Culture wars

Culture wars. Every discipline has them. Right now the astrologers are at war. The senior, well-reputed grand dame of fine scholarship poses the question, ‘but where is the evidence?’ to the hot-headed and passionate young-achiever, and war is waged. I mean, you can’t just go around asking reasonable questions that can catch people with their pants down and expect no retaliation.

When things like this happen it’s clear that the two parties don’t speak the same language, especially when one is for knowledge and the other for self-interest. I watch the argument. Only one party can deliver it. The other party is invested in the evangelism called tradition, even when there’s no evidence for it. The thing they fight about may be mentioned in the old books, but is not used as the evangelist claims. Yet the army of followers, mostly characterised by shallow-thinking, is ready to die on the hill that the guru has raised.

I read the cards: the World, the Star, the Moon. No matter how cohesive a World the Star has created, her work is now misrepresented, her words taken out of context, displaced, and made to sound like something else. The pull of the Moon is strong, feeding the dogs illusions. The fundamentalists are fierce. But nonsense is still nonsense. And evidence is still evidence, which one party ain’t got.

In parallel, in fortunetelling the traditionalists say that ‘the Moon means creativity.’ No. If the context is called war, the Moon is a significator of distortions, lies, misrepresentations, and an underhanded attempt to annihilate a reputation. Feelings go rampant on a mission that has zero to do with what is already clear.

While rumours should be treated as rumours not facts, many forget this distinction. But rumours must be validated. ‘Let’s just spread the rumour that it’s the woman who is emotionally unstable,’ says the one who spends hours online in an attempt to say, what exactly, that we have preferences? Lord have mercy…

Already in Sun Tzu’s time, spreading rumours was an efficient weapon. But what is its purpose here? To show us that history repeats itself; to show us that the deluded will never deny their privilege to stay deluded.

Now let’s cheer for the ones who know better.

§

Anyone here wondering what the hullaballoo is all about, this is my observation on the current public dispute regarding Hellenistic astrology and its advocates’ claims about the use of whole sign houses in ancient astrology. The opposition made a simple demand: ‘if you have to make a strong claim about ancient astrology giving priority to the whole sign house system, then argue for it equally strongly. Convince us beyond proclamations.’

Well, let’s just say that it was a tall order to do the convincing part, the consequence being a loss of face. Since we don’t live in samurai times when losing face would be dealt with in the elegant manner of a clean cut applied to the belly, the approach to being caught with the pants down was not aesthetically pleasing at all. But then, what can one expect from the ones who prefer making sweeping statements to providing arguments, in the process also displaying a serious lack of the ability to make basic distinctions? Not much, though it must be said that lacking distinction is mighty popular.

So it goes…

*

Read like the Devil astrology

I don’t write a lot about astrology, but on occasion I do. Try my longer essay, The Pathetic Fallacy, to get an idea.

Taroflexions hosts a few of my astrology related essays – mostly horary astrology. For more, check the astro category.

Also, as part of the activities in the Read Like the Devil Practice Club, sometimes I make a note of the more extraordinary astro events, suggesting a magical practice for the disturbing times.

Hop on board, and be part of the discussion.

Andromalius

When do you conjure demons? I call on Andromalius on Tuesday in Mars’ hour, when other stars also align. Enjoy the astro stories in my grimoire, Andromalius, Take Two: Goetic Stories.