One of my friends grabbed a copy of The Stranger before our bus ride to HUMP. He suggested he should read my horoscope for fun since my birthday was included in that week’s edition. After giggling about how astrology is amusing bullshit, I suggest he read me three different horoscopes, and I’d have to guess which one is mine. We agonized over the experimental setup for a bit (“But I know you’re a Scorpio! What if my tone of voice is different for that one? And there’s still a high chance you’ll pick yours randomly…”), then said fuck it and played our little game anyway.
I was impressed. These went beyond your usual astrological predictions and utilized other types of superstitions as well. The first one he read was all about how you should get personalized homeopathy that week. “Well, that’s definitely not mine,” I quipped. The second one could have applied to me if I stretched, but I waited to hear the third:
“Technorati, a search engine for blogs, says there are well over 100 million blogs on the internet, and that figure doesn’t include millions of Chinese-language blogs. So self-expression is thriving on a global scale, right? Not exactly. Most blogs-the estimate is 94 percent-have not been updated for at least four months. In accordance with the current astrological indicators, I expect you to do something about this problem. Refresh your blog in the coming week, or consider launching one if you don’t have one. But don’t stop there. Use every other way you can imagine to show the world who you are. Be articulate and demonstrative and revelatory.”
Me: Well, obviously I have to pick that one.
Friend: That’s Scorpio!
Me: You’re shitting me.
We had a good laugh at the insane coincidence, but that’s all it was. As our other friend rightfully noted, it’s still written vaguely enough to apply to everyone. Regular blogger? Keep up the good work! Have a defunct blog? Update it! Been thinking about blogging? Start one! Don’t even know what the hell a blog is? Express yourself in any way you want!
These are why horoscopes are so effective in duping people – they’re written so no matter who you are, they sound oddly specific. And while it’s all fun and games for some people, others get hurt.
Just wait for next years when it’ll tell you to appear in an atheist calendar. :P
Oddly enough when I was in my church’s youth group we had a discussion on astrology. They work the same way all “psychics” do, playing off our brain’s ability to make connections where there are none.
Interesting. Supposedly many fundies don’t “believe in astrology”, but when pressed it turns out that they fully believe it works but it’s the work of the Devil.
I can’t really call that one a hit either, Jen – keep in mind, that seems to have been directed at somebody who is *not* a prolific blogger but could potentially become one.Of course, it doesn’t actually matter how many hits are in a given astrological “reading”, or even if a single reading actually turns out to be eerily accurate and to pass a blinded trial like the one you did. On the sheer balance of probabilities, we should expect an occasional success: it’s not impossible, just very improbable, and given the number of people that exist and the number of astrological predictions being made, the law of large numbers will do the rest.All we need to remember is that we shouldn’t ignore the sheer quantity of wrong predictions, as our predilections tend to encourage us to do.I know you already know this, and I’m pretty sure everyone here already knows this as well, so I’m not sure why I’m blathering on and on about it… and I’ll stop doing so now.
“We had a good laugh at the insane coincidence, but that’s all it was. “That’s what makes these things so much fun and so interesting, is that they are only coincidences. If it wasn’t a coincidence, then it would just be the way things are, and not particularly fun or interesting.
Perception Bias:The other day my morning coffee was interrupted by the sound of an approaching garbage truck. As I rushed out to the sidewalk with garbage can in tow, I thought to myself, “Why does the truck always come early when I forget to put it out, and always comes late when I remember.” I had a good chuckle at myself over a second cup.
Hey cool, you’re a scorpio too! Ya, skeptics tend to be scorpios.
Scorpios rule :)
Obviously this is proof that astrology works. What? What’s that? Sample sizes? Pay no attention to the actuary behind the curtain. ¬_¬
Wow. I failed to notice the first time that… that ‘astrological’ paragraph doesn’t actually contain any predictions, either. It’s giving instructions – “go, blog! You have your orders!”I also find it amusing that all of the justification it gives for its suggestion is based on real blogging statistics; there is only a single mention of anything to do with astrology in the paragraph and it’s a simple name-drop. What is the astrology supposed to be doing here anyway?I’m curious if any of the other ones in the article were like this also.
A few years ago, New Scientist had an article about a correlation between birthday, and certain psychological conditions – the assumed link was that during gestation, the mother would get different amounts of Vitamin D at different times of year (so presumably this only works in northern latitudes…), which affected foetal brain development.Didn’t keep the article though… anyone else see it?
It’s amazing how India, basically a Second World nation in some respects, still holds onto astrology and other superstitions. It’s bad enough that there are “Fundamentalist Hindus” but then you throw in Astrology, Caste, widow burning and other remanent superstitious beliefs and it’s hard to understand how they made it far enough to become the outsourcing destination for the English speaking world. India is such a melange of cultures and religions. I wonder how many Atheist are in India? Guess I’ll have to Google that one.
That is funny!! I take great delight in telling people I’m a Leo and then when they say that makes sense, saying “oh hold on, no I’m a sag”… Repeating for as long as they keep saying it fits my personality!!!
Second world traditionally meant a Soviet-aligned state. First world was a US aligned state, and third world was an unaligned state.
You should follow @Horrorsc0pes on twitter. Today for example:AQUARIUS: Your lovelife is laid to rest today – when an obsession with 80s singer Tiffany is unearthed. I think you’re alone now.Though yesterday’s was funnier:AQUARIUS: Jupiter’s moons are in perfect symmetry. This means nothing, as does astrology and your used condom of a life.
Yes. The Stranger’s astrology column, “Real Astrology”, is much more geared towards telling you what you ought to be doing next week, rather than making general predictions. It actually works pretty well, I have to say — it feels much less vague while still relying on exactly same vagueness to be filled in by the reader.
I’m a scorpio too. And that horoscope applies to me eerily. I need to update my blog more often…spooky. lol.
Since the traditional description has gone by the wayside , I meant it in the terms of 3rd world being no or very limited infrastructure, 2nd world having a moderate level of infrastructure and of course 1st world having a high level of government infrastructure and modernization. So by that definition Somalia, Yemen, Afghanistan, Liberia and others are 3rd world. Mexico, Brazil, China, India, Pakistan, South Africa are 2nd world. The US, Germany,France, Belgium,Norway, Israel and Canada, among other are 1st world nations. Of course that wasn’t meant as a comprehensive list.
there are no coincidences. :)
That was what I was raised to believe, certainly.
I’m a cancer. Scorpios are the most intense lovers. I don’t mind a little jealousy. Yeah, gemini are deliciously freaky. Pisces look amazing in turquoise rubber. Leos are gifted ARTISTS in bed. Sagittarians can go for hours. Taurus? As in hung like a…? OOOO Cancer, my soulmate!! Can you cook? Of course you’re a Libra. You look like the gods carved you out of something that’ll NEVER get old! etc… etc…My favourite pick up line ;-)
What’s happening with the c-sections is pretty sad, though.