# Would a Chinese and a Western Astrologer Agree? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 13, 2009, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-chinese-and-a-western-astrologer-agree/506352 "2009-08-13T23:07:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-chinese-and-a-western-astrologer-agree/506352/1 "2009-08-13T23:07:59Z")
On my forecast/horoscope? One of the criticisms of (Western) astrology, is the failure of two different astologers to agree, on the same person’s horoscope. Now, the western and chinese zodiacs have different signs…so I cannot imagine any agreement. Do Chinese astrologers have a better track record than the western variety? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-chinese-and-a-western-astrologer-agree/506352/2 "2009-08-13T23:30:10Z")
Given the fact that astrology is completely made up, you’d be lucky to find any two astrologers of the same school who agree on anything. Of course, their predictions will be so vague and numerous that there are bound to be many, many similarities. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-chinese-and-a-western-astrologer-agree/506352/3 "2009-08-14T00:13:54Z")
friedo said what I would have said, only more concisely. That’s the only possible answer. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-chinese-and-a-western-astrologer-agree/506352/4 "2009-08-14T00:19:49Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > . . . a better track record . . . A better track record for what, pulling things out of their asses? ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-chinese-and-a-western-astrologer-agree/506352/5 "2009-08-14T01:15:00Z")
To expand a bit on what you’ve been told already: repeated studies have shown that astrologers aren’t consistent. Not with each other. Not with themselves. It’s just a form of fraud. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-chinese-and-a-western-astrologer-agree/506352/6 "2009-08-14T03:12:56Z")
I know it isn’t astrology, but you should watch the Penn and Teller Bullshit! episode on Feng Shui. They bring in three Feng Shuit experts, and all have totally different interpretations of what to do with the furniture. Astrology would be equally or even more random. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-chinese-and-a-western-astrologer-agree/506352/7 "2009-08-14T05:50:30Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > On my forecast/horoscope? One of the criticisms of (Western) astrology, is the failure of two different astrologers to agree, on the same person’s horoscope. > Now, the western and chinese zodiacs have different signs..so I cannot imagine any agreement. > Do Chinese astrologers have a better track record than the western variety? Your post contradicts your title. Since, as you acknowledge, Western astrologers don’t agree with each other, how could any one Chinese astrologer agree with them as a class? As you are doubtless aware, the odds are there must be at least _one_ Chinese astrologer that agrees with at least _one_ Western astrologer. Would that count as a “yes” for you? If not, well, what exactly are you asking? ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-chinese-and-a-western-astrologer-agree/506352/8 "2009-08-14T11:22:52Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > Your post contradicts your title. Since, as you acknowledge, Western astrologers don’t agree with each other, how could any one Chinese astrologer agree with them as a class? As you are doubtless aware, the odds are there must be at least _one_ Chinese astrologer that agrees with at least _one_ Western astrologer. Would that count as a “yes” for you? If not, well, what exactly are you asking? I thnk the question of the OP might be paraphrased “do Chinese and Western astrology systems assign completely different meanings to the planets and constellations?” ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-chinese-and-a-western-astrologer-agree/506352/9 "2009-08-14T12:22:17Z")
Here is the all-purpose astrology reading. It applies to Western, Chinese and all astrological signs. “You have a need for other people to like and admire you, and yet you tend to be critical of yourself. While you have some personality weaknesses you are generally able to compensate for them. You have considerable unused capacity that you have not turned to your advantage. At times you have serious doubts whether you have made the right decision or done the right thing.” That will be $5,000 please. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-chinese-and-a-western-astrologer-agree/506352/10 "2009-08-14T14:40:47Z")
> [@glee](#): > > Here is the all-purpose astrology reading. > It applies to Western, Chinese and all astrological signs. > > “You have a need for other people to like and admire you, and yet you tend to be critical of yourself. While you have some personality weaknesses you are generally able to compensate for them. You have considerable unused capacity that you have not turned to your advantage. At times you have serious doubts whether you have made the right decision or done the right thing.” > > That will be $5,000 please. Wow! You’re totally right about me! That was so worth it _digs out wallet_ ---
