For many people, their past and, indeed, their futures have recently been debunked and destroyed.
The Internet has been buzzing with outraged astrology patrons since last Monday when Parke Kunkle, astronomy instructor and board member of the Minnesota Planetarium Society, pointed out to Star Tribune that the modern astrological horoscope is one constellation (about one month) off from its original Babylonian schedule.
Whether or not you choose to accept the “new” astrological calendar, this is not a change. The earth’s axis does not tilt suddenly or unexpectedly. Kunkle has not changed your sign or your identity. He has just enlightened you to a 2000-year-old truth.
“It’s good that someone found this out now rather than later,” said Christine Stevenson, an ASU biochemistry freshman.
Stevenson, a Taurus, does not follow her horoscope religiously, but sometimes checks to see how many stars the newspaper has given her sign. She is not very emotionally invested in astrology.
But not everyone is like Stevenson. The most troubling part of this news story is that people actually seem to care. Just check Facebook or Twitter.
This happens when people start confusing science with magic, astronomy with astrology.
As Kunkle said in a statement to the media: “In science we deal with a long tradition of fact based investigation. We are not in the business of interpreting the purported relation between the positions of planets and human affairs.”
But the rules behind horoscopes are so subjective and arbitrary to begin with. Can it matter when the scientific community throws some real data into the mix?
Absolutely not. And that is because — I cannot reiterate this enough — zodiac signs are not science.
Jarrod Kunkel, a chemical engineering sophomore, would agree, but is able to still find the merit in Zodiac signs.
“Astrology is bunk,” he said. “But it’s useful. It’s a form of psychological self-manipulation.”
Kunkel believes that despite horoscopes being subjective, they can still act as an effective motivator when viewed optimistically. He said that a good horoscope sometimes helps to reinforce his daily attitude and energy.
And just listen to the astrologers — they agree this isn’t anything new or groundbreaking.
Marjorie Orr, a renowned astrology columnist, wrote in an article for Astrology.com, “Astronomers do like to cause mischief on the basis of utterly no understanding of how astrology works.”
Orr writes that she believes in the old calendar because it provides accurate results. “One day scientists will stop sneering and smearing and get on with their proper business of providing an explanation,” she said.
So don’t freak out. You can still be whatever Zodiac sign your tattoo says that you are, just don’t take it too seriously. Horoscopes are a subjective business.
The media’s overreaction to Star Tribune’s story is just another sad reminder of society’s failing intellectual integrity.
It was these kinds of bungled, quasi-scientific attitudes that led Nazi Germany to advocate Social Darwinism and eugenics, creationists to deny evolution and Sarah Palin to believe that dinosaurs existed 4000 years ago.
Kunkle hasn’t changed your life — he just gave you an interesting bit of trivia. Use it at your next dinner party.
Predict Danny’s future columns at djoconn1@asu.edu