(no subject)

[danaeris]

I tend to think Astrology is stupid. Comes from my astrophysics and astronomy background, I suppose. On the other hand, I find the elemental paradigm to be useful, as symbols. It's not that I think they actually have magical powers, its that I find them to be a meaningful way to organize things in my head at times. At those times, I feel like I AM earth, but my personality is fire-like. I feel like I'm drawn to both water and fire. Ironically, NONE of these are related to my sun sign, which should be Air. I feel like I have no relation to Air.

[Poll #501254]

Comments

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

I don't think astrology matters. Some people find use for it, but I think it's context-dependent and non-concrete, and not especially useful.

[benndragon.livejournal.com]

I gave sun (aries), moon (libra), and rising (scorpio) signs, if that matters.

Astrology can be used as a tool, same as the elemental symbology. That has nothing to do with whether or not it's "real", because it doesn't actually matter. But you know, a lot of people have real problems with the concept that whether or not something exists matters, especially people who are steeped in science.

[beowabbit]

I believe I was born under the sign of "OBSTETRICS DEPARTMENT". :-) I was born August 22, 1966; I think I was born in the morning. I like fire, flying, and landscapes, and I really like bodies of water, especially the ocean. I do not know (or care) enough about astrology to know what Zodiac sign I'm "supposed" to be, so I didn't fill out the poll.

[asfi.livejournal.com]

My response is pretty much exactly the same, except for some of the details such as birthdate. Can the zodiac still provide some metaphorical usefulness? GIGO, so I say no.

And as for the elemental qualities, WTF is it supposed to mean? I'm a primate. I feel like a primate. I don't feel like "air", "earth", or any other figments of a resurrected Bronze Age worldview. Why should I?

The "four elements" were an attempt to understand the physical world in close relation to the prevailing theism. In that broad sense, it's the Ancient Greek equivalent of creationism. Can't we as a species move beyond that level of dogmatic clap-trap?

[aberrantvirtue.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry, 'cuz this is SO off topic, but...

I heart your LJ name.

[beowabbit]

Thank you! Ic þoncie þe! And I have to say, anybody who quotes Fatima Mernissi in her bio is OK in my book (although I’m sorry to say I haven’t read any Mernissi yet).

[jnanacandra.livejournal.com]

For the longest time I thought astrology was bunk for similar reasons. I give it some credence now after learning more about it, not so much as a physical-causality thing but more as a jungian-archetype thing. If nothing else find it a useful tool for analyzing and discussing fine quirks in personalities.

And though my sun sign is Cancer, my ascendant and moon are in Aries, which is the sign and element I identify with (and have since before I knew much about my own chart).

[plymouth.livejournal.com]

I never know how to answer the elemental question. I have a strong affinity to water - I have been described as being "water powered" because I will be cranky and lethargic on a sunny day and then if it starts raining or I go to the beach I am suddenly invigorated and full of life.

But then there is the interpretation that the reason I have such an affinity to water is because I am naturally a fire-type and I need the water to balance out the fire. Certainly I like fire and relate to fire, but not in the same way I relate to water.

I picked 'these paradigms suck'...

[zebediah.livejournal.com]

Sorry...I have a knee-jerk negative reaction to the four element fire-water-air-earth system. I just don't like it. No one seems to actually agree on what the symbols mean, although they're large and ambiguous enough that people often think they do until they take a serious look at things. Mostly, like "love" and "God." I think the symbols have been stretched to meet so many things that they've lost most of their meaning. Not to say that some of the things people say when they use those words aren't real, important, or sacred, but that the words themselves have been watered down to the point of uselessness. I also dislike the stipulation, so often found, that Fire and Water are opposites (whatever that means) and Earth and Air are opposites (whatever that means).

On the other hand, I really like archetypal systems -- part of it's my math background, and the fascination with simple systems with complex consequences. I'm running a game where there are two 'elemental' systems in play -- the local technocultural 200-lb gorrila divides things into Day and Night concepts, which are bound together by the Progression of Hours, and most of the barbarian tribes use a seasonal 5-element system: Water, Vegitation, Flame, Stone, and Darkness...and the fundamental paradigm types are Legalist, Incarnate, and Revelatory. And I have a seven-'element' system for personal use, with the 'elements' referred to by color.

All of those are relatively knew, their affect sometimes borrowed but yet unsmeared...they still have solid mythic ties for me, while the four element needs to be more specified to mean anything...but many people seem to assume it doesn't, or have strongly contradictory views that can't reconcile.