If you are reading on a smartphone, use landscape / hold phone sideways.
YouGov's latest poll finds that a little more than one-quarter of Americans (27%) - including 37% of adults under 30 - say that they believe in astrology, or that the position of the stars and planets influences people's lives. As many as 70 million Americans read their horoscopes daily.
How big is the horoscope industry?
One report from market research firm IBISWorld showed that Americans spent $2.2 billion a year on "mystical services." This includes all things astrology, like palm and tarot card readings, astrology apps and more. Revenue from astrology apps grew to nearly $40 million in 2021 - a 64% increase from the year before.
The bottom line is: Astrology is making a comeback, and it's making a lot of money.
While the business of astrology is new, studying the stars to try to predict the future definitely isn't. The concept of astrology was born second millennium BCE when Babylonians looked at the stars to predict things like weather - not quite the horoscopes we see today. Western astrology with the 12 zodiac signs emerged in the late second century BCE in the Mediterranean region. By the 18th century, the studies of astrology and astronomy were split, and astrology was put to the side. Then in the early 20th century, psychology astrology, which led to personality trait interpretations, was introduced.
So, astrology has always been around, but it's experienced spikes in popularity. Last time this occurred was in the '60s and the '70s during the New Age Movement. After that, horoscopes could be seen in the back of magazines, but astrology was somewhat in the background. With the popularity of the internet and social media, it's really taken off and became even more accessible.
The app CoStar raised $25M+ from investors. The app provides personalized horoscopes and lets users connect with friends. It's attracting millions of users without any real marketing. Other apps seeing success are The Pattern, known for helping navigate relationships, and Sanctuary, where you receive one-on-one monthly chats with an astrologer. These apps are attracting more and more attention from investors.
Well, we all know that Libra is the best...
I just realized that I have been getting DailyOM Horoscope in my inbox - daily - for over 20 years. Sometimes I read it, sometimes I don't - and sometimes I read it and say "OMG, that is so true!!!" There is something about it that makes me feel that it was written just for ME.
Around 20% of Americans will check the Horoscope before making a major financial decision. When meeting people for the first time, around 32% of Americans will slip into the conversation, "Well, I am an
Aires, so I feel that..." and this helps to bind the tribes together. Or, seperate them. Back in the day, when you met someone at a bar or a nightclub you would ask "What's your sign?" but I digress.
The businessman (the scientist, the biomedical engineer) in me tends to focus on "the business of astrology" and the money and the apps and such. But (full disclosure) Angel Numbers like 333 and 1111 have deep meaning to me. And, when I get to know people well enough (you know, like you) I can speak about how when I was 8 years old my dead Grandfather (also a Thomas) saved me when I was trapped and drowning at the bottom of a Miami Beach swimming pool (I was all alone) and how my Spirit Guide helped me to pass Organic Chemistry while at PURDUE. [ Oh well, there goes my Blog readership and following...]
Or, will this disclosure INCREASE my readership and following? Hmmm....
I think that there is nothing wrong with a Daily Horoscope. And in times of stress, we always welcome a comforting word, or support from others. I don't think I have ever read a Daily Horoscope that made me feel worse, I only have felt better after reading.
Below is my Horoscope for 10/23/2022.
I'll allow it.
| Motivated By Understanding |
LIBRA HOROSCOPEOCTOBER 23, 2022 Your empathy will likely be awakened today when you consider that your ability to succeed at your goals is no doubt related to many factors outside the range of your conscious control. At first, this sudden comprehension of the benefits and advantages you have enjoyed can make you feel vulnerable, as it may seem that your life is comparatively fragile. However, consider today that these factors can also empower you to help others cope with the challenges they must face. Your heartfelt intention to pass the advantage you have enjoyed on to those less fortunate will likely remind you that each human being must do the best they can to evolve.
When we are cognizant of the fact that many people have not enjoyed the same advantages we have, we are motivated by the plenty we see all around us to do all we can to make the world a better place for those less fortunate than ourselves. It is easy to believe that there is little we as individuals can do to help others, but the truth is that there is so much we can do to facilitate the growth and enlightenment of our brothers and sisters in humanity. We may be able to do nothing more than share the wisdom we have gained through experience or to mentor others as they follow in our footsteps -- but even such a relatively small gift can mean everything to someone who never imagined they would come so far. Your vulnerabilities will disappear today when you devote yourself to a course of empathetic and philanthropic action.
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