I’ve always heard of astrology, but in recent months, references of different zodiac signs and mood patterns have been occupying a huge majority of my Twitter and Instagram feed. And yes, I know it has something to do with the planets and the stars and I know what my sign is. But, I couldn’t tell you the first thing about where originated, why it became so popular, or anything really. And since it’s taking up a ton of my social media, I feel the need to dive deeper into this type of “pseudoscience”:
Merriam Webster defines astrology as, “the study of how the positions of the stars and movements of the planets have a supposed influence on events and on the lives and behavior of people.” Okay, what? I mean, I guess that’s what horoscopes refer to, but I have a tough time wrapping my head around the idea that astronomical patterns reflect how I behave.
Well apparently, the first record of astrology appeared around 2000 B.C.E. And as it turns out, pretty much every ancient civilization believed that the planets and stars affected people’s behavior on Earth. This makes sense since most of them looked to the sky to answer questions about the sun, moon and pretty much any other natural occurrence.
According to astrological philosophies, everyone is born at a certain point on the “celestial clock” (reference the circular motion of all the planets). So when you are born, you are born at a certain “time” and each area of the clock exudes a particular type of energy. So, this is where zodiac signs come into play. So whether you’re a Leo, Virgo, or a Pisces like me, everyone is born at a certain point on the clock and according to the movement of the planets, your personality follows certain patterns through space and time.
Interesting. Personally, I’m not sure if I am swayed. Or maybe unbelievable is a better way to describe it. I don’t know. Maybe it’s just a little too magical for me to believe when the modern world is largely based on science. And, let’s face it, this isn’t exactly science.
It does make me wonder, however, why this became such a big trend on social media in 2019. Well, according to The Atlantic, because of the easy-to-use search engines that have developed in the last few decades, it has made the complicated field of astrology, a lot easier to research. Also, this website suggests that, with millenials, astrology is a source of comfort. With all of the stress surrounding politics and social issues in the past five or so years, astrology has become a lot more popular. And I suppose that makes sense: when someone feels that have no where else to turn in bad times, it is comforting in believing that the universe all works together and that everything happens for a good reason.
There is still a ton for me to learn regarding astrology. The amount of levels and different beliefs about each aspect of it is overwhelming. But, who knows, maybe one day I will find myself down the rabbit hole of Google searches and find myself in some deep astrology research. And then, maybe I’ll find out what my Twitter feed is talking about.