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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to think that anynoe who believes in star signs is a complete numpty?

678 replies

bettybosseye · 01/02/2011 18:52

I mean it's so clearly such a great stinking heap of horse shit, how can anyone actually believe it?
Another mum at playgroup today was telling me what kind of personality my 9 month old will have based solely on her star sign.
All pleasant enough stuff but she actually believed it.
What's wrong with people?

OP posts:
Beatnikgirl · 02/02/2011 13:42

As an Ex Astrologer who studied astrolgy for many years, I can say I can not see any real proof how astrology works except within our own imagination and wiliness to believe what we are told and see patterns and cycles in our lives.

Often when I did a report for a client they would only remember the positive things I got right and forget the many details where my charts blatantly struck out.

As a teenager I used it as a crutch to get through some differcult times in my life and if it can be helpful in that way, but I've also experiencved it when predictions can stop people from making important life decisions on relationships, marriage, jobs and when to concieve and I think that is where things go too far.

We have free will and no matter what something predicts whether its a personality trait or an event you have the power to change it, not fate.

Astrology is just a form of psychology an observation of stereotypes at best, there are so many asteroids planets that have recently been discovered that astrology couldn't possibly take into consideration, and who gets to decide that Neptune is meant to be a planet that symbolises mystery, magic, art and dreams, while pluto is destructive and a symbol of change and transformation and death. These names were not given by ancient soothsayers they were given by scientist randomly, Pluto was named by a 12 year old girl who won a competition, nothing mystical about that.

CaveMum · 02/02/2011 13:53

"Purveyor of Woo" - I want that as a job title!

Did you know they do horoscopes for horses too? I read an Anerican horseracing & breeding magazine called Bloodhorse. In the back they have a little horoscope that advises the best time of the month to carry out gelding operations, treating leg problems, etc Hmm

sockmonkey · 02/02/2011 14:03

Weird Al covers basically everything I think of horoscopes

PenelopeTitsDropped · 02/02/2011 14:11

I'm also now an Ophiucus. Well pissed as I WAS a horsey. I like horses (and goats and crabs and rams). I wouldn't recognise an Ophiuchus if I fell over it.

This has not had a tremendous of my WII, my Chi and my fucking wang; will be back later after I have adjusted my PISSED OFF corner.

PaisleyLeaf · 02/02/2011 14:18

I read recently that more people believe in the star sign stuff than believe in God.

rolandweary · 02/02/2011 14:23

pmsl at TCNY

would it be inappropriate to change my posting name to "shitforcunts"?Grin

Lamorna · 02/02/2011 14:25

I think that nature is far more important than nurture, babies have distinct personalities from birth. Parents think they are all important, but genenerally DCs grow up despite their parents.

Abr1de · 02/02/2011 14:26

' it assigns either a Dr Jekyll or Mr Hyde personality type in relation to their star sign '

This is just what bothers me.

PlentyOfParsnips · 02/02/2011 14:34

'I think that nature is far more important than nurture, babies have distinct personalities from birth. Parents think they are all important, but genenerally DCs grow up despite their parents.'

I tend to agree, Lamorna - I think most people underestimate the influence of genes. Wink

zipzap · 02/02/2011 14:36

One of the first social psychology experiments we did at uni was about personality types and signs of the zodiac.

We all had to fill out assorted questionnaires and provide astrological data. the next week the lecturer handed them back, apologising that his two assistants had only managed to do half the analysis, they had split the questionnaires so one would do the personality stuff, the other the astrological stuff but hadn't been able to meet up and swap over so they were giving us interim results that would be an analysis based on just one of the factors rather than both.

They then handed out personalised info to everyone, which we had to look and and rate for accuracy.

Everybody found it pretty good...

And then they said they hadn't looked at any of the info at all but given the same 'personalised' reading to everybody - only thing that personalised it was the name on the envelope.

provided a good example of how most people will see something in these things if they want to!

Abr1de · 02/02/2011 14:36

I agree with that,too. You only have to have more than one child to see that the same upbringing can still result in very different individuals, from food likes and dislikes to sporting or musical prowess.

GandalfyCarawak · 02/02/2011 14:39

In my opinion there is nothing in it, but I wouldn't say people who do are "numpties". It is a faith like any other, and I am respectful of others' faiths. :)

seeker · 02/02/2011 14:44

It is not a faith. And it deserves not respect.

It is giving "respect" to crap like this that is allowing woolly minded 'unthink' to take over. It's as if the Enlightenment never happened. For pity's sake let's have some intellectual rigour.

LeQueen · 02/02/2011 14:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

wukter · 02/02/2011 14:46

What's wrong with you today Cote? You are normally able to disagree with someone without losing control and displaying such rudeness.

seeker · 02/02/2011 14:47

Sometimes the only response to ignorance is plain speaking.

balloonballs · 02/02/2011 14:50

Seeker, that has quite upset me you know!

I've had to take a double dose of rescue remedy and it'll be on your head if my channels are all blocked up this evening.

LeQueen · 02/02/2011 14:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

seeker · 02/02/2011 14:54

Oh go and rebalance your chakras!

Brian Cox has just been asked on the radio "Why do so many people think the moon landings never happened?"

He paused briefly, then said "Because they don't think clearly"

Sums it up perfectly.

Bonsoir · 02/02/2011 14:54

Astrology
Tarot cards
Crystal balls
Tea leaves
Religion
Graphology

All a load of...

Lamorna · 02/02/2011 14:55

It isn't a faith!
I would agree totally that it should be rubbish, but as I can draw up a chart I know that it works.
This is why you can't treat all DCs the same, even within the same family. One DC will happily follow you and others will fight you and your beliefs every step of the way. It starts right from the beginning, some babies feel safe being swaddled some hate the restriction.
I would say it is all in the genes, how and why you can work it out from the time of birth I don't know and don't really care.
Anyone with Capricorn in their chart isn't going to think it is anything but rubbish!
If someone who is very anti tells me their time of birth I will tell them why they think it is rubbish or worse!

LeQueen · 02/02/2011 14:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PlentyOfParsnips · 02/02/2011 15:00

If it's not a faith, where's the evidence? That prize somebody referred to upthread remains unclaimed.

I can draw up charts too - I used to love doing them for gullible fools friends as it's the only time I got to use all that sin, cos, tan stuff from O level maths.

balloonballs · 02/02/2011 15:01

Mediums.
Aromatherapy
Homeopathy.
Crystal healing.

Also a load of shite. Designed to fleece the vulnerable or stupid.

CoteDAzur · 02/02/2011 15:02

I'm sick. Some other day, I would have been more gentle perhaps but would not have said anything different.

And we are not "disagreeing". lenak is wrong and I am telling her why. I say she is ignorant because she is. I don't feel it is wrong to point out an obvious truth.

This kind of smug ignorance really pushes my buttons: "I don't know anything but it's ok because I'm open minded, oh and we can't understand these things anyway, but what we can was known by Egyptians thousands of years ago" Hmm Fgs read a book and accumulate a minimum of knowledge before you call people "narrow minded".