By Clare Roche
I am Capricorn, meaning I’m ambitious, sensible, serious and apparently half goat, half fish – a goatfish if you will.
“Capricorn is a big-money sign, so you tend to be asked to oversee a responsible financial role,” according to the popular astrology website www.astrologyzone.com.
I must confess, I have never been described as financially responsible before in my life and if you were to say that to my mother, I’m almost certain she would collapse in a fit of laughter.
When I read this, I feel like a fraud. It’s entirely possible that I resonate with being a goatfish more than I do with being sensible. And yet despite this, I cannot stop myself from trolling through endless online horoscopes, birth charts and stalking Instagram for funny astrology memes.
There has always been a stigma surrounding astrology. “I don’t actually believe in this” I tell myself as I download Co-Star – the hyper-personalised astrology app. “Mercury is going into Gatorade,” I joke as I check my daily chart.
Turning this new age ‘religion’ into memes – the language and currency of Gen Z, is not only paving the way we communicate more complex ideas but it’s also a new savvy business model.
The entire online astrology industry is worth billions of dollars. With hundreds and thousands of social media pages dedicated to astrology and an abundance of online zodiac-themed publications, it can be said without a doubt that astrology has grabbed a foothold in online culture, particularly gearing toward the millennial and Gen Z demographic. But what is it about astrology that has captured the attention of the generations that are generally characterised by being more into science than organised religion?
For me personally, it’s the opportunity for introspection and finding guidance in a world of chaos. It offers comfort of a better future and quick fix to problems that don’t have immediate answers.
