Astrology - I am fed up!

[PuppetXeno]

It reminds me of those dumb color quizzes, "What color are you?" If you read the descriptions of all the colors, you can be any of them, thus defeating the purpose of the fucking thing.

I have that with Myers-Briggs personality tests. Any one of the personality descriptors can apply to almost everyone depending on the situation, and the questionnaires leave too few options to choose from how to respond to various situations. It all turns random in the end.

 

[Kattarina98]

The superstitious crowd invariably states that astrology is valid because it is "ancient wisdom" (which is not true because the modern zodiac has been completed fairly recently). But age does not prove anything .
Off topic: Just like they claim Chinese medicine helps you because it is ancient. My answer is: "I do not trust anyone who offers ground rhino horns and dried tiger penises to increase masculine stamina."

 

[Pulsar]

Off topic: Just like they claim Chinese medicine helps you because it is ancient. My answer is: "I do not trust anyone who offers ground rhino horns and dried tiger penises to increase masculine stamina."

A Short History of Medicine

2000 B.C. - Here, eat this root.
1000 A.D. - That root is heathen. Here, say this prayer.
1850 A.D. - That prayer is superstition. Here, drink this potion.
1940 A.D. - That potion is snake oil. Here, swallow this pill.
1985 A.D. - That pill is ineffective. Here, take this antibiotic.
2000 A.D. - That antibiotic is artificial. Here, eat this root.

 

[Gnug215]

The superstitious crowd invariably states that astrology is valid because it is "ancient wisdom" (which is not true because the modern zodiac has been completed fairly recently). But age does not prove anything .
Off topic: Just like they claim Chinese medicine helps you because it is ancient. My answer is: "I do not trust anyone who offers ground rhino horns and dried tiger penises to increase masculine stamina."

Then start preaching other kinds of "ancient wisdom", such as the earth being flat, and at the center of the universe, and all sorts of other crap that I can't come up with right now.

 

[Physics]

I work in a planetarium and I get asked about astrology all the time. It irritates me because so many people get astrology and astronomy confused, thanks in part to "psychic friends", "kenny kingston", "miss cleo" and the rest of the pseudoscience snake oil sellers.

 

[Aluman]

A Short History of Medicine

2000 B.C. - Here, eat this root.
1000 A.D. - That root is heathen. Here, say this prayer.
1850 A.D. - That prayer is superstition. Here, drink this potion.
1940 A.D. - That potion is snake oil. Here, swallow this pill.
1985 A.D. - That pill is ineffective. Here, take this antibiotic.
2000 A.D. - That antibiotic is artificial. Here, eat this root.

LOL

 

[Trigshot]

Tell them that your sign is a STOP sign.

Then tell them that honestly you don't understand how they could expect you to take them seriously when they rely on what month someone was born in to have an indication in compatibility. I mean you could be serial killer, and as long as your sign was right, that's all they'd need.

Tell them that yes, the signs can be amusing at times, just for fun, but they are all subject to the Barnum effect. Look it up if you don't know the meaning.

I admire the effect for its ability to influence weak-minded individuals, i also despise it for the same reason.

 

[ThetaOmega]

Procession of the equinoxes; the fact that the constellations are arbitrary, imaginary collections of stars that have nothing to do with each other, only make such patterns at this location in the universe and change over time.

/discussion :mrgreen:

 

[IBSpify]

One of the silliest things about astrology in my book, is that they have the dates all messed up, purely for the reason of making them even, in fact for 326 days out of the year the horoscopes have the signs wrong. (for example The constilation Scorpious is very small and it only takes the sun 7 days to cross it.

