What Do You Make Of Horoscopes?

[_Some Schmo]

Yeah, horoscopes and astrology in general is complete rubbish. Every description is so vague and generalized, it could apply to anyone. People who believe in it will read their horoscope and then look for whatever it said would happen throughout the day (usually applying the forecast liberally to some tenuously related occurrence). It's pure hogwash. Anecdotally, according to our signs, my wife and I are not supposed to be compatible at all, yet we've been together for over 17 years, and I have a difficult time imagining a scenario where we would break up given the challenges we’ve faced together.

As for "chemistry" between people, I don't think there's any doubt about it. Some people you meet, you just click with, and others are like magnetic polarity that repels. But it can easily be chalked up to a number of natural things (in other words, there's no need for a supernatural, or even cosmic explanation). I think people tend to get on well with others if they exhibit similar thought patterns, have similar values, or even things as subtle as similar body language/facial expressions/vocal tone.

There's no such thing as pre-destiny/fate (at least, no proof for it at this point), and people are not "meant to be together." They either choose to be, or choose not to, whether they make the choice consciously or not. I think the fact that so many people believe they have a "soul-mate" is one of the most destructive and unnecessary pain-making myths ever invented.

[_Dr. Shades]

KA--A Taurus

How 'bout that; I'm a Taurus too.

My birthday is May 17th--when's yours?

[_TAK]

Ray have you looked at the parallels between astrology and the Christ Myths? Some interesting stuff..

by the way.. I was also born in the first week in March..

[_KimberlyAnn]

KA--A Taurus

How 'bout that; I'm a Taurus too.

My birthday is May 17th--when's yours?

My birthday is April 24th, Shades.

KA

[_Ray A]

Yeah, horoscopes and astrology in general is complete rubbish. Every description is so vague and generalized, it could apply to anyone. People who believe in it will read their horoscope and then look for whatever it said would happen throughout the day (usually applying the forecast liberally to some tenuously related occurrence). It's pure hogwash. Anecdotally, according to our signs, my wife and I are not supposed to be compatible at all, yet we've been together for over 17 years, and I have a difficult time imagining a scenario where we would break up given the challenges we’ve faced together.

Especially the ones in the daily papers. Someone just sits down and invents all of this. But I kind of wonder about the placebo effect, and how much this may influence some people's thinking.

As for "chemistry" between people, I don't think there's any doubt about it. Some people you meet, you just click with, and others are like magnetic polarity that repels. But it can easily be chalked up to a number of natural things (in other words, there's no need for a supernatural, or even cosmic explanation). I think people tend to get on well with others if they exhibit similar thought patterns, have similar values, or even things as subtle as similar body language/facial expressions/vocal tone.

I don't believe there's anything supernatural about it. Years ago I partially read Darwin's account of the similarities of expression in humans and animals, and I think there may be some clues there. Dogs also seem to "sense" who's a friend and who's an enemy, but I think this can also be put down to facial expressions, and maybe "vibes".

Incidentally, though my ex-wife and I got along very well, we were totally different people in almost every sense. The only thing we really had in common was the Church and our then beliefs, which is why I've often called it a "church marriage". It would never in a million years have happened otherwise. Because you get along well with someone doesn't mean you need to marry them.

[_truth dancer]

Hi Ray,

You always start fun threads!

The horoscopes written in the newspaper and online are silly. If you want to understand how your life is connected with the heavens, you have to go to an experienced astrologer and have your stars mapped out at the exact time of your birth.

Mine was incredibly accurate in many respects.



~td~

[_Ray A]

Ray have you looked at the parallels between astrology and the Christ Myths? Some interesting stuff..

I have, TAK, and I think there are some interesting parallels. Astrology was closely associated with religion.

[_Ray A]

Mine was incredibly accurate in many respects.



~td~

TD, my father was also convinced that his "readings" were about 70-80% accurate. Not so much about the future, necessarily, but it apparently accurately described his life and experiences to that point with what he felt was "amazing accuracy". That's why he took the comment about dying in a foreign land seriously, because he felt the rest of it was accurate.

[_cinepro]

I love the Onion Horoscopes. Here's one from last January:

Aries Mar 21 - Apr 19

Your marriage will soon erode to the point where you'll be sorely tempted to turn her in for the reward money.

Taurus Apr 20 - May 20

You will fail to keep your New Year's resolution to ignore meaningless holidays and arbitrary personal decisions.

Gemini May 21 - Jun 21

With winter on its way, keep in mind that sex is like snow—you never know how long it will last or how many inches you will get.

Cancer Jun 22 - Jul 22

Your seventh straight year of office football pool domination will be tarnished when your colleagues discover that NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue has become your psychic friend.

Leo Jul 23 - Aug 22

You'll put yourself through college by stripping, which wouldn't be so bad if you were doing it for the tuition money rather than the classroom grades.
Virgo Aug 23 - Sep 22

Act surprised all you want, but you know damn well why hockey great Theoren Fleury is waiting on your doorstep with flowers and candy.

Libra Sep 23 - Oct 23

Your judgment is called into question when, despite the strong advice of your friends down in the marketing department, you decide to go ahead with plans to launch a winter invasion of Russia.

Scorpio Oct 24 - Nov 21

Don't fight the turning of the seasons: Time marches on, no matter how many leaves you glue back onto the trees.

Sagittarius Nov 22 - Dec 21

Due to conditions beyond fate's control, Sagittarius will be required to repeat February 1992.

Capricorn Dec 22 - Jan 19

Your love for the unexpected joy of "snow days" will not translate directly into a love for next week's hellish rains of fire and blood.

Aquarius Jan 20 - Feb 18

Dedicate yourself to the vision of poet Herman Hesse, who declared war on cheap, false beauty: Kill every figure skater you can find.

Pisces Feb 19 - Mar 20

You will soon be unwillingly forced into a flurry of activity when you are chosen to host the 2014 Winter Olympiad.

[_Ray A]

Pheromones: There Really Is Chemistry Between People.

Did you ever meet someone and feel an immediate and irresistible attraction? Of course you have. So, how did you explain it? Was it the piercing eyes? The sexy accent? The sensuous lips? The gentle touch? Or was it simply "the chemistry?" After years of generally being relegated to the File 13 of scientific research, that ages-old answer now may be emerging as a powerful factor in explaining sexual attraction. Recent studies suggest that human beings - like other animals - produce, send out and respond to odorless substances called pheromones. And some researchers are looking into the theory that these substances may be the reason that you choose or reject a potential partner.

Pheromones have been documented to influence sexual behavior in animals - promoting attraction between male and female moths, snakes, monkeys, hamsters, and many other creatures. In these animals, pheromones are detected by the vomeronasal organ in the nasal cavity. Scientists now have uncovered evidence that humans may also have this ability. In a study recently reported in Nature magazine, Martha K. McClintock and Kathleen Stern of the Department of Psychology at the University of Chicago found evidence that humans detect and are influenced by pheromones. They defined pheromones as "airborne chemical signals that are released by an individual into the environment and which affect the physiology and behavior of other members of the same species."