Harmless fun? Horoscopes may be bad for you

[Still Waters]

Astrology may seem like harmless fun - but a new study suggests following your star sign could be bad for you.

Consumers who read their horoscope daily were found to be more likely to exhibit impulsive or indulgent behaviour when their zodiac was negative, the research suggested.

http://www.telegraph...y-suggests.html

[freetoroam]

So if they did not read their horoscopes, then what? Then they will use another thing humans do and have done for thousands of years......superstition.

These studies and their small minded results could actually do more harm.

I do not read the horoscopes, but do know many who do, they are naturally superstitious anyway, and for those who take the horoscopes as gospel as to the fate of their day, have often got other issues too, it is not just based on what mystic meg says.

Take away their horoscope readings for a week, they will still find other things to give them "indications" on whats lucky for them that day/week or not, eg:

"I am going to have a good day because i did not walk under the ladder"

"OMG, a black cat walked infront of my path this morning, something bad is going to happen"

[spud the mackem]

"Horror"scopes don't usually say anything really bad, like you're gonna get hit by a truck and die today, but where do these Astrology forecasters get their material from.You cannot tell whats going to happen from rocks flying around in space.Oh the Moon is in the 3rd quarter so I'm gonna win the Lottery tomorrow, and if you believe that, pigs will surely fly.You have a better chance reading tea leaves in a cup, like my next door very ancient neighbour used to do,the big issue was that she wasn't often wrong....

[freetoroam]

"Horror"scopes don't usually say anything really bad, like you're gonna get hit by a truck and die today, but where do these Astrology forecasters get their material from.You cannot tell whats going to happen from rocks flying around in space.Oh the Moon is in the 3rd quarter so I'm gonna win the Lottery tomorrow, and if you believe that, pigs will surely fly.You have a better chance reading tea leaves in a cup, like my next door very ancient neighbour used to do,the big issue was that she wasn't often wrong....

What is quite horrifying is that this is being studied by scientists at a university.

Well who would ever have thought that russell grants chrystsl balls would be a matter for research.

[spud the mackem]

No the wonder they are cutting back on Educational Grants when rubbish like this is taken seriously enough to study.

[keninsc]

It goes to the psychology behind the regular readings, it's more about how people react it rather than the pseudo-science behind astrology.

Sort of interesting how people can be swayed by a couple of vague line of text when you couple it with a small level of belief.

[pallidin]

Why should I believe in horoscopes when I have the likes of Benny Hinn to tell me how I should live my life and support his lavious lifestyle?

[Sundew]

Why should I believe in horoscopes when I have the likes of Benny Hinn to tell me how I should live my life and support his lavious lifestyle?

Thankfully Mr. Hinn does not speak for most Christians.

Biblically speaking, trying to predict the future from the stars would be an occult practice and forbidden as idolatry: "I (God) will cut off from this place every remnant of Baal, the names of the pagan and the idolatrous priests, those who bow down on the roofs to worship the starry host...." Zephaniah 1:4b, 5a.

I believe astrology was an ancient religion started in Babylon, but could be wrong on this point. Israel was forbidden to adopt their pagan practices, which often they did anyway.

Aside from the sheer nonsense that the stars of zodiac would influence your future, doesn't that neglect the other thousands of the stars in the night sky? Why would they have no influence if that is the case? Seem rather illogical on that point alone.

[psyche101]

My little sister used to write horoscopes for her newspaper.

She used it as her own personal network, if she was out of sorts with her other half, she would write in his horoscope "You should bring flowers to a loved one because someone close to you is feeling depressed" or if she wanted me to call she would write "Time to get in touch with a loved one". Stuff like that, she had no insight, and I honestly doubt she was alone, but she might have been in her honesty, to me at least.

I wonder how many people followed her "advice"

[keninsc]

I recall back in the early eighties I was taking night classes for my BSME and one of the courses was psychology. So the Prof, had us all put down our date of birth, time of birth and all that and turn it in to him. OK, so next lecture comes along in three days and he passes out to each of us our own "personalized" horoscopes. He told us to read them then asked us to answer by a show of hands a number of simple questions. Did we think it was accurate? Did it give us in sight? Things like that. After almost all of us answered affirmatively he then told us to swap papers with someone else. All the readings were all identical and yet we all thought they we customized for us. Interesting exercise and insight ful. Many of us share the same fears, traits and insecurities. Then we talked about them.

