Newspapers and Horoscopes
Posted on: January 16, 2008 - 6:20pm
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Newspapers and Horoscopes
I was just reading for class and came to the topic of astrology. Then I go to thinking about the astrological horoscopes that are in the majority of newspapers in the US. Even "legitimate, or more credible" papers like the Washington Post and the NY Times, if I'm not mistaken, have horoscopes. Are these seen by the papers as something fun to read? How did they originate in the papers? And do many of their readers actually believe anything in the horoscopes? Can anyone chime in...
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I've always been fascinated by the popularity of Astrology. The fact that so many people are superstitious enough to believe these things or at least allow them some credit / consideration.
Devoutly religous people still lend credit to Astrology despite the total lack of connection with their faith, I even know atheists who buy into it and find it amazing how truthful it is at times.
I have no answers to your questions, but I am immensly amazed at it's seemingly global effects despite it's total lack of substance.
Even people that belief in this astrology crap will tell you newspaper horoscopes suck. Nevertheless, I think it's just published for entertainment. Here, they appear on the same page as the comics.
To answer your question though, I believe the newspaper publication of horoscopes began in the 20s.
It's breathtaking that people still buy into this utter nonsense, although I certainly hope most people who read them do not take them seriously. Obviously most are not aware that astrology is based upon the concept of a geocentric universe. Even the ancient thinkers realized it was nonsense. Aristotle refuted it 2500 years ago by pointing out that identical twins do not have the same future.
"Physical reality” isn’t some arbitrary demarcation. It is defined in terms of what we can systematically investigate, directly or not, by means of our senses. It is preposterous to assert that the process of systematic scientific reasoning arbitrarily excludes “non-physical explanations” because the very notion of “non-physical explanation” is contradictory.
-Me
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It is not "breathtaking", it is nausiatingly mundain, that with all the technology and science, humans still cling to some form of rabbit's feet or 4 leaf clover by any name. Religion is just bigger than a cult and a magical fad is smaller, but all rely on being blind enough to buy into superstition. Fiction is fiction and hocus pokus and crystal ball claims are the same.
I cannot tell you how thrilled I was when the bullshit rag wasting trees that called itself "The Weekly World News" announced that they would stop their paper print and stick to the web. I only wish that people who read the magical claims of their holy books(incert lable here) can see that the hocus pokus of pop culture is the same as ancient myth.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
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I think I posted this already .....
2 min video "All you need to know about astrology" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Dp2Zqk8vHw
Atheism Books.