IT IS NOT TRUE BUT ... I BELIEVE IT

 

Who has never had a look at his horoscope? Who has never asked what your zodiac sign is? What is your ascendant? Nobody confesses to believe in it but everyone is curious to know about their future, about their health, about love.

At the beginning of each new year on TV or the radio, on newspapers, in the web we are overwhelmed by astrology forecast about how the year that is coming will go for us and it seems that all depends on our zodiac sign: everything is written in the stars…but is it so?

Why do people believe in horoscope?

The answer is probably in the old desire of men to foresee the future. Astrology,with its general and vague statements,offers people what they desire more: information and assurance about their future, about the necessity to know the others according to some formulas, a way to be absolved of their current situation and their future decisions, a desire to control  their own life,to give the idea that all happens for some particular reason and that everything is connected in the universe.

In general the psychologists claim the horoscope or astrology have a “reassuring effect”, it comforts us, for them it is a kind of life jacket, especially, for people that are anxious and insecure, who get the impression to be protected. Knowing their future, they feel prepared to face and solve a difficulty that may come. They are afraid of making wrong decisions, so in this way, they feel calmer, and without responsibility about their decisions, “the fault is in the stars not theirs”.

 Does our mind deceive us?

Some psychologist claim that our mind interprets and adapts toour situations any information that it receives  according to  own desires so  if the horoscope says that our project will go well, we will dispose or create the circumstances in order to happen  as we would like.

The same thing happens for the prophecies about the future of humanity: if you think of some great astrological personage only remember what they "guessed", forgetting everything else, according to a mechanism of selection of memories.

Does everybody know their zodiac sign?

Evidence suggests that over 90% of adults know their zodiac signs. Some surveys indicate that most people agree that the descriptions of the personality of the different signs are a good fit: Ariens are energetic, Taureans are stubborn, Pisces are creative and so on.

More than 70 % read a horoscope column once a month and 51% value its advice.

  

May believing in the horoscope be dangerous?

When we leave someone or something else the power to control our life,  we risk to lose our capacity of judging objectively,  we risk becoming victims of prejudices. For example, we define people according to the presumed characteristics of their zodiacal sign.

Someone Lion has a strong character, while a Scorpio will be passionate, or a Virgo must certainly be tidy. Another danger is to assume a passive attitude towards life or to believe we can solve a health problem using potions or following fake suggestions.

We have to learn we can’t control everything and we have to accept the future with all its surprises.

 

Agnese, 3sc