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PaperclipPerfector  2mo ago (text post)   3259 thread views

Friday Fun Thread for January 30, 2026

Be advised: this thread is not for serious in-depth discussion of weighty topics (we have a link for that), this thread is not for anything Culture War related. This thread is for Fun. You got jokes? Share 'em. You got silly questions? Ask 'em.

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I do want to comment on the astrology thing though. I think I'd struggle to take a partner who used astrology as a means to talk about personality seriously. My view is that it's ludicrous, but moreso that it forces human personality into very silly boxes

People love boxes. I come from a culture with a much more pervasive background astrology radiation, so it might be hard for me to calibrate my assessment of what's going on in the US. What's the level you're talking about?

  • my date asks me for my birth sign or calculates it based on my birthday - a nothingburger, I'm a Sagittarius
  • I buy my GF a pendant with a stone that is compatible with her birth sign - wow, so thoughtful
  • my date calls her boss a typical Aries - as long as it helps her to put people into the right boxes, why not?
  • my date explains that she only trusts the horoscopes printed in The Daily Huntsman - a red flag, but is she hot?
  • my date explains she would never date a Pisces because of their duplicity - smile, nod, ghost
  • my date expresses befuddlement that I've never seen my natal chart and offers to construct me one for free, because she's a certified astrologist - smile, nod, ghost

my date calls her boss a typical Aries - as long as it helps her to put people into the right boxes, why not?

It's interesting that calling her a typical [ethnicity], [sexuality], [gender identity] or [religion] would raise a few eyebrows, but we're meant to think of Birthday Racism as harmless and cute.

"Can you believe that after yesterday's meeting Bob told me to stop acting like such a ****er?"

"Well... were you perhaps being a little moody and sensitive?"

"Okay, I suppose I was indeed acting like a bit of a Cancer."

Imagine if astrological sign became a protected class, and HR departments started up affirmative action and specialized programs to favor Persons of Underrepresented Signs in hiring and promotions for sign Diversity and to compensate for Inequities from the relative age effect.

Funnily enough, I remember hearing that Jennifer Lopez fired one of her backup dancers upon learning her star sign. If that happened in Europe, I imagine the dancer could have sued Lopez for wrongful dismissal and won a tidy settlement. I wonder if we'll see more of these cases until astrology inevitably recedes in popularity again.

Needless to say, I don't want star signs to be a protected class, but I would be happy if birthdates were.

Oh, don't be such a Capricorn about it.

What's wrong with a natal chart, other than that I don't know my exact hour of birth?

smiles, nods, ghosts you

A "certified X" offering to make you a Y for free reeks of someone trying to recruit you into an MLM.

Eh, regarding the practice of astrology in particular it doesn't give off that vibe for me. More like someone who's used to putting people in boxes for a living taking the opportunity to do so.

I could see it this way, if she wasn't certified (or at least wouldn't bring it up without prompting).

What is she gonna do, offer me to pay for another natal chart of me?

No, for your monthly horoscope.

And come to think of it, even if there's no money involved, it sounds like the kind of person that would use astrology to tell you what decisions you should make, and/or win arguments.

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