Astrology? Symbolism? Numerology? Do these appeal to you?

As curiosities and for entertainment purposes, not as actual beliefs.

What @YARNLADY said. Also I’m sick and tired of people saying that the worse Zodiac sign is whichever one their ex boyfriend/girlfriend has.

Everything from ancient Jewish Kabbalah to the daily newspaper horoscope has been entirely discredited by skeptics who apply the scientific method to investigate claims that real scientists won’t waste their time with.

The results (a vast literature) suggest that it has no validity beyond placebo effect.

In other words, if you expect something to alter your outlook on life in certain ways, it might very well seem to work even if it can’t pass tests of statistical validity. That’s why there is no shortage of testimonials and anecdotal evidence, though these are usually rejected by scientific reasoning. You can’t prove a negative, however, so true believers cling to their beliefs.

Maybe my favorite school lesson ever:

My high school chemistry teacher handed out folded pieces of paper to the class. He said, “based on your birthdays, I gave each of you your horoscope for today. Raise your hand if you think it is accurate.”

About ¾ of us raised our hands.

Then he said, “I gave you all the same note.”

@Symbeline ex-wives’ is the worst by far.

No, I’ve never found fraud to be even remotely appealing.

I love astronomy, the stars the constellations and the zodiac. The New Testament story is written in the stars.

Yes. But I think symbolism is more interesting and useful than the others.

Wait, 42 is the answer to life? I have always been attracted to the number 42.

I don’t really believe in astrology or numerology, but it’s fun to read a horoscope every so often.

@Mantralantis Pics or it never happened.

@zensky ~ I’m not sure as to what you meant. Was that actually a question?

No!

@Mantralantis It’s just a fluloquialism – do you have any examples of symbolism?

@bkcunningham It’s probably the other way around. :P

No, I think it’s all ridiculous, and unfortunately gives astronomy a bad name because some people don’t know the difference between it and astrology. Kind of like how some people think I’m into doing hair and makeup when I say I’m interested in cosmology. :|

@Mariah Hahahaha. So true.

Same as @YARNLADY. I find it interesting as a curiosity, but I don’t believe there is any validity to it other than its psychological effects on people.

@Mariah I think I once got “cosmetology” confused with “cosmology”, though the other way around, thinking the former was the latter. They are similar words! And then you have the first one resemble “comet” in a way, so that just adds to the confusion… :P

I think most people know the difference between astronomy and astrology. Just saying.

I’m a paranormal and ghost enthusiast, a rare breed on this site but I’m also a sceptical person as well. I don’t know much about astrology and even less about the other two you’ve mentioned. I’m very sceptical about many things even related to my own interests but I did a little research on astrology (just a little).

While my horoscopes rarely match my life situations and my overall astrological personality (Aries) does not match me much either I was rather shocked by something else: My date of birth profile matched me to a tee, almost everything it said would be true about me was and I’m a very unique type of person in almost every sense. Again however, things like these are not my top interests so I don’t know.

@bkcunningham Probably most people do, but I’ve heard them confused many times before. The worst was when I was taking a tour of a college and the tour guide started talking about their “astrology department.” I was not impressed.

Actually, that would impress me: if Yale opened an astrology department – I would become a believer.