Horoscopes: prophetic powers, or ancient history?

Horoscopes are a seemingly integral part of our existence, in some form or another. 

Whether you believe in their tropes or think those who do are lost in the stars, we all know our star sign and occasionally dabble in their mystic arts. We are all trying to “find out” what our friends or family are truly like, but how reliant can we be on a method used by ancient civilisations? The days of using nothing but the stars are well and truly behind us so why do so many of us still seek who ‘the universe’ (supposedly) says we should be?

Winding back to the astrological clock, horoscopes saw their beginnings with the Babylonians nearly four thousand years ago, in Mesopotamia, now considered the Middle East. They established a system of twelve distinct astrological signs, which became known as the Western Zodiac. But before even the Babylonians, it was the Ancient Greeks who linked star signs to constellations and the orbits within our galaxy. This practice, despite the advancement of science and technology, has remained a widely used practice.

So given the lack of importance now attributed to horoscopes, their lack of effectiveness in controlled studies and their demotion to the title ‘pseudoscience’ why are we still bothering to read about them?

As an outsider who doesn’t believe horoscopes are useful, I think people still hold onto horoscopes for comfort, and a wider sense of individual place within the universe.

Being able to relate your existence and presence with the movements of planetary bodies, their alignments and misalignments, and the qualities these are said to impart, allows many to feel as if their place in the universe is meaningful. 

It imparts comfort, which can often be challenging in such a dark and scary world. Horoscopes convey a deterministic future which allows people to ‘see’ into their current and future selves and make decisions accordingly. In much the same way as some non-religious people (such as myself) see religion, it may not mean much to me, but it gives many people a sense of profound comfort, so often lacking in our modern society.

In true dedication to my journalistic pursuits, I forewent my reservations and looked at my own horoscope, both for today (October 14th) and the entire month. My daily reading was a positive one, suggesting strong intuitive abilities and inspiration. However the monthly was slightly less optimistic, indicating that the very same October 14th would be a challenging day (check back with me later!). This leads to my scepticism despite their excitement and mysticism. The vague language (‘could’, ‘should’ and ‘might’ appeared five times in five lines) and seemingly contradictory predictions often at odds with one another, left me unconvinced.

I’m not here to Taurus away from the idea of horoscopes, but there are Aries that struggle to hold sway. Virgo-ing any scientific merit or evidence, they are a Pisces of astrology that I can see the appeal of but do not hold myself. Nevertheless, horoscopes will continue to play an important part in many people’s lives, and for the enjoyment and excitement they bring so many, they will hold sway for generations to come.

Edited by Larissa Kirby