[Bendy Demon]

Considering that ever horoscope you read in papers is so bland and vague that is can actually be applied to anyone at any particular time.

Horoscopes are not "bad" for a person, it is when a person bases their daily lives on it that is bad. In other words it is the person's choices that are bad.

Astrology is just another system of superstitions just like all the other superstitions out there. Used to control and manipulate, create a group of people so utterly psychologically dependent on it that they cannot function without it.

[JGirl]

I used to read my horoscope the day after to see how I did lol

[moonshadow60]

I gave them up years ago. Every day they talked about work and what I should do at work. Not everyone is the same age. When you are in your 80s, work is the last thing you want to think about.

[psyche101]

I gave them up years ago. Every day they talked about work and what I should do at work. Not everyone is the same age. When you are in your 80s, work is the last thing you want to think about.

I think more and more people are, which is encouraging I feel.

[little_dreamer]

My horoscope often promised good things that never happened. I was disappointed.

[Awake2Chaos]

Horoscopes and astrology, mean different things, at least to me.

Astrological charts based on birth date can actually be very insightful. Little written horoscopes are just filler for newspapers and magazines. They really don't have anything to do with true astrology, at least the way I've seen it practiced.

It does seem like a waste of money for a University to be researching such things; are they bored or something?lol

[XenoFish]

It's all self-fulfill prophecy if you got though with what it suggest. Which in my opinion isn't smart.

[White Crane Feather]

I used to read fortune cookies to my kids, I simply made up the fortune telling my boys how wonderful, handsome and loved they are. They actually believed the cookies were magic and personalized ( or at least pretended to) until they learned how to read for themselves.

Funny thing though. Even though they know I'm going to read the fortunes my way, and they can read for themselves now, they still ask me to read them first.

[Stygean Hugh]

I read mine every day. Not just the two or three liner in the news paper. I hit up several sites, yahoo included. Generally, people who are not "in" to astology don't realize ther several levels to a daily horoscope, not simply the short general ones we tend to come across. I find my horoscope to be very accurate at least twice a week, sone tines more, but there definitely are those days were I read into it and think "this is some other taurus' 'scope," & dont think twice about it.

[Crabby Kitten]

Not interested in horoscopes, star signs or astrology.

[Whatsinausername]

So which horoscope is best?

The one from the newspaper?

The one from one of the many magazines out there?

Do you go with the reading that you think suits you best?

If so then what about all the others? Are they wrong?

These people who write them, do they have a genuine interest in your future?

It's all meaningless and potentially harmful to peoples emotions and mental well-being.

[Mikko-kun]

So which horoscope is best?

The one written to you by a professional astrologer, to your birth chart you give to them spesifically. I'm not saying forget the newspaper stuff, but take it with a healthy grain of salt. As everything, but especially the newspaper horoscopes when talking astrology.

These people who write them, do they have a genuine interest in your future?

I've given some brief readings and I do my best to give a honest reading, and a reading which gives a view on the alternatives you got or going to have when the situation hits you. It depends more on how much people are interested in shaping their future than whether or not I have interest in it. I have an interest to make as potentially helpful reading as possible, whether it's harsh or pleasant stuff I got to say. The whole aim of horoscopes to improve our lives, by giving us a broader perspective. Only you make choises, horoscopes and astrologers dont do that for you, I believe strongly. They just help you see more, to see things more straight.

You should go with the reading you feel will take you somewhere in your life, somewhere which truly is good for you. I wonder if people realise the true nature of all horoscopes or just lump it all up to the same predictive "you have no control over yourself" thing which I feel is a huge error. But your choise as I said, not mine. It's just an art to let you see more choises basically, to me at least. What's wrong with that? Certainly not that it wouldn't work, it works to me. If it doesn't to you, too bad. But it's based on the thought that we are all not the same, not identical in our characteristics, so if you think we are then there's obvious conflict already.

[Sushma]

nice post thank tou for sharing