Millennials now have access to their horoscope thanks to modern technology
Elijah Rutland | The FAMUAN
Leo? Virgo? Scorpio? Nowadays, it seems as if one can not enter a conversation without being interrogated for their zodiac sign. Many proudly rep their zodiac signs and start their day off with a daily forecast of their horoscope before they even fully wake up.
Astrology is the study of the movements and positions of planets and stars, relaying information of terrestrial occurrences and events. Whether it be for entertainment purposes or a road map to life, something about the astrological placement of celestial bodies has captivated society.
Interestingly enough, the cultural phenomenon has been around for thousands of years. However, scientist have seen a spike in astrological interest within the millennial generation.
The question sitting on most scientists’ mind is why have millennials suddenly become so fixated on astrology?
Some have narrowed it down to one factor: stress.
In 2014, research from the American Psychological Association revealed that millennials report having higher stress levels than any other generation, and they feel their stress has only increased in the past 10 years.
While astrology is considered a pseudoscience, it does provide a framework and some explanation for certain occurrences in one’s life concerning money, careers, and love. It provides comfort to people who worry about these things, yet have no logical explanation as to why life plays out the way it does.
Want to know if today will be a good day, will you meet your soulmate, or will you get that new job? With astrology it seems like anxiety ridden questions like these are of the past?
Consulting with an astrologist helps some replace their anxiety with the belief that everything will be okay. With the innovations of social media, people can connect personally with astrologists and have every piece of zodiac information right at their fingertips.
Allied health sciences major Shandora Fertile explained, “Astrology helps people to focus on the potential of the positives of their life and prevent what is negative, rather than sitting in the confusion of their life. It brings more peace.”
While stress seems to be a pull factor between millennials and astrology, it is not the only factor drumming up this fascination. Healthcare management major Queshebreis Washington spoke about the millennial disposition. “We are a very free-spirited generation. We tend to explore other walks of faith and interest that go against the norm.”
A study conducted by the Pew Research Center states that millennials have begun to carve out the identity of being upbeat, self-expressive and open to change. For older generations, astrology has either been labelled a taboo practice or just a fun, quirky tool for entertainment purposes. However, millennials tend to be more supportive of dogmatic ideals and less likely to be religious.
With this generation of millennials comes a new movement in lifestyle choices and spirituality. There has been a shift in who and what one believes in. This seems rather fitting since astrology has ties to the New Age and spirituality movement, one that is fluid and open to one’s interpretation.
Whether it be the growing stress levels in a growing society, a thirst for self-expression or a change in religious beliefs, what one can agree on is that the interest in astrology is becoming more common. While it may have been hocus-pocus to the generations of the past, today it is steadily becoming the how-to guide for life.