Wait, they all did 5 out of 12? That means you can make statistical predictions with astrology by selecting the opposite of what the astrologer predicts!
Nobody did better than 5/12. And looking at the average, most didn’t even come close to that.
Astrology is so stupid! That’s why I only practice geomancy, the true divination art.
Geomancy is just applied numerology.
I think it might be closer to applied Sacred Geometry.
I think that’s another name for earthbending
And physics is just applied maths. I feel like the number lobby is trying to sell us more numbers.
That’s how we’ll eventually run out of numbers. And then what? Sell some imaginary ones?
I don’t know. There’s an awful lot of numbers out there.
Leaving this here XKCD.
And the extended edition:
Hey kid, wanna buy a square root of minus one? It fucks you uppppp
It really does
Pffft. Molybdomancy is the one true divination form.
I’ve always been a fan of tyromancy.
Nah, you can’t reason someone out of a belief they weren’t reasoned into.
I don’t think that’s true, and I don’t think you really believe that either…
But I believe it after testing the hypothesis multiple times!
Is that a reference to that tweeter thread about it?
Honestly?
No.
The original comment was “you can’t reason someone out of a belief they weren’t reasoned into” and I was just playing on that by trying to reason them out of the belief that you can’t reason someone out of a belief…
Or at least suggest that you can reason someone out of a belief they weren’t reasoned into. Because it seems within reason that you can reason someone out of a belief they weren’t reasoned into and the reason I suggest that is it seems perfectly reasonable.
(Yeah – sometimes I just get bored and want to see how long I can keep a sentence going and use the same word in it before it breaks down into total chaos).
Necessary work. However, that last instructon isn’t science, it’s education.
Barnum Statement
I wonder what kind of person calls themselves a “world class expert” in astrology.
You know, I’m something of a galaxy-class expert astrologist myself.
Oh yeah? Well I’m a universe-class master astrologer, third degree.
People you shouldn’t trust.
A woman predicted the exact date Biden would step down a few weeks before it happened. She claims to be a world class astrologist. People sort of viewed this as a wow moment. Completely ignoring the fact that it’s been talked about that he might not re run if he won in 2020 (which I think was actually a misquote, but ultimately irrelevant for this discussion). There had been a lot of talk and push for him to step down, especially in the month or so prior to it happening. That someone sort of recognized all this but claimed the stars gave them the exact date is such an obvious Occam’s razor moment lol but people really did believe she was a master level astrologer.
Incredible number of expert astrologers out there
Survivorship bias? Hundreds of other “astrologists” probably tried predicting it too but guessed wrong
The stars of the profession?
People with planet sized egos?
An astrologist. 🤣
Doesn’t those results mean that we all are world class astrologers? Just roll the dice and you’re as good as the best.
Looks like technically any of us can.
My sister. Last year she begged me to do my charts for the next year. Said I would be happily married and on my way to the EU in a new job.
I’m divorced and unemployed. But hey, good news is she’ll do my charts over.
Probably exactly the kind you’d expect.
yeah truth hurts
Astrology I think works better when they focus less on predicting people’s characteristics than looking at people’s patterns in their life. If Saturn is returning to your “insert astrology term here” that means 29 years have happened which means great changes which is pretty typical for humans. People go through big changes at their late 20s and late 50s / early 60s. Since the stars goes through regular patterns and using this a time based guide a lot can be understood about human nature. This is a lot of astrology but the patterns at birth is more popular or at least the most commonly understood portion of it.
For those that prefer the source instead of a screenshot: https://www.tumblr.com/wilwheaton/762475130013237248
Thank you very much. This sort of thing needs to be sourced.
Might be an idea to post the actual source rather than Wil Wheaton’s tumblr post about it
I was going to, but I liked the other posts that Wil Wheaton had with his reblog.
This is hilarious. I wish they’d properly publish it in something peer-reviewed.
Astrologers don’t read scientific publications. Poor quality blogs linked from Tumblr are how you get the most eyeballs
Ravens: taking notes
So, yes, some people go too far into astrology and some people are actual grifters, but a lot of times, I think most of the time, people are just looking for a little fun. Yes, I know a tarot reading is bullshit, but it can be fun to do and it can be enlightening to see how I think it should be interpreted. Sort of like the idea of ink blotch tests, but that’s not a great comparison.
I agree with you. I think it’s more about having fun and the “show” of having your fortune read. It might also help you think about stuff.
