However, a full, professional reading can be extremely detailed, packed with information about the interactions of the various astrological elements and how they affect the subject. Even if you believe that the stars can't possibly exert any influence over human lives, it can still be beneficial (or at least interesting) to read a psychological profile and consider how it relates to your own life. How you respond to authority, what you look for in a relationship, how you relate to your parents and your typical reaction when your boss asks you to work late are all things you might not examine thoroughly — and if you do examine them, it's often not in relation to everything else going on in your life. A good astrological reading can bring these things together and force the subject to examine him or herself in a new light, possibly drawing important conclusions or making changes for the better.
Who Believes?
A survey taken in 1988, shortly after Nancy and Ronald Reagan's use of an astrologer became public knowledge showed that overall American belief in astrology had declined to 12 percent, from 29 percent in 1978. However, more than 50 percent of teens reported belief.
A poll conducted in 2004 revealed belief rates on the rise again, with 29 percent of Americans expressing belief in astrology. Women and young people were more likely to believe.
The President and the Astrologer
In 1988, former White House Chief of Staff Don Regan wrote his memoirs, detailing his time with the administration of President Ronald Reagan. The revelation that caught the public's attention was the fact that Reagan had arranged his schedule according to the advice of First Lady Nancy Reagan's astrologer throughout his presidency.The astrologer, Joan Quigley, wrote up star charts that detailed down to the minute when it would be best for Reagan to give speeches or meet with foreign officials. She gave this information to Nancy by phone, and it was then relayed to Chief of Staff Regan. Regan even took to using a color-coded calendar so he could keep track of which days were best to schedule important events for the President. And thus, the most powerful man in western world had his schedule controlled by the stars ... or by an astrologer who charged up to $3,000 every month for the service.
Science or Superstition?
Some astrologers claim that they practice a true science with verifiable results. If the forces that are measured and studied by astrologers do exist, then repeated experiments ought to show that star and planet patterns really do affect the course of people's lives.Another school of thought on astrology suggests that the forces involved in astrology exist beyond science, in a quasi-religious realm involving a person's soul; or perhaps the influences extend to an ethereal, other dimension, where our laws of science do not hold true. In this case, belief in the power of astrology is just that: belief. Just like belief in a god or gods, it can neither be proven nor disprove.
Perhaps the most important criticism of the scientific viability of astrology are the empirical studies which have found that astrological predictions are no better than random chance. Divorce rates do not correlate with astrological compatibility. Sun signs do not show a greater chance of following one career path over another. Subjects who read horoscopes are just as likely to feel that the horoscope applies to them when the terms of the reading are reversed (i.e., instead of saying, "You're an outgoing, lively person," it might say, "You tend to be quiet and protective of your privacy.").
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