Why Don't Men Like Astrology, And Does It Really Matter?
Personally, I don’t believe in astrology. As a self-professed sceptic, I find it hard to believe in any force that may or may not exist beyond the limitations of human perception - beside those that science can readily prove. Western astrology, as it exists today in modern society, has become highly commercialised. Thus, a great deal of its mysticism, and also its credibility, has been lost.
This is not to say that my understanding of the world is completely unromantic. I am fascinated by the world of spirituality, it’s just that I’m very much on the outside looking in; my face pressed up against the glass, admiring the people who reject nihilism and look to a greater meaning beyond the sheer facts of existence.
The question is: what does my gender have to do with my opinion on astrology? Is it because I am a man that I am more inclined to reject star signs and horoscopes? The answer, definitively, is no. However, the prevailing view of astrology, as we see it today, is that it is an inherently feminine practice. This is to be expected, as since the Ancient Greeks we have seen female mystics providing great men with prophecies.
Prevailing cultural images of male mystics tend to be bound up with that of the wizard: the powerful and practical user of magic who influences real-world events rather than speculating on what will or won’t be. This is translated into the modern man: rugged and tough, forging his own way in the world and bending fate around his own purpose whilst the woman looks elsewhere for affirmation of personality, of where she should be and what she should be doing. Statistically, there is probably only a small difference between the number of male and female astrological adherents. The perception of astrology as feminine merely exists because we expect it to.
This perceived truth must be noted but it is ultimately irrelevant. As a society, we see the dangers of too great an emphasis being placed on gender. We see the harmful and limiting effects that labelling certain pursuits as either masculine or feminine can bring about and of course, we must try our best to avoid such rigid delineation. They distract us from the more interesting questions that can arise from the study of these pursuits. In the case of astrology, the most pressing questions on my mind include both for what reasons do people like astrology and why is this perceived as feminine?
Before I answer the first question, I must first emphasise that I myself have little knowledge of the world of astrology. I hold a basic understanding of the different star signs however, when it comes to anything beyond that I am wholly ignorant. All I can offer is my opinion.
In a more ancient time before the dawn of globalisation and the modern scientific era, where eyes tended to lie fixated on the heavens, one can understand how and why astrology took a firm hold on people. People were keen to see how their mortal lives fitted in with the whims and designs of greater powers and thus, a system based upon the movements of great and distant lights in the sky was bound to gain popularity and prevalence. However, in today’s world, a cold and dark place where any piece of information on any given subject can be accessed almost immediately to those with great enough privilege to be able to do so, to leave one’s own fate to the stars is indeed a path less trodden.
The number of religious people in the western world is undoubtedly in decline. This cannot be attributed to any one factor but can be traced to a growing sense of cynicism and discontent amongst people. As systems of power and governance that were once revered and hallowed continually fail and stutter, people lose their faith and consequently look either inwards to themselves or to other systems for guidance and affirmation.
Could this perhaps explain the consistency of the popularity of astrology? To place one’s faith in the pure, ancient and incorruptible power of the solar system may simply be more attractive and viable than looking to the swollen and decidedly human guidance of organised religion. Looking at one's own role in the universe and how we may interact with our fellow people may provide more satisfaction and spiritual nourishment than the scandals, the politics and the dogmas of powerful institutions. This, of course, may be untrue. However, in a world becoming increasingly more secular, facing threats of conflict, public health crises and environmental disaster, one would not be surprised if the peace of mind and sense of controlled destiny astrology offers is not the higher power that more people turn to over the next few years.
As to why following astrology is perceived as innately feminine is a rather simpler question to answer. I have mentioned how society has willed such a perception into existence. The answer goes no further than this. Astrology as feminine comes solely from tired and harmful stereotyping. As we witness the commencement of a more widely acknowledged social movement towards a much lesser emphasis being placed on gender roles and expectations, we can expect to see more people gravitate towards astrology. This slow but sure awakening, in conjunction with my prediction of more and more people looking towards astrology as a reaction to their discontentment with the world they see around them and their role within it, will lead to a greater uptake of the astrological tradition.
Written by Harry Robertshaw
Harry is a 23 year old MA student from Bristol with a great personality.