I’ve done tarot and it’s good for helping analyze possibilities. A draw when you’re worried about something can give you a vague situation and it’s often easy to imagine exactly what that is. The caveat is it’s not more likely to happen just because cartomancey says so
Sounds a bit like making a decision by flipping a coin. Whatever you’re hoping for when it’s in the air is the right answer, regardless of what the outcome is.
Exactly, but more open ended. Let’s say you draw the 6 of swords, 3 of coins, and the lovers. You’re worried about your job. The 6 of swords means moving on, 3 of coins means teamwork and collaboration, and the lovers means Union and partnership. Now what does that mean for you? Any number of things, it might be the kick in the ass to call that old friend and start a business together. It may mean you need to move forward and try to unionize your workplace because your job is already at risk. It could present a lot of different possibilities and so long as you understand that those possibilities come from you and not fate and they aren’t necessarily a good idea, but a starting point or a place to reflect. It can be throwing a life preserver to a mind thrashing in the waters of uncertainty, you’re still in the water, but you’re ready to start swimming now.
I really hope this is true because I have met soooo many people in my personal life who seriously believe the position of the stars affects every little facet of your life.
I’m not sure “fucked off” is an expression…
Are you fucked off about the title? 😉
It is, at the southern edge of the English-speaking world.
Even more interesting: take the test yourself!
my zodiac sign is Barnum effect
I’m a Cordova
Is your leather fine, rich or soft?
Usually fine, but when Mercury is in retrograde it becomes rich.
I wonder if there is some benefit from the clients interpretation of the reading, even though the reading itself is nonsense. In the same way someone can flip a coin to help you make a decision, and you realise from your gut reaction what you actually wanted to do all along, but weren’t consciously aware of
yeah and don’t forget the placebo effect
“today’s gonna be a good day for you”
You should read The Dice Man
I’ll add that to my reading list, thank you!
this is definitely the answer, and i don’t get why people are so aggressive about shitting on people who just want a bit of fake mysticism in their lives. literally not hurting anyone to look at the stars and feel stuff
Until they charge $300 for a three hour reading, without disclosing the price or the time beforehand. And refer to all women as “goddesses”. And ask for tastes of four different types of wine before getting the same thing they always get.
I used to work in a shop that could easily be described as “New Age” and it has a tarot reader there. Having looked at the history of tarot but being a complete sceptic, I asked for a reading one time to see for myself how they go.
Afterwards I asked her “it’s a light therapy session, isn’t it?” She responded “mostly.”
That’s pretty much what it is, cheap, basic therapy to help you sort through your thoughts, and shares some similarities with CBT. I’d still recommend therapy if you need it, but I don’t mind people going to a tarot reader if that’s what helps them. But I still think the mysticism side of it can be a problem for a variety of reasons.
Yeah, that’s really all it is. It gets much more questionable and problematic when it’s things like people claiming to channel dead loved ones.
Yup that’s exactly what pissed off Houdini so much that he ended his friendship with Arthur Conan Doyle.
Oh, 100 percent. There’s much healthier ways to deal with that kind of grief.
One of my wife’s former coworkers said she needed to stop looking into astrology, so I think some people definitely can get into it too much and worry too much about predictions, but on the whole I don’t think astrology (specifically) is problematic as a whole.
But it is interesting that it does cause some people to discriminate against others based on their birthdays lol.
Even at its most harmless, astrology normalizes magical thinking and leaves the door open for more predatory things. Not that big a leap to alternative healing and psychics and other conmen persuading the naive away from legitimate help.
I talk to my dead dad in my dreams (nothing deep–I usually say “hey, aren’t you dead?” And he says “yep!” And then we discuss board games or dogs) and while it’s comforting for me to maintain that connection to my memory of him, I’d be so absolutely pissed if some stranger tried to horn in on and pollute my memory of my dad.
Tarot is also a great way of reflection and introspection by giving external prompts which allow a jumping off point for story creation and reframing. Lot of creative processes recommend this external semi-random prompt because it changes you from your normal thoughts. This allows you to think about what happened or what you want to happen and gives a story and a new perspective. Humans are naturally story tellers and pattern seekers and this taps into that. This reframing is a evidence based therapeutic technique that works.
Also if it makes you feel better in your own head that means it works. Everything is based on our mental state so what is difference
It’s time that somebody clears up with that mess, seriously.
