The following is an editorial. All views, thoughts and opinions belong solely to the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Drury Mirror. 

Why do we care so much about astrology, and our zodiac signs?

Growing up, we all probably checked the newspaper once our parents were done with it to read the comics and laugh at our horoscope. I remember sitting on the playground in elementary school, telling my friends what their birthstone was off a list in a zodiac insert in my Lisa Frank journal. We’d compare what type of animals we were based on our sun signs from quizzes in the back of magazines in the school’s library.

We also didn’t think much of it. No one believed in it then; what’s flipped the switch now? Astrology is much more than your sun sign. It includes all the planets, various stars and sweeping looks at society beyond the individual. Mercury retrograde is a phrase that gets slung around jokingly because it’s associated with social turmoil and trouble in communicating (both major problems in a college student’s life).

The history of horoscopes

Although it had been around since the European Middle Ages, it is not until recently that astrology has found a place in mainstream culture. Astrology saw its first big wave in the 1960s and 70s when distrust in the government was on the rise (interestingly, Reagan would later have a chief astrologer on his staff in the White House). It faded away for a couple of decades, but is back out in full force.

Our world is tumultuous and a lot of our systems don’t seem to be working like they used to. Astrology is a way for the everyday person to feel a little more in control, or to at least understand why their life is going the way it is. Popular apps like Co-Star allow people to check their horoscope with in-depth readings and analyses of aspects like love, productivity, anxiety and growth. It’s easier than ever to research your full birth chart with just a Google search. The Alchemist Attic in downtown Springfield provides a physical place to shop for books on the topic, too.

Your place among the stars

As stated by Julie Beck with The Atlantic, “It doesn’t matter if astrology is real; it matters if it’s useful.”

Having a reminder that we have a place among the stars is comforting. While many dislike astrology for the apparent lack of control it gives in defining oneself, others love it because it guides you in becoming the best version of yourself. It has elements of magic, but astrology only propels you forward if you take the steps to live up to planetary movements and the good fortune that comes with them.

Getting in touch with your spiritual side

As an increasingly secular society, astrology pulls us toward the magical and spiritual in ways that organized religion may fall short. Rather than placing emphasis in morals or a certain way to live to achieve more in the afterlife, it holds one accountable in the now (I should add that morals are a necessity to a functioning society – astrology just isn’t the tool to use to define such a system).

Right now, Pluto is in Sagittarius – for everyone. If you buy into all this, it means we’re challenging long-held traditions and demanding our right to live as individuals rather than on societal norms. Astrology is not an excuse to be lazy or pass off negative behavior. For our generation, it has been a challenge to our political and environmental climate – a way to resist the stress and negativity that seems to weigh heavier each year.

You don’t have to believe in astrology to recognize it is used as a tool of rebellion and unity.

Written by Maclen Johnson.