Diuretic_Materialism [he/him]@hexbear.net
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        12 days ago

        If girls wanna have a little mysticism as a treat couldn’t they just do goofy witchcraft shit? Not the shit dead eugenics wizards came up with that argued everyone’s personality is determined by their birthday?

        If nothing else it seems kind of depressing to argue that everyone’s fate is sealed by when their parents boned, there’s some dark implications to that.

        • StalinStan [none/use name]@hexbear.net
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          12 days ago

          This is part of the goofy witchcraft stuff. The idea that we are connected to the universe and our lives are special, and the rules can be figured out to make them better. Those are all reasonable comforting things to want. It is less determinative than class consciousness. Less useful as well but it’s fine you know.

          • Diuretic_Materialism [he/him]@hexbear.net
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            12 days ago

            shrug-outta-hecks

            I just find it really disrespectful to make a bunch of assumptions about someone’s personality based on when they’re born. Okay I’m a fucking Cancer, maybe the actual particulars of my life have caused me to be way different than my star chart says I should be? Maybe you should get to know me first before wiping out calipers to measure my fucking skull. If you like magical shit why not just play a ton of D&D or write a fantasy novel rather then try in inject this shit into your real life?

            Call me a stick in the mud but I just find it very insulting to my individuality and agency that so many people insist that my personality was formed by a fucking sky crab. Yeah sure have your fun with it but if I say I’m not into it, accept that, and don’t try and blame my distaste for it on the fact it’s slightly more popular with women than men (there are astrology dudes fyi and if anything they’re more obnoxious).

            • StalinStan [none/use name]@hexbear.net
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              12 days ago

              The biggest parts of our personality are formed by factors outside our control. It is simply more fun to live a fantasy.

              There have been studies that show when you are born can have effects on your personality. More how it relates to the school calender and how old you are when you start classes.

              It isn’t disrespectful. You are welcome to not like it. It is ultimately harmless however.

              • Diuretic_Materialism [he/him]@hexbear.net
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                12 days ago

                It isn’t disrespectful.

                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.

                Okay not hosing but apparently there are rumors Jennifer Lopez fired backup dancers based on zodiac signs so no this is not always harmless.

                • StalinStan [none/use name]@hexbear.net
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                  12 days ago

                  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.

                  • Diuretic_Materialism [he/him]@hexbear.net
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                    12 days ago

                    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.

              • booty [he/him]@hexbear.net
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                12 days ago

                It isn’t disrespectful.

                Yes it fucking is disrespectful to make wild assumptions / judgments about my personality based on when my birthday is. It’s disrespectful even if you don’t tell me about it and you’re only judging me for my birthday in private. Knock that shit off.