What once was the recording of star movements has now been overtaken by capitalism, filled with liars and scams.

Astrology is the practice of recording the movements of the stars, a practice that dates back to thousands of years ago. People also use it to better understand their problems. There are signs addressed to a range of days, 12 total in one calendar year. Each is tied to a constellation, and represents the kind of person each sign is believed to be.

 Astrology has been popular among various audiences, but had gone behind the scenes for many years until more recently, when Generation Z brought the mainstream popularity of astrology to an all time high. Astrology has just become another trend and, with this newfound attention, many people have sought out certain astrological services. This naturally puts them at risk of being scammed. 

With astrology’s rise in popularity, astrology shops are starting to raise prices heavily, with some tellers charging as much as 150 dollars per hour. These people are charging ludicrous amounts for things such as tarot readings, future reading sessions, or how things are going in their life and what needs to be changed.

Astrology trends have spread like wildfire all over social media, ranging from funny shorts on apps like TikTok to readings on websites such as Etsy. With people sharing jokes about it or making videos guessing celebrities’ zodiac signs, the popularity is ever growing. In these current times of uncertainty, many people need something to lean on, and astrology is just that thing for them. 

The popularity of astrology is great for sharing its interest and beliefs, but has many drawbacks. Many people are being misinformed with false information overshadowing the internet  and are paying ludicrous prices for something that they could have gotten for pennies on the dime compared to what they paid. For example, a shop on etsy charges 258 dollars per hour for a future reading session and charging 20 dollars for a simple reading. People who are in more emotionally dire situations and heavily rely on astrology are often more vulnerable to such scamsThose who are misinformed are also more likely to fall for scams, as they cannot determine truth from lies. 

Many people who are desperate often give into these insane prices, getting scammed in the process. Fortune telling or not, these sessions are often not worth the jaw dropping prices. Many are willing to spend the full price for what they believe in, and are consequently being scammed out of unfathomable amounts of money. Every aspect of astrology has now been monetized, from readings to the zodiac signs. Some have made guide books as an easily accessible online resource, yet many people charge unethical amounts for daily, weekly or monthly sessions. People sharing the culture online is not all bad; it can be good as more people can learn about and enjoy astrology more and many people take this opportunity to do so. Additionally, it is a wonderful look into the stars and what their hidden meaning may be. 

But despite the good, people are getting scammed, and their hard earned money is being taken away. People’s trusting nature and everlasting belief in astrology is being taken advantage of by capitalism in the new age.