So i suppose you could always find out what your actual sign is, then then when they ask you ask them if they mean in reality, or in the land where the zodiac isn't actually based on the stars

 

[Pulsar]

Another fun fact: the sun passes through 13 constellations, not 12. The 13th is Ophiuchus ("the snake-holder"). It even covers a bigger part of the zodiac than Scorpius...
So, if anyone asks you about your sign, tell them you're an Ophiuchus and see how they react

 

[Mycernius]

Another fun fact: the sun passes through 13 constellations, not 12. The 13th is Ophiuchus ("the snake-holder"). It even covers a bigger part of the zodiac than Scorpius...
So, if anyone asks you about your sign, tell them you're an Ophiuchus and see how they react

You can also use Cestus as the paths pass throught that sign as well, just not on a regular basis.

You could always ask them which astrology they are talking about, Western, Indian, Chinese, Egyptian, Mayan.

 

[nasher168]

Wow, I have never, ever been asked what my star sign is. No one I know, or even know of, is stupid enough to think they matter.

 

[Cyrathil]

Tell them that yes, the signs can be amusing at times, just for fun, but they are all subject to the Barnum effect. Look it up if you don't know the meaning.

Apparently also called the Forer Effect. That's what I'd tell them, but I would generally like to actually show them the Barnum effect in action. All it takes is a random series of questions( the questions do not matter at all, it's just a ruse to make it look "official", though a large number of multiple choice, or a number of free response, to make sure that they give different answers), and then when they give you their answers you give them all the exact same "result", but make sure none of them read anyone's result but their own, and ask them how much they think it fits them. The more people the better; it's a little party game, and maybe you'll get a few people in the crowd who would normally ask what your star sign is to shut up about it in the future. But that's just me. I'm a socially inept person, who would like to be one of the crazy teachers one day, so I guess it shows in how I interact with people.

 

[Anonymous]

But seriously: Do you know a sure-fire putdown to make these persons shut up right at the beginning before I have to defend my point yet again?

As coarse as it is, I think you'll find that if you say "Yeah... anyway, I'm just going for a dump - back in a minute" will do the trick.

 

[Xulld]

As coarse as it is, I think you'll find that if you say "Yeah... anyway, I'm just going for a dump - back in a minute" will do the trick.

Actually you should preface it with . . .

. . . . all this talk of astrology . . .

 

[Digitised]

Instead of insulting people or being a naysayer and making yourself very unfavourable in a group situation (especially with girls...)
Ask people when they talk about astrology if they believe in fate.
Astrology obviously relies on the principles that fate is real and all outcomes are predetermined and written in the stars

When they say 'yes' and admit they believe all things happen for a reason, ask them...

' do you look both ways when crossing the road? '

they > :? :? :? :? :? :?


In most cases of casual belief, they will then begin rethink their position. But the died in the wool person who has bought craploads of astrology books, tarot cards and has monthly pyschic readings will probably feel the 'negative energy' and try to steer the conversation away from logical analysis.


This tactic also makes you look clever

 

[lightbulbsun88]

Instead of insulting people or being a naysayer and making yourself very unfavourable in a group situation (especially with girls...)
Ask people when they talk about astrology if they believe in fate.
Astrology obviously relies on the principles that fate is real and all outcomes are predetermined and written in the stars

When they say 'yes' and admit they believe all things happen for a reason, ask them...

' do you look both ways when crossing the road? '

they > :? :? :? :? :? :?


In most cases of casual belief, they will then begin rethink their position. But the died in the wool person who has bought craploads of astrology books, tarot cards and has monthly pyschic readings will probably feel the 'negative energy' and try to steer the conversation away from logical analysis.


This tactic also makes you look clever

I'm not sure if that's a good way to get them questioning because any diehard believer is just going to answer your question with: "It doesn't matter because whatever I do is already part of the predetermination."

 

[Digitised]

So then why do they bother looking both ways?

It surely doesnt make any difference since they cannot change their fate


They could walk to work reading an astrology book instead of looking where they are going.

 

[You]

"Me? My sign is Gullibus."

 

[Orsbore]

I bet it happens to you, too:
Go to any social event where you meet new people, and right at the beginning of the conversation they will ask you: "So what sign of the zodiac are you?"

People actually still do that? That's soooo 70s.