Today, tomorrow, learn English naturally. 天天自然学英语
Why Millennials and Gen Z Love Astrology (And Not Just Their Big 3)
You've probably noticed that astrology is having a moment. You can't log into Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok without seeing a horoscope, a meme about your sign, or a joke about toxic Scorpio men. And in 2022, it's not a wild concept to put your sun sign on your dating profile.
But astrology today isn't exactly the astrology of our parents' generation. It’s gone from being a new-age belief to a meme-ified way for millennials to express their identity. And it goes way deeper than just knowing their “big three” astrology signs (if you're new to astrology, that’s your sun, moon, and rising signs).
Our “Pop Cultured” podcast team spoke to astrologer and podcaster Kirah Tabourn — and Refinery 29 writer Elizabeth Gulino — to understand how Gen-Zers and millennials are applying astrology to their everyday lives. And why we’re all so fascinated with the cosmos.
Wait. Is there more to astrology than my daily horoscope?
When it comes to astrology, you might know about horoscopes and your Zodiac sign. But there’s more to it than that. Tabourn said that “astrology is the study of the movement of the planets and celestial objects through the Zodiac belt, through the sky, and the relationship between those movements and what happens down here on Earth. Essentially, it boils down to ‘as above, so below.’”
And for some people, astrology is an entire system of beliefs to analyze themselves, their decisions, and the world around them.“ And that goes [for] all levels: from the weather, to our politics, to our interpersonal relationships, to what's happening inside of our bodies, what's happening spiritually, emotionally, et cetera,” she explained.
How long has astrology been around?
Our obsession with astrology isn’t just a TikTok trend. Humans have been looking up at the stars and trying to figure out what they mean for thousands of years. In ancient China, Babylon, Sumeria, Rome, Egypt, and Greece, humans practiced their own forms of astrology. And at some point during the first millennium, aspects of these disparate forms of astrology came together and formed the basis for astrology that many in the Western world still practice today. Also known as Hellenistic astrology.
“It's really important to recognize how astrology has been very popular throughout the ages, and then has gone through super intense declines, and had basically become obsolete or just secretive in certain times as well, and then come back again,” Tabourn said.
Before the 2020s, the most recent period of popularity for astrology was the new-age movement in the 1960s and 1970s. For a while after that, astrology was relegated to weekly horoscopes and cheap pickup lines. But over the last decade, all of that changed.
So why is astrology making a comeback?
There are a lot of theories. One being that we turn to astrology in times of turmoil. Gulino, who writes about astrology, pointed to events like the 2020 pandemic as an example. “In times of uncertainty, people want things that reassure us, that we can look to and say, ‘I know this to be true,’” she said.
Also, we’ll state the obvious: It's fun to think about ourselves. “We want something to identify with and to tell other people who we are,” said Gulino. “And that's why the Myers-Briggs test is so popular. It's why people argue over whether or not they're a Carrie or a Samantha or a Miranda or Charlotte.”
There’s also the religion aspect (or, lack thereof). Traditional religion has been losing its grip lately, with church attendance on the decline in the US for a while now — especially among millennials and Gen Zers. And for some, astrology offers something that religion doesn’t. “A lot of people, especially in the queer community, have felt [excluded] from certain religions,” Gulino said. “Astrology is more inclusive. It's not very gendered. It doesn't have this set of rules that turns away somebody else. Anyone can practice astrology [and] believe in astrology.”
And it's not just your Tarot card-reading friend who's into astrology. A study by MTV (yes, that MTV) revealed that 65% of people between ages 14 and 29 regularly read their horoscope. And almost a third of the participants said they make dating decisions based on astrology.
Ok, I'm sold. But do I need an astrology app?
Not necessarily. But that’s another reason astrology might be having a moment: It's a lot more accessible now than in the past.
“With the rise of the internet and even memes and Instagram and now TikTok, it's much more prevalent and it's much more around us,” said Gulino.
And it's not just that memes about our sun signs are everywhere. It's easier now to have a deeper understanding outside of the “big three astrology” (think: your sun, moon, and rising signs). Back in the day, you probably had to buy an astrology book to figure out your moon sign or learn how to do your chart. But now there's an app for that. See: Co-Star, The Pattern, and Astro Future, to name a few. They can tell you “where all the planets fall on your chart, what transits you have in your chart,” she said. Which is more than one page in the back of a magazine could ever teach you.
Why are some people opposed to astrology?
While astrology is big with millennials and Gen Z in general, not everyone is a believer. Particular the cis-male demographic, Gulino said.
“When I say I write about astrology, they're like, ‘that's not real.’ Or, ‘That’s ridiculous’ or ‘fake’ or, ‘Why do people like it so much?’” To which we say: Is mercury in retrograde right now?
But Gulino recognized that while some might not take it seriously, many people do. And because of that, there are some lines she won't cross when writing about it.
“We don't like to fearmonger,” she said. “There's never a, ‘This day will be the worst day ever.’ It's [about] how to deal with it and how to harness this energy in a more positive way, which I think is super important. Because there are already a lot of upsetting things out there online and in the world. And you don't want to add to that.”
For more on the popularity in astrology — and to hear Tabourn read our “Pop Cultured” host Bridget Armstrong’s birth chart — listen below.
