Should i listen to horoscopes

Anything that appears to provide a glimpse of what is waiting around the next corner may give someone a better sense of control, even if that sense of control is illusory.

So why do so many people believe what they are told by astrologers? One reason is simply that it generally does make sense to believe what we are told by authority figures and experts despite what Michael Gove may think. A full horoscope chart is very complex and open to many interpretations.

It is not surprising that the believer can find apparent correspondences between it and the rich tapestry of their own lives. It appears that there is currently an increase in popularity among women in the age bracket. Magazines and websites aimed at this demographic are embracing astrology in a way that they have not done before. Women have always been more likely to believe in astrology than men — a Gallup poll revealed 28 per cent of women believed compared to 23 per cent of men.

Women are generally encouraged to be more in tune with their intuitions and emotions than men even in the 21 st century. If somebody seriously starts organising their life around them, they may be making decisions around beliefs they're not entitled to hold. There's also a question of the ethics of people who take money for astrology. If you can't provide an evidentiary support for something, should you be charging money for it? But it doesn't present as a religion.

It doesn't make supernatural claims. It presents as a science, but it can't back that up with evidence. So I'm a sceptic I find it's eerie how you can pick someone's star sign by their character traits and personality if they are typical to that star sign.

For example a perfectionist and well-organised Virgo, a sensitive Piscean, an ambitious Capricorn. If I know someone's star sign, I might use that to determine the best way to communicate with them e.

I am curious enough to dabble in astrology, but don't take it seriously enough to let it influence any of my life decisions. Most of the time I read horoscopes and forget about it a minute later, as I haven't read many horoscopes that aren't vague or wishy-washy and too open open to interpretation.

I encounter a mixed bag of reactions to astrology. Then there are those who are curious about it and listen intently. I respect their reaction to astrology, just like I would expect someone to respect my scepticism if they started telling stories about people being kidnapped by aliens! To me, astrology is like reading the review of a film before you go and see it — it doesn't change the film itself, nor your enjoyment or interpretation of it, it just gives you a heads-up to a few of the things that are about to happen.

I agree there's absolutely no scientific proof that the planets influence our behaviour at all. That doesn't change the way I feel, though. I'm a big believer in fate and destiny and the inner workings of the universe and I think there are a lot of things "out there" that can't be explained. I also think it's nice to allow yourself to believe in magic, even if it is flights of fancy — it's a comforting thought to imagine that everything's written in the stars, and we're living our destinies rather than just bumping mindlessly around space and time.

If someone doesn't believe in astrology, I respect that belief as much as they respect mine. I'm no expert in astrology. But I think there is a real yearning and longing out there for some kind of guidance and meaning.

There is a loss of soul in our culture. Studies also show that people often turn to astrology in response to stress and anxiety. In fact, the first astrology column to be commissioned for a newspaper was during the Great Depression in August, Again, during the financial crisis, people sought out astrologers to foretell their future.

Another major reason that propels people towards astrology is uncertainty. Studies have shown that we find not knowing what could happen even more stressful than knowing that something bad is definitely going to happen. Through its predictions, the astrological framework helps human beings achieve the certainties they crave for.

A current example is the ongoing Covid19 pandemic, which has wreaked havoc worldwide, and injected a host of uncertainties into our plans for the future. And, astrologers across India , the US , and the UK , among others, have been busy making predictions about when the coronavirus will go away.

In fact, astrologers and tarot card readers claim that they have been working overtime since the lockdown started — with Indian companies like AstroTalk and AstroYogi reporting that their revenues have almost doubled during the pandemic.

But, besides the big picture uncertainties, astrology also helps some people deal with their day-to-day anxieties, and helps inspire a sense of control.

Psychologists have noted that more astrologically-inclined people also tend to have an external locus of control in life, meaning they believe that their successes or failures result from external factors or forces beyond their influence, in contrast to people with an internal locus of control, who perceive themselves as the controllers of their narratives.

In a country like India , astrology, rather than compatibility , dictates whether people can get married , besides dictating decisions about financial investments based on planetary positions. By providing your email, you agree to the Quartz Privacy Policy. Skip to navigation Skip to content. Discover Membership. Editions Quartz. More from Quartz About Quartz.

Follow Quartz. These are some of our most ambitious editorial projects. From our Obsession.