The other night, as I was flipping through the channels, I stumbled upon an old episode of "The X-Files." Scully and Mulder were hot on the trail of a mysterious alien conspiracy, and it got me thinking about how we humans love to seek patterns and connections, even when they might not be there. It’s no different when it comes to astrology.
Let’s talk about that, shall we? I’m a Gemini myself, and you know what they say about Geminis — we’re supposed to be indecisive and flighty. But here’s the thing: I’ve owned a restaurant, written books, dabbled in TikTok, and even run a bar. I’ve got a thirst for exploring all sorts of things, especially the unknown. And yes, I can be stubborn as a bull, thanks to my Taurus side. Plus, I’m a homebody at heart, preferring to curl up with a good book rather than hit the town. Astrology? It doesn’t even come close to capturing the essence of who I am.
Why do so many people still swear by it, though? A psychologist named Bertram Forer once conducted a study where he gave a personality test to a group of people who believed in astrology. He then handed out identical personality analyses to each participant, and they all thought the readings were incredibly accurate. The thing is, the analyses were full of vague statements that could apply to anyone: "You appear to be outwardly controlled, but inside, you’re fraught with insecurities and doubts." Sound familiar? That’s because they were designed to be universally relatable. It’s the Barnum Effect in action. We look for what we want to see. If you believe someone is a Pisces, you’ll seek out their romantic side; if they’re a Scorpio, you’ll look for their dark, mysterious qualities. The "truth" we find in these tests is simply what we’ve decided to believe.
I’ve seen friends fall for this kind of stuff hook, line, and sinker. They’ll check their compatibility with someone based onconstellation signs, believing that Cancer and Scorpio are a perfect match, or that Virgo and Capricorn are destined to be together. It’s like looking for love in all the wrong places. I had a friend who went through a rough patch, losing his job and his girlfriend during the pandemic. He kept his struggles to himself, and to the people who met him during that time, he seemed cold and distant. But who knew what he was going through? It just goes to show that you can’t judge a book by its cover, or a person by theirconstellation sign.
I’ve always been wary of making snap judgments based on superficial clues. A person’s social media presence, their choice of profile picture, or whether they reply to messages instantly — these things don’t define who they are. Take Wang Sicong, a Leo who couldn’t win the heart of Sun Yining, a Cancer. Can you blame theirconstellation signs? Then there’s Wang Feng, a Cancer, and Zhang Ziyi, an Aquarius, who seemed to be made for each other. It’s all about the individual, not the stars.
When someone says they want to get to know me, I hope they mean it in the truest sense. They should get to know me through our conversations, seeing if we click or clash; through our meetings, observing my mannerisms and behavior; through sharing meals, gauging our taste and aesthetic compatibility; and through our relationship, assessing whether our values and future plans align. It’s not about slapping a label on me and calling it a day.
Astrology can be a fun way to think about relationships, but it’s not the be-all and end-all. I used to believe that if I drew my palm’s life line longer, I’d live a long life. Or that if my career line was too thin, I’d amount to nothing. But life is full of surprises, and no two people, even those with the sameconstellation sign, are exactly alike. There’s no test that can predict your love life with certainty. The only thing you can truly rely on is yourself — your choices, your hesitations, your decisions. It’s your life, after all, and no one else’s.
So, the next time you’re tempted to rely onconstellation signs or personality tests to make decisions about your love life, remember that it’s the person in front of you that matters, not the stars above.
