These days, it seems people are very strictly divided into two camps on the issue of astrology: either someone finds it so completely ridiculous and incredible that it’s very existence is an insult to them, or they live by their horoscopes each day with religious dedication – if the sign says to exercise, they’ll do it.
According to a study done by the National Science Foundation in 2014, only slightly more than half of Americans rejected astrology as “not at all scientific,” down from two-thirds only two years prior. It is important to note, however, that this statistic only reports a slight increase in what has been a predominant downfall in the popularity of astrology. For most of the 21st century thus far, astrology has been discredited as a pseudoscience, a major crash from its immense popularity in 1960s America with the counterculture movement. More information on the history of astrology can be found in one of our own articles by Kristen.
For the time being though, Personality Piety team members Bella and Kristen have decided to embark on an experiment for the week of March 6-10. Brushing aside any skepticism we may have, we both decided to live our lives for a week by our horoscopes. To that end, we have each cross-referenced a few different daily horoscope websites in order to see how much results may vary by website, and overall to generate a more complete overview of how we should go about our day. The sites used are: astrology.com, horoscope.com, and astrostyle.com – three of the most popular horoscope sites, being in the top ten in web traffic as reported by astrologyking.com.
For reference, Kristen is an Aquarius – an air sign designated to those born between January 20th and February 18th, and Bella is a Libra – an air sign for those born during September 23rd to October 22nd.
To start off the week, we began on Sunday 3/5 by reading our weekly overviews:
Kristen:
To get right to the point, I didn’t find my weekly overview to be particularly relevant. I found astrology.com to be particularly vague, despite the fact that it made an effort to reference specific days of the week. For example, it stated that on Monday and Tuesday I would find something “startlingly relevant to [my] life in the pages of a very old book,” and that those messages would, on those days, “echo with present-tense urgency.” Yeah right. I have a feeling that this is supposed to happen naturally, and the only old things I have read so far have been readings for my visual cultures course. Purposefully looking into a book as a result of my horoscope feels a bit less predestined and a bit more like I’m stretching to make my weekly prediction come true.
Beyond the mysterious book message talk that seems straight out of a YA fantasy novel, my weekly overview also told me I would receive a call from an elderly relative out of the blue, which didn’t happen. Prior to the beginning of the week and even reading this horoscope at all, it was me who called my grandfather to ask him about his life.
For the latter part of the week, astrology.com insisted that I would experience a “sizzling affair,” which I actually laughed out loud at. I’m in a very happy six-year relationship, and I’m not even seeing my partner until Sunday at the earliest. I would need to have my brain re-wired for this section of the overview to come true.
Lastly, referring to Saturday and Sunday, astrology.com said my weekend would “return me to the much more ordinary world of family and home,” which is the first and only part I agreed with. As it’s about to be spring break for me, that’s exactly what I’ll be doing come the weekend.
As for my other sources, they actually contained somewhat similar content, leading me to wonder if perhaps these more popular sites fact-check one another, though some might say instead that this is because they’re looking at the same stars or something. One small thing of significance to mention is that astrostyle.com really likes to make itself sound scientific – the weekly overview is very lengthy, and full of information about planets in different houses and a lot of other astrological jargon I didn’t quite understand.
Bella:
This week is all about what is not supposed to happen, and unlikely to be the case – but it might just happen anyway. Your daily workload or body is at the heart of the matter. You will hear or read a couple of game-changing details this week, which will put your paid or unpaid work at the top of your list.
I feel like this is a refreshing way to start off my week. I normally am a very anxious person and I tend to focus on what is yet ahead as opposed to the here and now, so maybe this will be a good mindset to enter this upcoming week with. Get all the work finished in a timely manner and then proceed.
Monday 3/6
Kristen:
Astrology.com told me that today I’ll experience some problems with adapting to new changes, especially if those changes occur without my input. They advise me to count my blessings and be patient, since everything going on right now was “more or less personally orchestrated by [me].” When I initially read this in the morning, I laughed at how vague it was, but as if by some divine astrological intervention, I actually had a very sudden issue I needed to resolve. My study abroad program hit me with 5,000 e-mails give or take about things I needed to change when I thought I had followed their instructions to a T, and informed me of a major course scheduling change. I was extremely frustrated, but tried to remind myself that this is was all a temporary, easy-to-resolve issue, and that I’m lucky to be able to pursue the opportunity to go abroad a second time.
Rating: 100% Me
Horoscope.com told me today would be a great day to buy or sell a home. Do I need to say anymore about how absurdly irrelevant that is to a broke 20-year-old college student in the middle of a semester spent dorming at school?
Rating: Just No
Astrostyle.com backed off on the astrology jargon today, opting instead to tell me that I needed to pay some extra attention to my diet and exercise today. I started out the morning with some cardio by sprinting uphill to class (I am steadily realizing I am not cut out for productivity before 11 AM), and chose to drink a cup of hot, unsweetened tea instead of the sweet coffee I usually grab before this particular course. For lunch, I had a whole wheat bagel with veggie cream cheese and a clementine. Since Mondays are busy for me, I was able to get a lot of walking time in – but not so much the opportunity to have an actual work-out in the gym. To end the day, I had some leftover pasta with spinach, mushrooms, and grilled chicken and for dessert a dark chocolate candy bar with almonds. Okay, maybe that last part wasn’t so healthy, but I’m going to label this as “not as bad as it could be” because almonds are super good for you.
Rating: Sort of Applicable
Bella:
“Mundane and perhaps boring tasks could take up much of your morning, Libra, but you will need to get them out of the way so you can move on to more exciting projects.”
This was a pretty decent horoscope reading to start of the week. Typically I’m most tired on Mondays and as soon as I get back from my 8:30 a.m. Yoga class, I’m ready to crash back into bed for a few hours until my next class at 1:30. I still ended up taking a nap, but when I woke up I answered a few emails that I had been putting off and immediately made my bed in addition to straightening up my apartment a bit before heading out. Mondays are pretty busy for me because my last activity of the day, String Ensemble, runs from 7 to 9 p.m, but we had a successful practice session.
Tuesday 3/7
Kristen:
Astrology.com gave me a really vague horoscope for today, saying that “telling the truth … is like an innate reaction that doubles when official business is impending” for me. It said that no matter what, I wouldn’t be willing to tone anything down or take anything back. When I read this, it reminded me of the issues going on with my study abroad application, and how I had voiced my concern to the program organizers about the course change. Despite this small reminder though, this horoscope really had no relevance whatsoever to my life today.
Rating: Just No
Horoscope.com said that a friend or colleague might offer me some new way to make more money through doing something I really love involving the arts. They suggested I fact-check the opportunity and think about it before jumping in head first. This prediction ended up being completely false for me, thought I had really, really wanted it to be true. I did find a cool new internship to apply to today, but I found that on my own, so I’m going to mark today as another flop for horoscope.com.
Rating: Just No
Astrostyle.com brought back the planetary evidence today, telling me that “Today’s intense moon-Pluto opposition could bring some old wounds to the surface.” They then said that the reason for these wounds could be unveiled through analyzing a dream. I really find it quite amusing how they use these phrases to make it sound like they’re scientific and well-researched. Regardless, the twins running this website then instructed that I explore self-hypnosis or guided meditation, and that I once again opt for exercise if I get too stressed out today. First of all, I had no dreams at all last night, and I don’t feel like any particular past issue has come to the surface. I am, however, extremely stressed out. I wasn’t able to get to the gym because I had to work all day, but I kind of wish I had. By the end of the day, I fully intended to try out some guided meditation, but passed out from exhaustion instead. Oops.
Rating: Sort of Applicable
Bella:
“Spiritual insights you received over the past few days could turn your thoughts to serving others. You might have a talent for teaching and choose to share what you’ve learned in this way, Libra.”
These “spiritual insights” (and I use this term loosely) didn’t hit me until much later in the day, but I tried to be as helpful as I possibly could throughout the day. That evening I do remember feeling especially “good” and I tried to carry this enthusiasm with me as I did my homework, preparing for the day ahead. I felt as relaxed as I could given the amount of work I had to do that night.
Wednesday 3/8
Kristen:
Astrology.com gave me a really vague horoscope for today, saying that “telling the truth … is like an innate reaction that doubles when official business is impending” for me. It said that no matter what, I wouldn’t be willing to tone anything down or take anything back. When I read this, it reminded me of the issues going on with my study abroad application, and how I had voiced my concern to the program organizers about the course change. Despite this small reminder though, this horoscope really had no relevance whatsoever to my life today.
Rating: Just No
Horoscope.com told me with characteristic vagueness that new ideas for investing funds or time could make a significant difference in my future income, and that today I “feel especially in control of my life.” Instead, I had an ridiculously busy and stressful day, we’re talking 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 A.M. here kids. There was barely any time to think, let alone about “new and expansive ideas.” However, I suppose I felt kind of in control of my life today. I had some very rebellious and furious thoughts during class all day – anger can always help people feel a little bit more strong.
Rating: Just No
Astrostyle.com said I have to “break the fixation chain,” and that I’m stuck in an obsessive thought loop as a result of my heavy workload. They suggested I “grab a wise friend and take a power walk to hash this out … or book a massage and see how your perspective shifts.” This was the first time I immediately found any of these horoscopes to be extremely, 100% relevant. I’ve been stuck in my head all day, mostly with brooding, angry, helpless thoughts. I spent some time with some friends near the end of the day, which allowed me to go into a personal meeting with a professor the next morning with an open mind.
Rating: 100% Me
Bella:
“You’re practical and down to Earth, Libra. Today your intuition is more active than usual. You might receive some powerful messages from the higher planes that open up new doors for you.”
