Astrology Should Not Be Popular, Part II: Prophet Motives
In my first article on this topic, I explained that if astrologers were viewed as professionals of the same type as more scientifically-based fields, it would lead to social pressures that would damage astrology instead of helping it. I argued that astrology is best understood as a spiritual practice of divination, not as a science, and individuals should be free to choose their own spiritual paths. If astrology were upheld as authoritative in society, it would lead to presure on people to “follow” it out of obligation, not out of sincerity.
In this article I explain another reason why astrology should not be popular, and it’s a big one: popularity brings money, and money corrupts.
This article will not be nearly as twisty and hard to follow as the last one. It’s actually very, very simple. People want money, and the vast majority of them will sacrifice anything to get it. This is an unfortunate, but inescapable part of society. And it is bad news for people who value a craft for its own sake. The pressure to profit as an astrological prophet, corrupts and degrades the field. There are two ways this corruption shows up: goods and services.
Bad Goods
Look, I’ll confess. I had a moment of impulse stupidity and bought the damn candle at Target. I regret it. I feel guilty about the children in sweatshops who probably made it, and the myriad workers exploited along the supply chain, just so I could have a Capricorn logo on my three-dollar freaking candle. :-(
The point is, Target sells zodiac candles now.
A “sign” (no pun intended) that astrology is gaining popularity in the broader culture. Is this good, bad, or neutral?
Am I glad that capitalism has figured out that there is a growing number of people interested in astrology, and so has created star-themed merchandise to separate their expendable incomes from them? Well, I’m a bit torn. Sure, it’s kind of fun sometimes to give astro-themed gifts to friends. But honestly, most of it is kitsch we don’t REALLY need if we sit and think about it.
Do we need Mercury Retrograde themed eye shadow? A cocktail called, confusingly, “Virgo post nut clarity”? And I’m sorry, what does a McDonalds chicken sandwich have to do with Mercury stationing retrograde, anyway? Oh, right, nothing; it’s a naked marketing ploy. (You gotta get their app to get the deal. The app will then track you, market to you, and sell your data, since we have zero laws protecting our digital privacy. But I digress.)
Another galling problem with astro-merch is, a huge amount of it is inaccurate.
OK, these are “bad” examples. I mostly posted them for fun. But there are “better” products out there that do correspond accurately to the stereotypes of the sun signs, right? We could just buy those… right?
Even so, (setting aside the question of whether sun sign astrology is overall helpful or harmful) I find the commodification of astrology troubling. Not to be a pompous self-righteous ass, but I think most astrologers find the practice of astrology somewhat… well… sacred. A way to connect to the transcendent. There’s something unsettling about flippantly putting symbols relating to complex, deep, historical and spiritual practices onto a cheap tote bag. I don’t want to rain on anyone’s parade, but it feels kind of… wrong, to me.
I dunno. There’s also something to be said about lightening up. I’m still a bit torn. But overall… yes, I personally would give up the ability to buy a mug that says “hard-working, grudge-holding Libra” in a heartbeat, to guarantee a higher quality of practice in the field.
Meanwhile, since we can’t reverse time, here’s a tip: once people learn that you’re into astrology, guess what you are getting as gifts for every birthday, holiday, and housewarming present for the rest of your life! Ack! My advice: don’t let people know. Tell them you’re into expensive jewelry. (You can sell it and buy more astrology books!)
Cheap astro-merch is not the only problem with how money corrupts astrology’s rising popularity. Much more troubling is the proliferation of scammers, amateurs, and unethical hacks, wanting to get their slice of the astro-money pie by soliciting consultations they have no business offering.
Slimy Services
There are people who live to sniff the wind and follow the currents of popularity, to find opportunities for fast cash. Such people are rarely tethered to bothersome scruples like historical integrity, psychological safety, intellectual property rights, or analytical accuracy. Such silly trifles only hinder the money flow.
There are plenty of outright scammers out there. Obviously, these are bad.
There are people who just plagiarize the works of other astrologers and try to pass them off as their own content. These are obviously bad, too.
Less obvious, but still problematic, are people who (I’m sorry (not sorry)) have not yet studied long enough to be offering consultations yet. I’ve seen people who started studying astrology less than a year ago suddenly think they should start charging for services, or trying to be “influencers.” I don’t care how much of a whiz you are or how fast your brain works, astrology just doesn’t work that way. Astrology is not just knowledge, it is wisdom. Wisdom takes TIME. Even for smart people.
Have a seat, sonny. Read at least 10 more books, preferably from people with opposing or differing perspectives. Read books from people who lived in different places, in different centuries, who spoke different languages. Wrestle with the difficult concepts. Practice in private for a few more years. Get things wrong. Observe the cycles in your own and others’ lives. LIVE the cycles. Take classes from different teachers. Endure a few crises in your own life. Take some courses in ethics. Drink a few gallons of humili-Tea.
Then start practicing.
I thought about listing some of the horrific things I’ve seen amateurs publicly do and say, with full confidence, but I thought better of it. Suffice to say, there’s a lot you can get wrong, even when you’re well-meaning and trying. We should all practice with a bit more caution.
Maybe I’m being too judgmental— if so, I’m sorry. I do understand how hard it is to make a living out here, believe me! But I’m also not here to stroke egos. Bad readings from rash astrologers damage clients and damage the field of astrology as a whole. These things are worth protecting; they are worth taking the time to do it right.
Astrology is not a set of data points to simply memorize and regurgitate on command. You are holding one of the most precious and fragile aspects of the human psyche in your hands— the ability to create meaning and relate to higher powers of fate. This part of the soul is delicate and can be easily crushed. You can’t just read a book and be ready for that responsibility. Astrology is a priesthood, not a business degree.
This is a major reason why I believe that astrology should not be popular. Let’s remove that incentive to try to get rich off of it. Let’s keep it a niche subject for people who are passionate about it. I’m not saying that people can’t make a living from astrology—heck, I’m trying to make a living from astrology! But everyone should know going in, that this a small field, an “occult” (hidden) practice— one that you must be called to, not a mere golden goose for yet another greedy money grubber.
And so, I designed some astro-merch of my own:
