# Do Grown People Really Still Believe In Astrology? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 29, 2004, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-grown-people-really-still-believe-in-astrology/271918 "2004-10-29T20:16:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-grown-people-really-still-believe-in-astrology/271918/1 "2004-10-29T20:16:50Z")
Actual discussion I just overheard between two adult (20- and 3-something) editors in my office: “So, you’re, like, an Aries, right?” “No, I’m a Pisces. Why, do I act like an Aries?” “You totally do. You must be on the cusp or something. My brother’s a Pisces, but he totally acts like an Aries.” Over in my cubicle, reason was tottering on her throne. No one really takes this balderdash _seriously_, do they? ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-grown-people-really-still-believe-in-astrology/271918/2 "2004-10-29T20:18:44Z")
“_30_-something.” “3-something” would be understandable, and even that would be pushing it. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-grown-people-really-still-believe-in-astrology/271918/3 "2004-10-29T20:19:20Z")
At least one of my coworkers at my last job most certainly did. We were friends until I discovered what a flake she was. Then I wasn’t as available for socializing and we, mercifully, drifted apart. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-grown-people-really-still-believe-in-astrology/271918/4 "2004-10-29T20:20:58Z")
Oh, you better believe they do. I once pointed out to a co-worker that there’s simply no objective evidence to support Astrology, to which he responded, “Well you don’t know _everything_.” :rolleyes: And sadly, Astrology isn’t even the silliest thing people believe in - not by a long shot. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-grown-people-really-still-believe-in-astrology/271918/5 "2004-10-29T20:22:49Z")
[Quite a few do, I’m afraid…](http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_poll3.htm#ast) ---
**Author:** ![Liz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/liz/32/17737_2.png) [@Liz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liz)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-grown-people-really-still-believe-in-astrology/271918/6 "2004-10-29T20:24:26Z")
Good lord, no. But it’s funny sometimes, if you read the right [horoscopes](http://www.thespoof.com/horoscopes/index.cfm) . ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-grown-people-really-still-believe-in-astrology/271918/7 "2004-10-29T20:28:05Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > Over in my cubicle, reason was tottering on her throne. No one really takes this balderdash _seriously_, do they? Yes they do. The most famous (and arguably powerful) public figure I can think of who is a firm believer in astrology is Nancy Reagan; but the dead-serious credence given to the signs in the stars is widespread among probably millions of otherwise-sane adults in this country alone. It’s ludicrous, but being so makes it no less the real situation. ---
**Author:** ![auntie\_em](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@auntie\_em](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntie_em)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-grown-people-really-still-believe-in-astrology/271918/8 "2004-10-29T20:30:55Z")
I do, but only if my horoscope is good. Like if it says, “Before the week is out you will have the puppy of your dreams”, I’ll be like, “Woo-hoo! I’m gettin’ a puppy this week!” Until, of course, I end the week puppyless, and then I say, “Ah, well, it’s just a stupid horoscope, anyway. Who believes in those things?” But for that one week, I get to be really happy in anticipation of my puppy. If the horoscope is bad, I just skip the middle step and go straight to "It’s just a stupid horoscope . . . " ---
**Author:** ![Loopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loopus/32/15343_2.png) [@Loopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopus)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-grown-people-really-still-believe-in-astrology/271918/9 "2004-10-29T20:31:04Z")
Yup. When I ask someone why in the world they believe in Astrology, I usually get an answer along the lines of “Why not?” It can’t be disproved, they figure, so they might as well believe it. How that’s supposed to make sense, I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![auntie\_em](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@auntie\_em](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntie_em)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-grown-people-really-still-believe-in-astrology/271918/10 "2004-10-29T20:32:30Z")
Oh and by the way I am, like, the quintessential Pisces. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-grown-people-really-still-believe-in-astrology/271918/11 "2004-10-29T20:38:10Z")
Guaranteed way to stop such conversations in their tracks: “What sign are you?” “Feces.” Works every time. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-grown-people-really-still-believe-in-astrology/271918/12 "2004-10-29T20:42:57Z")
I do, but for daily horoscopes in newspapers, you might as well read fortune cookies. You will never hear me say 'you act like a Pisces" to anybody though, because 1) sun sign doesn’t tell you nearly everything about a person, and 2) what difference does it make? _ducks and covers_ ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-grown-people-really-still-believe-in-astrology/271918/13 "2004-10-29T20:44:33Z")
> [@Early Out](#): > > Guaranteed way to stop such conversations in their tracks: > > “What sign are you?” > > “Feces.” > > Works every time. 😃 I also find that “Tropical or sidereal?” tends to throw them for a loop. (How sad is it that I know more about their lame wacko hobby than they do?) The answers are Cancer and Gemini, respectively, if anyone’s wondering. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-grown-people-really-still-believe-in-astrology/271918/14 "2004-10-29T20:45:28Z")
I don’t believe in any of that junk, but Scorpios tend to be sceptical. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-grown-people-really-still-believe-in-astrology/271918/15 "2004-10-29T20:50:19Z")
> [@cricetus](#): > > I don’t believe in any of that junk, but Scorpios tend to be sceptical. Er, skeptical. Scorpios are notoriously poor spellers, too. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-grown-people-really-still-believe-in-astrology/271918/16 "2004-10-29T20:52:42Z")
> [@cricetus](#): > > Er, skeptical. > > Scorpios are notoriously poor spellers, too. There are many who would tell you sceptical is the proper spelling. I’ve thought of switching, but when others see it, they call me a pedantic wanker. ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-grown-people-really-still-believe-in-astrology/271918/17 "2004-10-29T20:55:08Z")
A former co-worker of mine, who was otherwise skeptical and rational, figured there must be something to it, because she thought her personality completely fit the Aries profile. That, apparently, was good enough for her. Until she found out that another co-worker, who was her polar opposite, was also Aries. That kind of threw her. As for me, the only horoscope I read is in The Onion. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-grown-people-really-still-believe-in-astrology/271918/18 "2004-10-29T20:56:02Z")
Ah yes, astrology. The world already judged people on race, gender, appearance, class, and a host of other superficial characterisitics. But that’s not enough for some… NAW LET’S JUDGE PEOPLE BASED ON WHAT DAY THEY WERE BORN! ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-grown-people-really-still-believe-in-astrology/271918/19 "2004-10-29T21:07:51Z")
> [@Mr. Miskatonic](#): > > Ah yes, astrology. > > The world already judged people on race, gender, appearance, class, and a host of other superficial characterisitics. But that’s not enough for some… > > NAW LET’S JUDGE PEOPLE BASED ON WHAT DAY THEY WERE BORN! You are _such_ an Aquarius. just kidding ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2004, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-grown-people-really-still-believe-in-astrology/271918/20 "2004-10-29T21:08:34Z")
Interesting old article on St. Nancy: [http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1997/05/19/back.time/](http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1997/05/19/back.time/) Yep…not just adults, but leaders of the Free World. Scary. But the reality. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-grown-people-really-still-believe-in-astrology/271918.md?page=2)