For the last week or two, all I’ve been able to see on various social networks – Twitter, Facebook, blogs – is the constant influx of posts relating to people who are worried their zodiac sign has changed. Or not. Or something along the lines of commenting on the ‘fact’ that there is now a thirteenth zodiac sign – Ophiuchus.
Except, funnily enough, there isn’t. Those bothering to skim articles with the title ‘New Zodiac Signs?’ should probably read to the end, where various experts of Western astrology say that Ophiuchus and the change in signs does not apply to the Western Zodiac as it is not based on the constellations. It uses the ‘tropical’ system of calculating signs, not the ‘sidereal’ – so there is no Ophiuchus.
What annoys me is that nobody seems to know about that part. People enjoy getting emotional about the prospect of having a change in their signs. Whether this emotion is excitement or, more commonly, panic and dismay at the purported change in identity, it annoys me.
Firstly, it is based on an erroneous assumption, as zodiac signs have not changed. So it makes me feel like the person going “OMG I’M A TAURUS NOW GUYZZ” is not someone who cares to find out about facts.
Secondly, the idea of an identity crisis being brought about by such a minor change is ridiculous. I will exclude those who believe strongly in horoscopes as for them this might not seem like a minor change. However, for those who once in a while glance at the Astrology section in the newspaper, I find it silly to be so confused by glancing at another vague horoscope.
If the new Zodiac sign were a fact, I would have been an Ophiuchus. That doesn’t inspire me to be immediately mournful that I’m not a Sagittarius or write tweets and status updates informing the world of this fact. Sure, I might slightly regret not being a sign that seemed a lot like me and that I’ve grown to identify with (I do enjoy reading horoscopes), but it won’t change my life. People seem to think it should, which is what I have a beef with.
– Still a Sagittarius