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-chinese-and-a-western-astrologer-agree/506352/11 "2009-08-15T23:00:53Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > Wow! You’re totally right about me! That was so worth it _digs out wallet_ Are you sure you’ve got the right username? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-chinese-and-a-western-astrologer-agree/506352/12 "2009-08-15T23:22:34Z")
My personal favorite: “You are currently reading your horoscope.” Its accuracy is uncanny. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-chinese-and-a-western-astrologer-agree/506352/13 "2009-08-15T23:31:10Z")
Another point against western astrology is that it doesn’t even follow the rules of western astrology. The signs of the zodiac are the constellations that pass through a region of the sky known as the tropical ecliptic. The problem is that the canonical zodiac was established a few thousand years ago and planets and stars slowly drift into new positions. The result is that there are now thirteen constellations in the tropical ecliptic. If you ever want to annoy an astrological true believer, tell them you were born under the sign of Ophiuchus (if you want to be “factual” about it, Ophiuchus fits between Scorpio and Sagittarius. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2009, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-chinese-and-a-western-astrologer-agree/506352/14 "2009-08-16T04:09:37Z")
Bunch of hooey is what it is. My life took a wrong turn somewhere because none of the characteristics of my sign seem to apply to me! My Chinese horoscope sign seems a better fit, but then there’s a VietNamese horoscope totally different. I was told by a bank executive, no less, that this was a very great and powerful sign (Dragon) to be born under. I tell you, I walked around for a day or so quite full of myself, but as usual, the world didn’t notice! ---
**Author:** ![\_cc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/e19b73/32.png) [@\_cc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_cc)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2009, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-chinese-and-a-western-astrologer-agree/506352/15 "2009-08-17T13:39:27Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > “You are currently reading your horoscope.” B..but I’m using text-to-speech! ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2009, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-chinese-and-a-western-astrologer-agree/506352/16 "2009-08-17T14:26:20Z")
The two types or schools of astrology, which the OP refers to as ‘Western’ and ‘Chinese’, have very little in common, use different nomenclature, and attach different kinds of significance to the same astronomical bodies. If this is what the OP is asking about, then the answer is no, they would not agree about anything much. As others have been quick to point out, the so-called ‘science’ of astrology (as we know it here in the West) shares some of its distant, historical origins with what is now astronomy, but is otherwise devoid of any scientific basis or merit whatsoever. Astrologers cannot make any determinations with regard to personality, traits, inclinations, temperament, aptitude or likely future events any better than someone relying on guesswork, common sense, luck or standard probability theory. The modern astrology ‘business’ is a scam, pure and simple. The fact that some astrological forecasts or readings may occasionally _seem_ accurate can be attributed to either [cold reading](http://www.skepdic.com/coldread.html) or [confirmation bias.](http://atheism.about.com/od/logicalflawsinreasoning/a/confirmation.htm) ---
**Author:** ![sweeteviljesus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@sweeteviljesus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sweeteviljesus)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2009, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-chinese-and-a-western-astrologer-agree/506352/17 "2009-08-17T14:57:39Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > My personal favorite: > > “You are currently reading your horoscope.” > > Its accuracy is uncanny. Off topic, but my favorite fortune cookie fortune is “Antidote $5”. ---
**Author:** ![drhess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/94ad74/32.png) [@drhess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drhess)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2009, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-chinese-and-a-western-astrologer-agree/506352/18 "2009-08-17T15:45:51Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > My personal favorite: > > “You are currently reading your horoscope.” > > Its accuracy is uncanny. The Zen Master Bankei hated the idea that some people said he could read minds and he hated the idea that some other masters/gurus said they could read minds. So when asked once “What am I thinking now?” He said (something like): “You’re thinking “What am I thinking now?” .” 😃