Survey Shows Astrology Is a Factor in Tons of Modern Breakups

The Story Despite there being no scientific proof for its validity, astrology has been all the rage in recent years, particularly with young people. However, a new survey by student-oriented online platform EduBirdie shows that it’s more than just a fun fad — it’s also impacting people’s relationships and leading to breakups. RELATED: The 5 Phases of a Breakup The Snapshot Thanks to its claims to be able to help people better understand themselves and those around them based on their star signs, astrology has surged in popularity as of late. According to EduBirdie’s data, just over half of young people in America may fully believe in the power of horoscopes, with a further 29% subscribing to its ideas only when they feel like it. That leaves just 20%, or 1 in 5 from the survey’s 2,000-person sample, completely uninterested in astrology’s starry-eyed claims. Where it gets fascinating — and potentially concerning — is the responses addressing how people extrapolate from astrological beliefs to real-world decision making. Apparently, 1 in 5 respondents to the survey have been dumped due to their astrological sign. “Sorry, Kyle, but you were born in late July, so we’re just not compatible.” Often, however, astrology leads to the connection not coming together in the first place, as just over 30% of young people see so-called “incompatible” star sign as a dealbreaker that warns them not to date a person. Of course, these things cut both ways. One in eight people, apparently, said their passion for astrology led to them getting dumped. The Lesson The way people understand their lives (and their love lives) changes all the time. Fifteen years ago, things like love languages and attachment styles were virtually unknown; today they’re commonplace knowledge for many people, and love languages are referred to in many dating apps. RELATED: How Attachment Theory Can Help Your Relationships Similarly, astrology has waxed and waned in popularity over the ages. It’s not hard to imagine a time in the not-too-distant future when it’s fallen out of style and seen as cringe and reductive to judge people’s infinitely complex and evolving personalities based on the accident of their birth. However, until then, you may have to run the risk of getting dumped for spurious reasons. Good luck out there! You Might Also Dig: How to Break Up With Someone NicelyPost-Breakup Rules to Follow During HeartbreakBad Reasons to Break Up With Someone