Astrology is very popular — both Gallup and YouGov report that about 25% of Americans believe that the position of the stars and planets can
Astrology doesn't seem to work.
Some highlights:
Astrologers helped design the study
No one did better than random chance, even though they only included people in the study who are experienced with astrology and stated that they expect themselves to do better than random chance
They gave every astrologer a set of 50 things about a person and 5 birth charts to choose from. They weren’t even coming up with the chart themselves!
After taking the test, most thought they nailed it. Zero out of 152 did better than 5 out of 12. None nailed it
Astrologers who rated themselves highly experienced (“world class experts”) did the same or worse as those who said they have limited experience. Both performed the same as random chance
This is hilarious
That's got to be the funniest graph ever published in a paper
The problem with this study is that Astrology, as we know it in the Americas and Europe, is based more on the MODERNIZED Greco-Roman Placidus System (aka Greco-Roman Polytheological System). The system was a bastardization of those from the Chinese and Hindu systems.
The Chinese and Hindu systems (AKA Chinese Zodiological and Vedic Stellar Chart systems) are based on the pre-Gregorian calendar system (in this case a system based less on months and more on seasons (eg: Spring would have been from February to April, Summer would have been from May to July, Autumn would have been August to October and Winter from November to January). The times that the planets and luminaries were placed were not based on singular hours but a 2 hour period instead.
Characteristics of individuals were also not based on stuff like Rising, Luminaries and Planet Sign positioning, but rather the time frames these particular factors played into a person’s life.
Plus, there is a universal understanding in their systems that a person’s fate is based on choices one makes and that their chart is less about appearances or traits, but rather lays out a story of scenarios they may encounter and possible consequences or outcomes based on the choices one makes throughout their lives.
The problem with the Modern Placidus System is that it’s based on traits of Greco-Roman deities, places a false ideation on one’s choices in life, puts more focus on vanity, centers on a system based on Gregorian principles, and is faulty because of the addition of other planets, stars and luminaries (as well as umbras), all of which do not play any major roles in a person’s life, traits or characteristics.
Even then, the Modernized Placidus System we currently have is a bastardized version of the system they initially had, because traditionally they only factored in The Sun’s position , The Moon’s Position, and the positions of Mercury, Mars, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn, plus each of the said planets and luminaries held different meanings than the current system.
The Sun was not deemed as Outer Traits and Characteristics, but, the aspects we learn from our father, The Moon was not deemed as Inner traits and characteristics, but, the aspects we learn from our mother, Mercury represented how one communicates to others (through emotions, words and thoughts), Mars represented what motivates us (often through our actions and urges), Venus represented our passions and desires (both inwardly and outwardly), Jupiter represented our Growth and Development in life (often as a result learned lessons and acceptance), and Saturn represented our lessons in life and how we navigate life from the time we are born to the day we die. This version was also pre-Gregorian and focused more on a seasonal system as well, rather than over a yearly, monthly, daily, and hourly fixed point of time. Rather than the hour the luminaries or planets appeared, it was more based on the position these factors are at, not just for birth, but for each day, month and year we lived.
The other factor is that the elements associated with these systems weren’t a one sided deal, but rather three sided.
Wood (Chinese)/Earth (Vedic/Placidus) wasn’t just indicative of a person who was grounded in aspects of life, but whose aspects of groundedness could either lead to an individual being civil minded and firm in conviction while admitting to faults, someone who could be both civil and stubborn, or someone who could be stubborn to a fault and hold firm to their ideals being the absolute truth (much like Trees and the Ground have a firm foundation, the actions of others and they themselves can determine whether the ground or base stays firm to encourage growth, can be molded to help others at the cost of the Tree or Ground’s firmness, or can ultimately cause that Tree or Ground’s foundation to falter).
Fire wasn’t just indicative of passion and drive, but whose passion and drive led to innovation and change for better circumstances, whose passion and drive could lead to a balance of negative outcomes and positive outcomes, or someone whose passion and drive ultimately was at the cost of others wellbeing (much like a fire provides warmth and growth, it’s the actions of others and they themselves that determine of that fire continues to provide the warmth and growth needed to thrive, to help growth at the cost of stability, or to grow out of control and cause destruction).
Metal (Chinese)/Air (Vedic/Placidus) wasn’t indicative of one’s way of communicating, but whether that communication helped provide insight, inspiration and guidance, was wishy washy and misconstrued, or if it caused harm to others out of malicious intentions (much like the air or a blade provide much needed protection, those that utilize it can determine whether they are used to help life carry on, can cause help and harm, or can cause great destruction).
Water wasn’t just indicative of wisdom and knowledge, but, rather if that wisdom and knowledge benefited others for the right reasons, was drowned out by ignorance, or if that wisdom and knowledge resulted in the suffering of others (much as water provides nourishment, the actions of others and self can either keep the waters clear for all to use, can muddy the waters with unnecessary trash and clutter, or pollute the waters and cause others to be dragged under).
The operative terms here being “the influences of others” and “the choices one makes in life”. You could choose to do nothing either, but that wouldn’t do much to help your growth or situations often.
Earth(Chinese)/Aether (Vedic)/Spirit(Placidus) were also considered elements in the traditional systems as well, but the role they play is not as prevalent as the role of the other elements. However, they center around one’s sense of being and how one’s choices overall guide them to be successful in life, to be too compliant to the whims of others, or to be cruel. (The Earth itself and our Lives are easy to mold in different ways. When helped, life flourishes and all living things benefit, when harmed, it can leave scars or destroy us).
Modern Astrology is not cohesive because it holds too much value on a one sided, self centered, and very static narrative and not a collection of possibilities one has in life and how their choices affect they and others, for better or worse. It’s less for guidance and more for entertainment value (like a cheap parlor trick). It’s inefficient, but these modern astrologers know people are desperate for guidance and know it’s more lucrative to tell folks what they want to hear over what choices they have, the outcomes for those choices and the guidance they need to hear to do better.
TLDR: The reason the results in this are flawed is because the Astrologers in this study are using a Bastardized system based on lies over a system centered on choices, factors and guidance.
