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Young people are flocking to astrology

washingtonpost.com

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Re: Young people are flocking to astrology

#301

Post by hutzlibu »

seer wrote: post #164
nprateem wrote: post #66

I had an argument with a girl the other day who was adamant she wanted to know my star sign. I said "you tell me" and after 10 guesses I finally told her. She then went on to tell me what I must like etc - most of which was complete bollocks obviously. I told her her beliefs were akin to racism. Just because of when I was born she thought it was acceptable not to bother to treat me as an individual but as automatical…

As the saying goes, “all models are wrong, some models are useful” While the astrology “model” is obviously wrong, it must have been useful to someone at sometime for it to have gained such a popularity. Like the “flat earth model” is actually extremely useful if you don’t intend (can’t) travel significant distances - gives you a coordinate system, maps and ways to predict where you’re going to be tomorrow if you tra…

"The time of birth can also correlate loosely with personality. "

I mean it does have an effect, if you spend the first months of your life outside in the sun, or hidden inside. And the parents also behave different in summer than in winter. But to conclude that every person born in december must be like this and that .. is frustrating to deal with.

Re: Young people are flocking to astrology

#302

Post by ilyt »

pfannkuchen wrote: post #166
whakim wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While I agree that astrology is complete nonsense, you're not likely to win many people over when you treat stereotyping (which you've described here) and racism as equivalent.

I don’t think astrology is stereotyping, it’s completely made up, not just an oversimplification or over generalization.

I don't think the source of stereotype matters.

Re: Young people are flocking to astrology

#303

Post by machina_ex_deus »

nprateem wrote: post #66

I had an argument with a girl the other day who was adamant she wanted to know my star sign. I said "you tell me" and after 10 guesses I finally told her. She then went on to tell me what I must like etc - most of which was complete bollocks obviously. I told her her beliefs were akin to racism. Just because of when I was born she thought it was acceptable not to bother to treat me as an individual but as automatical…

Speaking of stereotypes, if anyone takes astrology seriously, I automatically assume they are not intelligent, irrational, and I find it impossible to take them seriously.

I consider them beyond reason so I don't even try. If a person's logic and epistemology lead to him believing in astrology, it shows a deeper problem and I don't hope to have an intelligent discussion with them any more than I expect to have an intelligent discussion with GPT2 or with a talking parrot.

I can tolerate conspiracy theories, or aliens, or whacky religions, but astrology is just so dumb. I can't see an intelligent person ever falling for it. Hell I would probably consider a flat earther with a tinfoil hat more intelligent.

Re: Young people are flocking to astrology

#304

Post by pyinstallwoes »

leashless wrote: post #16

My guru (I'm Indian) was an astrologer. Every time Mars goes retrograde I tell people "astrology is nonsense, but this Mars retrograde thing gets me every time..." and surely enough, every time... I was raised on Karl Popper and Thomas Kuhn. There can't be anything to it. It has to be nonsense. December 06 2024 is the next Mars retrograde. See if things don't go completely to hell right around then.

The day humanity understands the power of symbol is the day we turn reality into anything we desire, for the representation of information is everything. That is what I think of as true magic. Narrative control is the most important state actor military agenda, no wonder if it frames how reality is interpreted and rendered.

Re: Young people are flocking to astrology

#305

Post by rsynnott »

mavhc wrote: post #240
anon-3988 wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is why I think that it is perhaps beneficial to not completely remove religion, but replace it with something that is more aligned to the 21st century. Let's be honest, humans are very flawed and prone to succumb to religious thinking; regardless of how smart/dumb you are. Superstitious thinking can arise from simple day to day observation. So it is much better to fill in the void with something dull like "do go…

Organised Religion is good for people, because it keeps them from believing even crazier ideas, and still tells you to see a doctor when you're sick Most of the people who go to Organised Religion don't really believe in God, they're just in it for the tea and biscuits, ie it's a social club. If you really believed in God and Heaven you'd become a monk or nun, logically you'd spend your finite life maximising your ch…

> Without Organised Religion you get antivax people

Antivax people have been around since 1798 when the first vaccine was invented (arguably even _before_ that; some of the same arguments were made about variolation).

Re: Young people are flocking to astrology

#306

Post by jeffhuys »

inglor_cz wrote: post #253
seer wrote: post #164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As the saying goes, “all models are wrong, some models are useful” While the astrology “model” is obviously wrong, it must have been useful to someone at sometime for it to have gained such a popularity. Like the “flat earth model” is actually extremely useful if you don’t intend (can’t) travel significant distances - gives you a coordinate system, maps and ways to predict where you’re going to be tomorrow if you tra…

"it must have been useful to someone at sometime for it to have gained such a popularity." Cui prodest? = Who profits? Scams are useful to the person who makes money off them, too. Don't forget that for some people, astrology has been a profession. In history and today.

Free youtube videos are where I get my fix. Helped me in my depression a LOT. And didn't cost me a penny.

Re: Young people are flocking to astrology

#307

Post by pyinstallwoes »

leashless wrote: post #33
Nifty3929 wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well now you’ve jinxed it for sure!

Apparently nobody got my election humour! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_United_States_presidentia...

Perfect example of narrative perspective influencing interpretation of events.

Re: Young people are flocking to astrology

#308

Post by jacquesm »

sillysaurusx wrote: post #278
ChrisMarshallNY wrote: post #244

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m a 61-year-old software developer. It’s been interesting (and infuriating), experiencing some of the conclusions that younger techs have reached about me, due to my gray hair. I’m also a developer of Apple device software. That has resulted in even more abuse. There’s serious hate for Apple amongst techs. Human nature likes pigeonholing other people into simple “sort buckets,” and we have many ways to do that. It…

Hey! 35yo dev here. If you could go back and give your 35yo self some advice, what would it be? (Feel free to make it specific to yourself; I’m just curious.) You’re a bit of my hero since I aim to be a dev till at least 60. I barely survive Leetcode interviews now — in fact I can’t think of a single one I’ve passed. Having to interview at 60 plus sounds awful, mostly for the reasons you describe.

My advice would be (if you're in it to make a living) to get out and move into finance.

Re: Young people are flocking to astrology

#309

Post by achenet »

mavhc wrote: post #240
anon-3988 wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is why I think that it is perhaps beneficial to not completely remove religion, but replace it with something that is more aligned to the 21st century. Let's be honest, humans are very flawed and prone to succumb to religious thinking; regardless of how smart/dumb you are. Superstitious thinking can arise from simple day to day observation. So it is much better to fill in the void with something dull like "do go…

Organised Religion is good for people, because it keeps them from believing even crazier ideas, and still tells you to see a doctor when you're sick Most of the people who go to Organised Religion don't really believe in God, they're just in it for the tea and biscuits, ie it's a social club. If you really believed in God and Heaven you'd become a monk or nun, logically you'd spend your finite life maximising your ch…

and with organised religion you get the crusades and the inquisition.

Current day catholicism is pretty nice, because we've had a good 300+ years of post-englightenment/rationalism in society to balance out the violent intolerance religion zealots can dish out.

agree that religious/spiritual groups can be good for social ties.

To be fair, playing badmington every tuesday night is also good for social ties, and less likely to make you feel justified in violently disembowelling someone for heresy. Or flying planes into tall building in the name of God.

You know, given the choice between ISIS and antivaxxers, I think I'll take the anitvaxxers.

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