Astrology - The Left’s Creationism?
Does the Left have a segment of their base that believes a certain pseudo-science, a segment their leaders are reluctant to antagonize? Is astrology quietly acceptable within the “progressive” community? The Left takes great pleasure in bashing Republican Creationists and ID advocates (quite appropriately, and I join them in this, as my readers know).
Jerome Armstrong’s own words below suggested this. Just like there is some overlap, a nexus between Republican politics, fundamentalist Christianity, and Creationism, Jerome’s words prompt the analogous question: What is the overlap, the nexus between Democratic politics, New Age thinking, Birkenstocks, Astrology, bikram yoga, Gaia believers .. you know .. “crunchy granolas?” Do I have to go on a trademarked PZ Myers’ style rant about the dangers of pseudo-science invading our political processes?
I don’t recall reading PZ Myers, DarkSyde, Ed Brayton (major “Oops” here. Ed corrects me: ” I have nothing at all to do with Democratic politics.” My apologies.), or Brent Rasmussen denouncing astrologists. Let me be clear. I seriously doubt that Markos sent out a “dummy up on the astrology-bashing” to his apparatchiks. Almost certainly the Left’s “Defenders of Science” simply haven’t perceived astrology as a threat. Okay, let me put it on your radar screen. An advisor to a serious Democratic presidential candidate is an astrologer, as well as an admitted stock swindler. 29% of Americans believe in astrology. I think a little distancing would be in order, from the Left’s “Defenders of Science.” (If they have in the past, I’d be delighted to correct this post.) Update: Nor do I suggest that any of these guys “buy into astrology,” rather it has been perhaps unimportant and inconvenient to take a stand on. “Why rock the boat? We’ve got the granolas on board …”
2nd Update: Prompt posts that display real integrity on this issue from PZMyers and Brent Rasmussen. Along with his usual overdose of personal and childish invective, Myers documents his previous denunciations of astrology. Fair enough. DarkSyde contents himself with “Bush is worse,” and declines to exercise his much-ballyhooed independence at dKos’ front page by denouncing astrology there.
Or maybe astrology is just one of “several different predictive mathematical disciplines?”
Over at Greenwald’s blog commenter Jay Ackroyd is okay with Astrology:
I am still curious, Commissar, why you regard Jerome’s apparent religious beliefs an item of concern. Belief in astrology is no more well-founded than believing in any other supernatural phenomenon, but such beliefs are very widely held. As is belief in astrology, for that matter. Horoscopes run in most daily papers.
And, one more thing, Jerome, … we didn’t evolve from monkeys. Nor is your cousin your grandfather. Humans and monkeys evolved from a common primate ancestor. (If anyone thinks this is nit-picking, I encourage you to imagine what PZ Myers would say about a Republican stock-swindling pseudo-science-swilling senior political operative who displayed such ignorance — it would be a fate too terrible to contemplate, I assure you.)
Another Update [2006-6-25 14:13:39 by Jerome Armstrong]: Oh yea, on the astrological stuff. I have done the new age type things over the years—life’s never boring that way. Down that line, I dabbled with planets and predictions in the most abstract manner, as one of several different predictive mathematical disciplines, when coming out of finances and into politics during my early blogging days (nobody is surprised that remembers the early 2001 days here), and since then have completely tapered out of it over time. So yea, the cons got me on this one being a little out of the ordinary… It has nothing to do with what I consult with in online political strategy. But hey, like JP Morgan once said, “millionaires don’t use astrology, billionaires do!” I hope to see those wingnuts that are obsessed with every little thing I do at the next bikram yoga or vipassana meditation session in DC– but fair warning that I believe we evolved from monkeys!
Here are a couple more Leftie politics/astrology sites of interest:
HPLeft represents an attempt to define an entirely new position within the political spectrum. Since the 1960s, a revolution in consciousness has taken place in America. This revolution was spurred by the widespread dissemination of: a) the spiritual literature and practices of India, China, Japan, Africa and Native America; b) the transpersonal psychology of Carl Jung, Roberto Assagioli and Stanislav Grof; c) the cross-cultural mythological perspective of Joseph Campbell and others; d) the continued emergence of non-denominational, spiritually-based recovery programs like Alcoholics Anonymous; e) the return from obscurity of wisdom technologies such as astrology; f) and, the embrace of whole-person and non-traditional approaches to physical well-being. But, to this day, the implications of this ongoing revolution have yet to have much of an impact on the political landscape here in America. I think it’s time we changed that situation.
HPLeft: Political and social commentary with its head in the clouds, but its feet planted firmly on the ground.
# Earth Day and global warming - Matt Carnicelli’s “The Tao of Politics” April 17th article discussed the urgent need for environmentally-friendly renewable sources of energy because “while protection of the environment is every nation’s duty, it must be a paramount concern of the global leader.” We also spent some of our “Five Minutes A Day on Democracy” writing letters to editors about how the energy bill that was discussed in Congress on Thursday and Friday provides too many subsidies for the most polluting energy sources and does little to promote overall energy conservation.
Update: A blogger at Ezra Klein is very uncomfortable with Armstrong’s internet stock-swindling background:
Maybe Kos is just another gullible Bluepoint investor who trusts and admires Jerome, and is buying an internet stock for a lot more than it’s worth, on Jerome’s recommendation. We ought to be suspicious of pro-Warner comments Kos makes in the future. You don’t just have to beware the guy who’s willing to mislead you for financial gain — you have to beware the guy who listens to him.
Behe: Astrology and ID are both science
Startling New Research
Ex-School Trustee ‘Misspoke’ on Evolution
Witness: ‘Design’ Replaced ‘Creation’
Creationism Endorsed in New Poll