[POLL] Astrology & Aspergers.

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Thanks! I used to believe in this stuff from about age 8 to the my freshman year of college -- Astronomy 101 was a real eye-opener, in that the history of astronomy was presented as well as the basics of astrophysics, stellar properties, and planetary formation. Since then, my interest in astrology has been split between its historical significance and earning an income from drafting natal charts, casting horoscopes, and counselling "seekers" (there's one born every minute) for "entertainment purposes only". I don't do that any more, but it sure was fun when I did (i.e., $50 for a B-sized drawing of one person's natal chart, $20 for a reading, and a variable scale for counseling).

Astronomy, however, is now one of my Special Interests (along with science in general and science-fiction literature). Electrical Engineering is just my day job.

The Guardian.

It's interesting - I relate to you a lot in the way that we both seem to have done all kind of... strange jobs out of need and it makes for an interesting life. And I'm an engineer too

I've never been one to piss all over what people believe (at least if they're not obnoxious about it) just because I don't, but it's really much more interesting when somebody knows their stuff and you can see they put some effort and passion into it and it's not just some silly whim or wishful thinking.

The way you go about it... I almost buy it, or at least I really want to buy it - it's proof of your talent and passion I guess. You must have been really good at selling it!

Well, I really don't buy into astrology for any practical purpose other than to make money off those who do. But it's great to have an historical perspective of astronomy that stretches back over five millennia to its origins. I can see how Babylonian astronomical observations got tied up with their religious beliefs to produce the mythology that became astrology. Then I can see how the Renaissance re-kindled the "spirit" of science, which shattered the geocentric myth and eventually gave way to Kepler's laws of planetary motion, Newton's laws of celestial mechanics, and the eventual discoveries of Uranus, Neptune and Pluto (discovered in 1781, 1846, and 1930 respectively).

Did you know that the ancient Babylonians had no knowledge of those last three worlds? They knew only the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, the Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and the "fixed" stars.

As for salesmanship, one of my first astrology teachers told me that "Everyone is a seeker, and there is a seeker born every minute". Then she told me that all I had to do was show more than tell -- that it was how I acted and how I presented the material that impressed the seekers and kept them coming back. Being an aspie (I didn't know it then), I would first deny any special ability, and then offer to show them how to produce their own natal data from their own time and place of birth. I guess my aspie shyness helped somehow; who knows?

Anyway, it was a lot of fun, as I knew that I was putting something over on people who would not have otherwise given me the time of day, and that doing so was (and still is) completely legal. I could see how easy it was for some "psychics" to con their clients out of their life's savings, but I never went that far.

^
No, cool, and thank you

As I was saying, your stuff goes well beyond entertainment. As much as I enjoy imagining you playing the "gipsy with the crystal ball" with all the trimmings (especially considering your humour), "superstition" and science went hand in hand for centuries and it's great to see others who take a lucid look at these things.

I was fascinated recently re-reading Pico della Mirandola: amused by what passed as "fact" in his day and astonished and the profundity of some of his observations.

Those beliefs have persisted well past the Renaissance, and will likely persist well into the next millennium. It no longer surprises me when people believe something without first checking its provenance or validity.

Last edited by Fnord on 15 Aug 2019, 2:47 pm, edited 2 times in total.

I pretty much feel the same way about people who believe in the bible without questioning the validity of it. Just saying.

Of course. The same could be said for Tarot, the efficacy of homeopathic elixirs, and the GOP platform.

Lol I know right? As an omnist I say it can all be true. Why not?

And the Rider Waite Tarot Cards actually contains themes of both Christianity and Paganism. At one point both of these religions lived side by side under the Roman empire.

If anyone is interested in exploding myths, they should read Sir Thomas Browne's "Pseudodoxia Epidemica". It's a mighty tome, but worth reading. One of my University tutors was the leading authority on Browne (somebody had to be). He was a scientist in the 17th century at the very forefront of the new scientific method (that's Browne... not my tutor)

I remember being taught from Browne's most famous work, but I've personally never read all of it.

Nobody reads it all!

Very easy to dip into, though.

Sounds like the bible

I don’t believe in this bullsh!t, but for sh!ts and giggles, Absin, the Virgin