Looking into one’s astrological sign is becoming a huge trend, aided by apps like Co—Star and Daily Horoscope. It’s hard to say, however, what effect this will have on younger generations.
Christopher S. Baird, an assistant professor of physics at Texas A&M University, says astrology is “the belief that the alignment of stars and planets affects every individual's mood, personality, and environment, depending on when he was born.”
I have used the app Co—Star, which breaks down users’ days and weeks based on their astrological sign, therefore giving them information in the following specified categories: work, social life, sex and love, thinking and creativity, and self. Each day a user is given a digitally generated “Day at a Glance,” and each category comes with a prediction.
How it works: Co—Star’s homepage claims the service “uses NASA data, coupled with the methods of professional astrologers, to algorithmically generate insights about your personality and your future,” and each day users receive quote worthy notifications based on his or her astrological sign.
Receiving those notifications are fun and something to look forward to throughout your day, but no one knows how accurate and effective they are if users receive the same messages two or three times.
In Baird's How does astrology work? he wrote, “The placebo effect is the mechanism at work with astrology. Many people believe in astrology. When they read their horoscope and follow its advice, they feel better.”
In reality, horoscopes are a reassurance, and users get from it what they put into it. By giving power to the predictions of their reality, days can be brightened or broken. I found it really easy to read my horoscope, good or bad, and let it control the day I had, not realizing that a fad was controlling my thoughts and feelings.
The predictions, when good, validate whatever is happening in a user’s life. But when they are negative or unproductive, and once they are given into, they have the effect to actually change how user’s act.
User’s should use these resources to enhance their day to day lives and become better versions of who they already are, rather than focusing on the pressures and troubles outlined on the apps.
Rory Ball is a freshman studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk more about it? Let Rory know by tweeting her @roryellizabeth.
