It's no secret that astrology is having an impact on millennials. This rise in popularity of secular spirituality has found its place on Instagram, and accounts like @costarastrolgy and @astromemequeen are delivering bits of astrology in the form of memes. In jest, they show us which kind of fries we’d ordered according to our zodiac, or how to shun an annoying ex-flame.
Astrology was founded on the belief that human life on earth is influenced directly by star constellations. In your newspapers and magazines, you’re sure to come across horoscopes, and just like a drug for a curious teen, this can open the door to other, deeper questions about zodiacs and star signs and the meaning of life. To get a better idea of someone’s personality, both the planets and moon play a crucial role, as well as the exact time of birth. This all may sound a bit far-fetched, and we understand, but there are multi-million-dollar businesses involved in the holistic industry. Millennials are evermore drawn to look for guidance and meaning from the stars, but why?
Astrology dates back to ancient times, and it had its heyday back during the 60s and 70s in California during the New Age movement. People were all about transforming themselves and healing. People had long hair and a hippie-like style and a belief system that manifested itself out of economic instability, social inequality, and political distress. Ancient ideologies are making a comeback and are providing much-needed reassurance to millennials.
Vetements, a French fashion house released a bunch of zodiac t-shirts that had a star sign in the front and a description on the back. The new “zodiac fashion” trend was born, and it has entered the mainstream. The stigma around astrology has faded a bit, and it has become more and more fashionable. It has also become less criticized as just being some women magazine blurb, woo-woo, esoteric belief, and instead can be found on Instagram feeds of opinion leaders.
There’s an explanation for everything nowadays, especially since we live in an age of technological advancement. We’ve gravitated toward mystical beliefs, and just the thought about everything out there from politics to science to human interaction being whittled down to a boring explanation can be a bit scary. We as humans are looking for more meaning and want life to be surprising and unexpected, and astrology offers a way to try and piece together meaning from random events. If life isn’t going as planned, it’s ok to seek self-care and find meaning. Maybe the moon can help one to gain more energy, or the Sun is moving into Capricorn. No matter if it’s just a trend on Instagram, millennial followers are offered an untainted escape from injustices and damaging rhetoric. When we live in a tainted Trump-era of injustice, racism, homophobia, and sexism, amongst other things, there seems to be no harm when trying to find solace in star signs.
