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The new defence of Astrology

Graham2001

Graduate Poster
Graham2001
Joined
Aug 19, 2006
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From an article in The Nation:



In their new book, Alice Sparkly Kat interprets the stars through history, politics, and postcolonial theory. Throughout their nuanced and intricate analysis, astrology becomes a way to break political and social norms: A look at the relationship of Mars and Venus complicates gendered power dynamics, while a study of the sun becomes a history of surveillance culture and the politics of who gets to be seen.
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https://www.thenation.com/article/culture/alice-sparkly-kat-interview/


There is also an interview with the same Astrologer on YouTube.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-D4Tq-H_8o







Note: If this belongs in another section of the forum please feel free to move it there.
 
I'm not sure how strong of a defense it is...

MR: For as much as astrology has grown in popularity, there are still a lot of skeptics. What would you say to people who think that astrology is fake, or believe that astrology can never be political?

ASK: I think it’s a personal choice. I’m not an evangelical, I don’t think everyone has to believe in astrology. I don’t “believe” in astrology. I think it’s a social agreement, and I believe there’s something really mystical about imagining something together. It’s a consensual space too, so if you don’t like astrology, there’s nothing wrong with that.
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Scanning the article it's unclear if the author is describing how the stars effect history & society or if her book is about how societal changes effect the way people interpret astrology, which might be quite interesting (& could certainly be non-Woo). The observation that the practice gains popularity under right-wing leaders for example is interesting.

But without details of the actual defense of astrology as a means of gaining information in the book, if there is one, I'm not sure there's much to discuss from a Skep/Paranormal angle.
 
I have not got a sodding clue what the interviewee is trying to say about astrology there, just some wibble about queerness and post-colonial politics, which has what relevance to actual astrology?

Some sensible points about either of those topics might be helpful, but that comes over as a mish-mash of half-understood stuff and some made up pish: "Astrology is all about imagination. It gives you agency and the ability to share imaginative spaces with other people. That takes so much trust and time—that’s where the magic really happens.

One of the biggest ways astrology helps us imagine a world without capitalism is through forging meaningful relationships. So much of capitalism is about creating and maintaining a sense of alienation. So if you can find a way to trust someone and share a creative space with them really authentically, that’s already a huge step forward." Which is a more than tacit admission that astrology is just some made up **** to which someone has retro-fitted some ideas they think they might understand, if the wind is in the right direction.
 
Actually, if the piece made something of some of the Babylonian origins of astrology, we might get somewhere: just think about the symbolism of Babylon in Rastafarian ideas, eh?
 
The Deepak Chopra of Astrology?

To roam the circuit is to become one with it.
Divinity is a constant. Coherence is the driver of potentiality.
It is in evolving that we are re-energized.

By maturing, we self-actualize. Nothing is impossible. Spacetime requires exploration.

The canopy of transformation is now happening worldwide. Imagine a condensing of what could be. Shakti will enable us to access life-affirming energy.

Pain is born in the gap where consciousness has been excluded. Without potentiality, one cannot reflect. Where there is selfishness, fulfillment cannot thrive.

Yes, it is possible to eliminate the things that can extinguish us, but not without gratitude on our side.

The totality is calling to you via electrical impulses. Can you hear it? Entity, look within and enlighten yourself. Although you may not realize it, you are archetypal.
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https://sebpearce.com/b u l l s h i t/

You will need to reassemble the URL without spaces, because the swear filter here keeps zapping it.
 
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I can sorta see where the author is coming from. In my own experience, it seems like a lot of astrology people just treat the "science" as flights of fantasy and don't actually think that it's "real".

Personally I prefer my fictional leisure to present itself unambiguously as fiction, but I suppose some people like more immersive experiences.
 
Anecdotal and all that but there does seem to be a... subgenre of Astrology fans online/social media that honestly do seem to be trying to reinvent it as something more akin to a Buzzfeed "What Hogwarts House do you belong in?" or D&D Alignment chart "Meme" level thing.
 
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Sounds a bit like critical theory applied to how astrology impacted society. Might even be something there. Could be expanded to other woo.
 
Captain_Swoop said:
So can I.
If they are in your cup you didn't use a bag and you don't have a strainer.
If the leaves are very fine your bag tore.
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And, based on actual experience, I don't let you poke around in the cup to push the leases into some sort of shape you then "interpret".
 
P.J. Denyer said:
Scanning the article it's unclear if the author is describing how the stars effect history & society or if her book is about how societal changes effect the way people interpret astrology, which might be quite interesting (& could certainly be non-Woo).
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Based on the passage you quoted, I think it's neither. I think the author is describing a LARP, basically. It's fun to pretend astrology is real. It's fun to imagine a bunch of real-world stuff like gender relations and surveillance culture in terms of astrological idioms. It's fun to be part of a collective, to belong to a whole group of people who are having fun LARPing together. And hey, if astrology isn't your thing, that's fine too. Just don't hate on the people who take it seriously (or who at least pretend to take it seriously).

The observation that the practice gains popularity under right-wing leaders for example is interesting.
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That might be the only interesting thing about it. On the other hand, maybe Christian fundamentalism gains popularity under left-wing leaders. In which case we're back to six of one, a half dozen of the other, which is less interesting.

But without details of the actual defense of astrology as a means of gaining information in the book, if there is one, I'm not sure there's much to discuss from a Skep/Paranormal angle.
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I definitely looks like she's going more for the social/political angle, and banking on a certain number of hardcore astrology fans to buy the book as well because astrology is Important and the Stars have Meaning.
 
This strikes me has both interesting and nonsensical at the same time. In the 1990's certain researchers and writers boosted Alien Abduction woo etc., on the grounds that it "contested" the approved way of looking at things, and attacked "hegemonic discourses" and the tyranny of "reason" etc., etc. In other words it was a form of political contestation in which powerless people fought against things like the surveillance state and the military industrial complex and reasserted their freedom against domination.

And bluntly there is something to all that, but, there is always a but for stuff like this, such beliefs are no threat to the so-called powers that actually exist. In fact such nonsense lessons the threat to such power and domination. Why? Well because believing in and acting on nonsensical beliefs reinforces the status quo, especially beliefs like Alien Abduction and Astrology. Bluntly the powers that be have always been happy for people to believe such crap because it helps induce paralysis and quietism.

Such contestation is entirely in the head and no threat to actual power structures and because of that any sanctification of such crap leaves me cold.

And of course believing in utter crap, no matter what it is, is simply not good by definition.
 
I went through it...and am confused. Is it trying to validate astrology as a science or that a belief in astrology has had an impact on world events?

The second point may actually be worth looking at.
 
Pacal said:
This strikes me has both interesting and nonsensical at the same time. In the 1990's certain researchers and writers boosted Alien Abduction woo etc., on the grounds that it "contested" the approved way of looking at things, and attacked "hegemonic discourses" and the tyranny of "reason" etc., etc.
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That's been the anti-intellectual rallying cry for a while now.

"If you're in a room where a bunch of smart people who put actual thought and reason into how they view the world all start agreeing that 2+2=4, you're providing a super vital service to discourse if you start screeching about how 2+2=a potato because you ain't no sheep and you think for yourself."

It's why stupid people no longer see a distinction being an opinion being popular and it being correct.
 
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