I consider my intuition on a daily basis to be pretty good so I wasn’t sure that it’d change too much in that time and I wasn’t too sure about the “powerful messages” (I should mention that I’m a practicing Catholic and while religion is important to me, I didn’t expect any sudden strikes of lightning or burning bushes to speak to me) but I had a decent day.
Thursday 3/9
Kristen:
Astrology.com said that someone “absolutely fascinating” is right around the corner, dying to meet me, and suggested I clear my schedule for this person once they appear. I laughed when I read this in the morning, and laughed again when I reviewed my day again at night.
Rating: Just No
Horoscope.com suggested that I will be challenged today by someone with a strong ego, and that this person may “punch holes in the plan you’ve so carefully laid out.” They advised that I keep the facts in mind and be humble and direct. While this was a relevant horoscope in general, as I’ve been feeling hyper-sensitive and overly stressed since last week, today in particular was actually a much better day than expected. Nonetheless, this statement is really relevant to my state of being in general right now.
Rating: Sort of Applicable
Astrostyle.com told me to “institute an open-door policy at Chateau Aquarius.” Once again they brought out the “science,” stating that “Energizer Mars blasts into Taurus and your fourth house of home and family until April 21.” Apparently, this means that this a great time in my life for socialization. But alas, they can’t just have things be one-sided now, can they? Today’s horoscope also mentions that despite the positivity, “conflict could rear its ugly head.” They suggested I collaborate with women and take plenty of timeouts today. I guess this was sort of relevant, since I’m heading back home tomorrow. The conflict part sort of refers to how on-edge I am with this day – I just want it to be over so I can head home tomorrow already.
Rating: Sort of Applicable
Bella:
“Your mind is sharp today, and your willingness to work is equally strong, Libra. Use this powerful combination of forces to your full advantage.”
I’m not sure if my willingness to work was exceptionally strong, but I tried my best to keep my mind focused on any task that I was given. At my campus work study I was asked to help file paperwork. Since there was a lot to get through, almost an overwhelming amount of papers that needed to be organized, but I moved through each file one at a time and paced myself. I looked at each pile in increments instead of staring at all of it at once and I was finished even before I was scheduled to clock out.
Friday 3/10
Kristen:
Astrology.com advises that if I’m worried that I might do or say something to offend someone, to take someone else with me who can mediate such a situation with ease. Today was a day of travel. I met a nice old lady on the train and got to go home. There were zero conflicts.
Rating: Just No
Horoscope.com said that the “different parts of my personality should work harmoniously today,” and if not, to address that imbalance right away. This is so short that surely it’s relevant to any number of people. Of course I’m in harmony today, I’m home! This is the only place I’ve really wanted to be for the past nine weeks.
Rating: Sort of Applicable
Astrostyle.com suggested that “today’s Leo moon could bring a fellow unicorn [my] way,” which I laughed at. I suppose it really did though, since the old woman I met on the train was carrying a unique plant I had never seen before. It’s apparently kind of rare, and she had been looking for it for awhile. Her story was incredibly interesting, and we got along right away. She used to live near Manchester in England, lived in New York for awhile, and is now somehow in Philadelphia expressing her love of botany.
Rating: 100% Me
Bella:
“Take your mind off your stressful duties and responsibilities today, Libra. This is a time for emotions and ego to connect in harmony. Don’t let other people’s problems ruin your good mood. There’s a need for you to consciously let your mind and body be at ease. Art and music will bring you a great deal of pleasure.”
Seeing as this was the last day before Spring Break, I was able to follow through on this horoscope quite easily. I handed in any remaining assignments and carried on my daily activities with the least amount of stress possible. I finished my classes then headed back to my apartment to pack for the week and was living the good life as I drove home with my mom.
I’d say that ultimately this was a fun experiment. I think that daily horoscopes are fun and if they put a spring in your step or give you something to work towards throughout your day, there’s no harm in it.
Debriefing
Well, that was a roller coaster. If nothing else, this was a great exercise in that it allowed us to really reflect on our days each week, and it certainly didn’t hurt that many of the daily horoscopes continually recommended ways to destress and remind you to incorporate healthy living into each day. However, in terms of the general predictions of how the day would go – for Kristen they were basically useless, with only three horoscopes (One by astrology.com, and two by astrostyle.com) feeling particularly accurate. Overall, astrostyle.com was the most accurate in its predictions, with none being completely irrelevant. On the other end, astrology.com, though it had one excellent horoscope on Monday for Kristen, fizzled out for the rest of the week with being completely inapplicable. For reference, we’ve made this chart of both Kristen and Bella’s experiences:
That brings us to the end, folks. Now, don’t look so sad, we have plenty of astrological madness waiting for you where that came from. Why not check out our zodiac podcast while you’re here?
Other References:
http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2014/02/public-opinion-astrology-dumb
http://www.astrology.co.uk/news/astrostats.htm
https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind14/index.cfm/chapter-7/c7h.htm
Personality Piety 