Astrology, in one form or another, has been around for thousands of years. But the past decade has seen a rise in popularity thanks to factors like social media and uncertain times. And if you want to get to know yourself beyond the big three astrology signs, there are tons of apps to help you out.
注释：
Millennial: adj; n
表示“ 一千年的”，means "relating to a millennium or span of a thousand years “，如：There will be no earthly millennial reign of Christ.基督在地上统治一千年是不合圣经的。文中指代为名词，意为“千禧一代”。
Astrology：n
表示“占星术；占星学 ”，means " a pseudoscience claiming divination by the positions of the planets and sun and moon“，如：The zodiac is used in astrology to predict the future. 十二宫图用于占星术中预测未来。
Horoscope: n
表示“ 占星；占星术 ”，means "a prediction of someone's future based on the relative positions of the planets “，如：Jane's horoscope says she will fall in love today. 根据星座运势,珍今天会坠入爱河。
表示“ 十二宫图”，means "a diagram of the positions of the planets and signs of the zodiac at a particular time and place “，如：Which horoscope does not reveal his/her inner secrets most easily? 哪个星座的人最不容易说出内心的话?
Meme：n
表示“ 弥母；模因（社会文化因子，在人群中通过相互模仿而流行的东西） ”，means "a cultural unit (an idea or value or pattern of behavior) that is passed from one person to another by non-genetic means (as by imitation); “，如：The memes take hold of the leash. 迷因控制了基因。表示“ ”，means " “，如：
Toxic: adj
表示“ 有毒的 ”，means " poisonous or caused by poisonous substances “，如：The factory had been sending out toxic fumes. 这家工厂一直在排放有毒的废气。
Scorpio: n
1. 表示“ 天蝎座; 天蝎宫”，means "a large zodiacal constellation between Libra and Sagittarius “，如：If your birthday is between October 24 and November 22, then you are a Scorpio. 如果你的生日在10月24日到11月22日之间，那么你的星座就是天蝎座。
2. 表示“天蝎座的人 ”，means " (astrology) a person who is born while the sun is in Scorpio“，如：Together with the Scorpio, can only sincerely touched his heart, Gouxindoujiao, he was founder, in front of Kuan Kung Shuada Dao, the most you will only let him feel good laugh. 跟天蝎座在一起，只有真诚才能打动他的心，勾心斗角，他是始祖，关公门前耍大刀，最多你只会让他觉得很好笑。
Astrologer: n
表示“ 占星家 ”，means "someone who predicts the future by the positions of the planets and sun and Moon “，如：Astrologers claim to be able to divine what the stars hold in store for us. 占星家声称能预知祸福。
Cosmo : n
表示“ 宇宙；太空”，means "everything that exists anywhere “，如：Therefore, God projected the cosmos and souls. 因此，上帝投射了宇宙和灵魂。
Zodiac : n
表示“ 十二宫图”，means "(astrology) a circular diagram representing the 12 zodiacal constellations and showing their signs “，如：The zodiac is used in astrology to predict the future. 十二宫图用于占星术中预测未来。It's the zodiac sign of someone's closest ancestor. 最接近祖先的黄道星座。
Celestial: adj
表示“ 天上的；非凡的 ”，means " of or relating to the sky“，如：The rosy light yet beamed like a celestial dawn. 玫瑰色的红光依然象天上的朝霞一样绚丽。
Obsession: n
表示“ 困扰；沉迷；着魔；妄想 ”，means " sth that occupies one's mind continually “，如：Winning is no longer just a goal;it becomes an obsession. 打赢官司不再仅仅是一个目标，更成为一种无法摆脱的困扰
Disparate: adj
表示“不同的；异类的 ”，means "fundamentally different or distinct in quality or kind “，如：The five experiments gave quite disparate results. 这五次试验所获得的结果迥然不同。
Hellenistic: adj
表示“ 希腊风格的；希腊文化的”，means "relating to or characteristic of the classical Greek civilization “，如：but during the Hellenistic period it began in earnest. 但是在希腊化时期，它开始变得重要起来。
Obsolete: adj
表示“ 已废弃的；过时的 ”，means "no longer in use; “，如：This usage of the word is obsolete.这个词的此类用法已经废弃了。
Secretive: adj
表示“秘密的；偷偷摸摸的 ”，means "inclined to secrecy or reticence about divulging information “，如：I don't know why Fred is always secretive as regards his family. 我不知道为什么凡涉及到他的家，弗雷德总是保密。
Relegated: v
表示“ 使降级；流放；”，means " put into a lower place;demote “，如：Mr. Taylor relegate his project to his son after he have ret.泰勒先生退休后把他的事业移转给儿子。
Retrograde: adj
表示“倒退的；退步的 ”，means "going from better to worse “，如：It could even be termed as a retrograde step in human culture.这甚至是人类文化的一种倒退。
Fearmonger: v
表示“散布恐惧心理 ”， 其中 monger表示“ 兜售(动词)； 商人(名词); ”，means "sell or offer for sale from place to place “，如：war monger [法] 战争贩子
Harness: v
1. 表示“治理；利用 ”，means "control; use “，如：They will harness the sun's energy to heat homes. 他们将利用太阳能为住宅供暖。
2. 表示“ 束以马具；披上甲胄”，means " put a harness on (especially a horse) “，如：I harness the horse to the cart. 我把马套在车上。
留言公众号《自然学英语LearnNaturally》，可咨询更多: