Astrogenetics: How Your Parents' Genes and Your Season of Birth Can Influence Your Life [1 ed.] 0385113951, 9780385113953

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The revolutionary new science based on indisputable fact

POCKET

81305 $1.75

How Your Parents’Genes and Your Season of Birth Can Influence Your Life

Edmund Van Deusen

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EDMUND VAN DEUSEN is a former Associate Science Editor for

Fortune magazine. In addition to articles for Fortune, he has written popular sci¬ entific pieces for such magazines as Sci¬

entific American, Business

Week, and

National Geographic, and has appeared in over 150 television, radio, and news¬ paper interviews in recent years.

“CHALLENGING. This is no routine book, but a pathmaking and painstak¬ ing effort to mobilize up-to-date sta¬ tistical techniques to verify ancient practices and modern fascinations.” Astrology—Your Daily Horoscope

—

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ASTROGENETICS How Your Parents' Genes and Your Season of Birth Can Influence Your Life

Edmund Van Deusen

dA. A KANGAROO BOOK PUBLISHED BY POCKET BOOKS NEW YORK

ASTROGENETICS Doubleday edition published 1976 POCKET BOOK edition published November, 1977

This POCKET BOOK edition includes every word contained in the original, higher-priced edition. It is printed from brandnew plates made from completely reset, clear, easy-to-read type. POCKET BOOK editions are published by POCKET BOOKS, a Simon & Schuster Division of GULF & WESTERN CORPORATION 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, N.Y. 10020. Trademarks registered in the United States and other countries.

ISBN: 0-671-81305-6. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 75-36615. This POCKET BOOK edition is published by arrangement with Doubleday & Company. Copyright, ©, 1976, by Edmund L. Van Deusen. All rights reserved. This book, or portions thereof, may not be reproduced by any means with¬ out permission of the original publisher: Doubleday & Company, 245 Park Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017. Printed in the U.S.A. Excerpts from The Compleat Astrologer by Derek and Julie Parker. Copyright, ©, 1971, by Mitchell Beazley, Limited. Used by permission of Mitchell Beazley, Limited, and McGraw-Hill Book Company.

To Janice Costello—who armed the archer’s arrow with Libra love

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CO NTENTS

INTRODUCTION

11

Morning Glories and Teacups CHAPTER 1

15

The Cosmic Con Game CHAPTER 2

A Test for the Astrogenetic Expression

19

CHAPTER 3

Astrogenetic Trends and Patterns

29

chapter 4

Season of Conception and Birth

108

CHAPTER 5

117

Adapt or Perish! CHAPTER 6

127

What It Means to Be Capricorn 128 Aquarius 132 Pisces 135 Aries 139 Taurus 142 Gemini 146

Cancer 150 Leo 154 Virgo 158 Libra 161 Scorpio 164 Sagittarius 167

chapter 7

172

A New Way to Relate POSTSCRIPT

178

Odds Against Chance

7

ASTROGENETICS

.

INTRODUCTION

Morning Glories and Teacups

I had a dream last year—a seaside cottage covered with morning glories, bright red and blue flowers, intertwining vines climbing over the rooftop and up the chimney. The directions on the package said to wait till spring to plant the seeds. But a dream like this couldn’t wait. Why not start the morning glories in midwinter? I could keep the plants in the house at night, then put them out during the day to absorb the warm glow of the California sun. The first seedlings had barely sprouted when I decided to add the two-car garage to my architectural dream. An¬ other bag of planting mix; another package of morning glory seeds. Six weeks later I realized the fence along the street would need its share of color. It was now early spring, and my project was getting out of hand. Trays of morning glories covered the living room floor in the evening; at dawn I would carry them outside to catch the morning light. There was never a question, however, as to when the individual morning glories had been planted. Each succes¬ sive planting had a characteristic color, size, and twist of vine. Leaves turned a richer green; stems thickened; roots spread more vigorously under the soil. All of the seedlings, early and late, survived. All fulfilled their genetic destiny— and passed along their genes to next year’s generation of

11

12

Morning Glories and Teacups

morning glories. But each plant also had its own unique personality, stemming from its season of birth. Walking around my yard this summer, I could have told you with absolute precision the birth date and subsequent history of every glorious morning glory vine. Astrologers have been telling us for thousands of years that what was true for my morning glories is also true for every person born into this world. Each of us is the product of the cosmic environment that marked our season of birth. Scientists have been telling us, with equal vigor, that we are simply an “expression” of our genetic inheri¬ tance. Minor modifications in the expression of our genes may result from such factors as nutrition and pa¬ rental care. But we certainly do not need to look to the sun, stars, or planets to explain our personality or be¬ havior. This book is written in the belief that both astrologer and scientist are right—and both are wrong. The astrolo¬ ger is correct in his assumption that season of birth has a direct effect on personality; statistical evidence (pre¬ sented here for the first time) will establish that fact with scientific certainty. But astrology has never attempted to identify the why and the how of this relationship—except in the mystical terms which are its proper province. And it is this lack of logical explanation which has infuriated the scientist, prompting him to reject the whole notion as the product of charlatans and fakes.

“know thyself”

All of us have been losers in this exchange. Until a few hundred years ago, astrology was both myth and—in part —science. Astrology served as the vehicle for what little we knew about the stars and planets. It also embodied a vast store of accumulated knowledge about the human psyche. But the invention of the telescope changed our view of the universe—and helped to destroy any scientific credibility that astrology might have enjoyed. From the remnants of astrology arose the new science of astronomy; astronomers made full use of the celestial tables and charts which they inherited from their nonscientific predecessors. But lost in the rubble of newspaper columns and fortune telling was astrology’s assertion that

Morning Glories and Teacups

13

a part of each person’s character is predetermined at birth. “Rational” scientists preferred the Freudian view that the molding of an individual is restricted to measur¬ able events that occur after birth. So any contribution that astrology might have made to the emerging science of psychology was rejected—with scorn and derision. The objective of this book is to reverse that error. The Delphic injunction to “know thyself” is still an essential first step toward a happy and fulfilling life. And accep¬ tance of self—and others—must start with our ability to separate the part of ourselves which we can control from the part that is out of our control. And this applies to our whole being: not just our physical form, but also our intellect and personality. Most of us accept, without question, the shape, size, and facial features which we have inherited through our parents’ genes. We also know that the expression of these genes—the final form we reach as adults—may have been significantly influenced by our mother’s health, the care we received as infants, and the irreversible effects of ac¬ cident or disease. But it is much more difficult for us to accept the fact that our brains, the site of our intellect and emotions, are just as much a product of our genes and past environment as our bodies. Each of us inherited a unique brain structure, different from that of every other person. And again our genetic code was just the starting point. The same type of factors—health, nutrition, and parental care—that affected our bodies could also have determined the final form of our brains.

IN OUR MOTHER’S WOMB

One of the early prenatal factors affecting the expression of our brains was the chemistry of our mother’s body. And in this sense, each of us is a reflection of the chemical environment that surrounded us when we started life. But there is nothing constant about this environment. Every human being, including every mother, displays an annual “biorhythm” or cycle of chemical change. And this helps to account for the personality trends that are so evident in the statistical data presented in this book. There is an annual cycle of personality based on season of con¬ ception and birth—just as the astrologers have claimed.

14

Morning Glories and Teacups

Moreover, the evolutionary reason for this “astrogenetic expression” can be easily explained—even within the limits of our present knowledge of the early history of our species. But if it is all so simple, why wasn’t the argument be¬ tween astrologer and scientist settled long ago? One reason lies in the magnitude of the tests that had to be performed. Hundreds of thousands of birth dates had to be tabulated to establish the truth of the personality cycle. All of us are adept at hiding our personalities behind a cloak of social custom (my morning glories felt no similar com¬ punction). Astrologers, aided by their ancient guidelines, have claimed that they could sense the cycle—despite the coverup. But scientists have needed more proof. A similar situation would be the measurement of the strong yet subtle influence of the moon as it circles around the earth. The astrologer would be like a person who claims that he can detect the tide in a teacup—while the scientist would insist on the Atlantic Ocean to satisfy his sense of statistical significance. But astrologers, anxious to add to the mystery, must accept a major share of the blame for the long delay. They have confused the issue by putting tea leaves in the cup—purporting to report on the future as well as the present and past. To the extent possible, this book is restricted to an assessment of the sun-sign observations which have served as the kernel of truth for classical astrology since the dawn of history. It is enough to have verified the basic personality cycle, without examining the planetary aspects, ascendant signs, and other magic potions in the astrologer’s brew. Or is it? Perhaps, with enough computer time—and teacups . . .

CHAPTER 1

The Cosmic Con Game

“Secrets of the East!” “Amazing Scientific Wonders!” Freaks, fantasies, and foreboding forecasts. P. T. Barnum knew exactly what he was doing. Rational man’s hunger for the irrational is just as compelling as his need for food and drink. The mysteries within his heart are more than he can bear—unless shared with others. But some mysteries are better than others. The idea of a virgin birth was a stroke of inventive genius, and is still turning the turnstiles after almost two thousand years. Buddha reincarnate and the infinite changes of the I Ching are into their third millennium. Yet none of these can compare with the greatest mystery-maker of them all: astrology. For sheer inventiveness, imagination, and longevity, astrology is in a class by itself. It is as current as the column in your daily newspaper—and as ancient as the astrological markings on a prehistoric mammoth’s tusk. Not that it has been easy. The merchandising of mystery is a competitive business, and astrology has had its share of misfortunes and failures. Cornelius Hispallus threw the astrologers out of Rome in 139 b.c. to satisfy the com¬ plaints of the soothsayer lobby. Hitler’s favorite astrologer died in a concentration camp in the waning months of World War II. And as recently as the mid-1970s, eighteen

15

16

The Cosmic Con Game

high priests of science joined together with their lesser colleagues to decry the spread of “irrational” astrological thought. But as Nero discovered in his dealings with the Chris¬ tians, adversity just adds to the attraction, and astrology is today enjoying one of its highest peaks of popularity and influence. Over a third of all the citizens of the sophisticated United States are willing to tell the surveyor that they “believe.” Another third admit to being “inter¬ ested.” Which leaves, by simple subtraction, a relatively small number of us to scratch our heads and wonder why so many of our friends have been taken in by this cosmic con game. TRACES OF TRUTH

There are a number of valid reasons for astrology’s story of success. One is the noncompetitive nature of the astrological myth. Astrology does not make exclusive de¬ mands on its adherents. A person can believe in the stars —and also pay allegiance to his favorite charity. There are no demons in the sky to strike you down for lack of faith. Another factor would be the low cost of astrology— in terms of both time and money. “Something for noth¬ ing” has a powerful appeal. Newspaper columns and cocktail-party conversations have this quality. For equiva¬ lent moments of insight or self-recognition, you might have to sit through an entire sermon on Sunday, or spend several hundred dollars with your analyst. But the real secret of astrology’s success is that every once in a while, almost by accident, traces of truth can be detected. There does seem to be a common quality to all Sagittarians, despite their many differences. Arians are self-centered, in a childlike way, and perhaps it is only coincidence that nearly everyone else is too. The total amount of truth may be very small, compared to astrol¬ ogy’s other outrageous claims, but like the miniature bat¬ tery in a wristwatch, it has been enough to keep astrology ticking throughout the known history of mankind. None of this should be taken, however, as an apologia for astrology. On the contrary, it is a complaint. Astrology should stay with its mysteries; measurable facts are the province of the scientist. Yet it would be unrealistic to expect the astrologer to make this decision. No magician

The Cosmic Con Game

17

would consciously reveal the source of his sorcery. In¬ stead, it is up to the scientist to sift through the evidence to find the nuggets which can be added to our store of knowledge about the universe—and our own nature. FROM ALCHEMY TO CHEMISTRY

There is ample precedent for such a search. Folklore and myth have often represented, in an abstract way, an earlier wisdom—the “science” of their time. Their expla¬ nations might be wrong in the light of present knowl¬ edge, but their observations have served as the foundation for much of what we later have accepted as scientific fact. Today’s chemist, for example, is a direct descendant of the alchemist. But alchemy was more than just chemistry dressed in the garb of the Middle Ages. It was an occult, mystic order, dedicated to the uplifting of mankind. Lead, the base metal, was symbolic of man in his fallen state. Gold, the noblest of metals, was a symbol of man with untarnished, godlike qualities. The effort to transform lead into gold had all the characteristics of a religious rite, yet it also served as the starting point for our present understanding of molecular structure and chemical kinetics. In similar fashion, paleontology, the systematic study of the earth’s fossil record, had its start with earnest reverends digging in the caves of northern Europe in the hope of proving that Noah’s Ark was more than just a myth. We now know that it was ice, not flood, that ac¬ counted for all those extinct species, but this does not detract from the contribution made by the earlier investi¬ gators. The process is still continuing. Acupuncture is the sub¬ ject of serious study in a dozen U.S. medical centers, and soon we will have an explanation that goes beyond the balance of yin and yang forces in the body. Biofeedback research, hailed as a major breakthrough in our under¬ standing of the nervous system, is forcing the scientist to take another look at yoga’s ancient art of self-control. FROM ASTROLOGY TO ASTROGENETICS

The time has arrived to take a similar look at astrology. But not all of astrology. Not the computer-horoscope,

18

The Cosmic Con Game

forecast-of-the-week, fortune-cookie, Elizabeth-Taylor-andRichard-Burton part of astrology. That would ruin the fun. Instead, we will concentrate our study on the one part of astrology where there appears to be a chance for truth—where repeatedly during the past few decades in¬ vestigators have inadvertently assembled data that seemed to validate astrology. Educators have found a correlation between season of birth and the IQ of their students; doc¬ tors have detected a pattern in the occurrence of con¬ genital heart disorders; psychiatrists have noticed an un¬ even distribution in the birth dates of schizophrenics. In every case, the investigators have veered away from their data—as if further research might sully their professions. At the very least, it might give aid and comfort to the purveyors of astrological nostrums. They shouldn’t have worried. Astrologers are not inter¬ ested in facts like these. Myths and mysteries are immune from scientific investigation. Knowledge of the Ice Age has not altered the faith of those who believe in biblical signs; no right-thinking yogi would ever buy a biofeed¬ back machine. And even astrology, as closely linked as it is to the stars, has had no trouble surviving the revelation that the stars are something other than lanterns hanging from the vault of the sky. Our current investigation will deal not with the stars but with man. The question we will be asking is whether our season of birth has a direct effect on our personality— as the astrologers have asserted. If so, it would have to be a part of our genetic nature, and this is why I have chosen the term “astrogenetics” to describe the phenomena re¬ ported in the chapters that follow.

CHAPTER 2

A Test for the Astrogenetic Expression

Is there an astrogenetic expression? Does the season of our birth influence the genetic structuring of our brains? And how does this affect our personalities and lives? Answers to all of these questions must depend, ulti¬ mately, on our ability to measure personality and define its source. There is, however, no convenient yardstick for measuring personality, and little agreement as to whether our behavior and inner feelings are predetermined by our genes—or result from the experiences of life. Geneticists can point to “instinctive” responses which all of us display at birth, but psychologists can counter that these have a very minor influence when compared to the impact of our growing-up experience. To me, the argument is academic. Each of us started with our parents’ genes—nothing came in from the out¬ side. The expression of these genes can be modified by the environment we encounter in our mother’s womb. But the basic shape of our brain is determined before we are born, and this is the foundation on which the rest of our life is structured. One of our genetic instincts, for example, is to smile. A baby knows how to smile at birth. Along with the cry and the frown, the smile was one of the techniques we

19

20

A Test for the Astrogenetic Expression

used to communicate with each other as advanced apes or primitive men. Every baby is born, therefore, with a brain that is “wired” to produce this gesture. But each baby has to learn, independently, the use of the smile as a way to attract food and comfort. Some babies make the connection within days, others take weeks—depend¬ ing again on the genetic structure of the learning centers in the baby’s brain. And this helps to create, for each baby, a distinctive pattern of anger, frustration, or trust which can last a lifetime. So it is our genes which set us apart—and link us together. Identical genes account for the parallel life his¬ tories of identical twins. Similar genes account for the similar personalities which characterize a family or clan. Different genes account for the distinctive characteristics which separate mankind into racial groups that differ by more than just the color of their skin.

SUBTLE BUT SIGNIFICANT

Our test for the astrogenetic expression will involve both similarities and differences. We will be looking for similarities between individuals born in the same season— and differences between people born at different times of the year. In both cases, we can expect the effect of the astro¬ genetic expression to be subtle. Similarities will be masked by the diversity of our genetic inheritance, home environ¬ ment, and social conditioning. Differences will be hidden by our need, as a social species, to conform to society’s dictates. But the subtlety of the astrogenetic expression does not diminish its significance. It affects us at the most funda¬ mental level of our existence—the irrevocable structuring of our brains. Acceptance of this fact can be crucial to our sense of self-worth and achievement. Moreover, if in the process of measuring the astrogenetic expression we can arrive at conclusions as to the type of personality that marks each season of birth, we will have added an important new dimension to our understanding of our¬ selves—and others. But first we must find a way to measure personality.

A Test for the Astrogenetic Expression

21

One technique, of course, would be to use psychological tests to uncover our hidden thoughts and feelings. Indepth interviews by skilled psychologists would be another method. But both of these become impractical in light of the subtle changes we can expect as a result of the astrogenetic expression. Personality profiles on a handful of people would tell us nothing. We need to measure at least one aspect of the personality of thousands of individuals —if we are to detect an astrogenetic pattern that can be accepted as valid.

BIRTH-DATE SURVEYS

The method I have chosen for testing the astrogenetic expression is a series of birth-date surveys, each designed to measure the extent to which different people, born at different times of the year, are attracted to a particular profession or activity. There are a number of advantages to this technique. One is the fact that in a free society, each of us can make an independent decision as to the way we spend our working hours. It is true that every profession has its share of misfits, and nearly all of us are subject to social and economic pressures which limit our range of choice. But in the course of our careers, most of us drift into activities which “fit” our personalities. Thus a person with a dreamy disposition would avoid the pressures of being an air traffic controller. And only people with aggressive, competitive personalities would normally be attracted to professional sports. So the choice of profession is, at least in part, an indication of personality, and this gives us the yardstick we need to detect whether there is a pattern of personality resulting from the astrogenetic expression. Our use of the yardstick will start with a negative as¬ sumption: We will assume that season of birth has no effect on a person’s choice of profession. If this is true, all architects, musicians, or politicians should have birth dates that are evenly distributed throughout the year. We should find, for example, just as many schoolteachers with birth dates in the summer as in the winter (after correct¬ ing for any natural variations in the total population).

22

A Test for the Astrogenetic Expression

But if we find a pattern that varies from this norm, if teachers’ birth dates are concentrated into certain months —beyond the limits of chance—we can say with assur¬ ance that season of birth does help to determine a per¬ son’s choice of career. We will also have a direct measure of the similarities and differences that result from the astrogenetic expression. People born during the aboveaverage months will have exhibited, as a group, a pro¬ pensity for teaching, and to this extent they are similar. People born during the below-average months would also be similar—but different from those in the above-average group. To measure the similarities and differences, however, we need a significant number of birth dates within each profession. Not just hundreds, but thousands. And an¬ other major advantage of the survey technique is that extensive directories are available for a wide range of professions. Moreover, the biographical data may be readily obtained in any library, allowing the results re¬ ported in this book to be confirmed (or refuted) by other investigators. Beyond that, it is important to note that this book con¬ centrates on the relationship between season of birth and personality. We could, however, anticipate that similar studies would reveal an equivalent effect on health, life expectancy, marital relations, education, and other aspects of the human condition. Private organizations, businesses, and government agencies have files on these subjects that are not available to the general public but could produce a wealth of astrogenetic information. The Postscript at the end of this book is a summary of the method used to conduct the birth-date surveys, and my hope is that other investigators will use this survey procedure to ex¬ pand the field of inquiry into related areas.

THE SUN-SIGN CYCLE

A final advantage of the survey technique as applied to the professions is that it gives us a hint as to the type of personality that characterizes each season of birth. Every profession has, at least in the common wisdom, a stereotype personality. There may be a range of per-

A Test for the Astrogenetic Expression

23

sonality types within each profession, but most of us would agree, I believe, that the “doctor” has a personality that is different from that of the “professional athlete,” and both of these are different from our concept of the “artist.” We can use these stereotypes as a first approximation of the effect of season of birth on personality. We can also use them to judge the accuracy of the sun-sign per¬ sonality cycle defined by classical astrology. Our object, in this case, will not be to validate astrology but to take advantage of an earlier understanding based on repeated observations. The present-day sun-sign definitions have remained unchanged for over eighteen centuries—ever since Ptolemy, a Greek living in Alexandria, wrote his Tetrabiblos in a.d. 140. Ptolemy based his statements on the earlier observations of Chaldean astrologers (three of whom followed a star to Bethlehem). And we can assume that the Chaldeans, in turn, derived their concepts from traditions dating back to prehistoric times. The enduring quality of these sun-sign definitions would indicate that they hold a germ of truth. They have been refined over the course of hundreds of generations, and while they may go beyond the truth in many instances, there is good chance that any contradictory characteristics would have been filtered out by thousands of years of observation and test. To facilitate this comparison, I have organized the birth-date data on the basis of the classical zodiac calen¬ dar, rather than our conventional calendar on the wall. (A further reason is that the “clock” for the astrogenetic cycle is probably the changing length of the solar day— marked by the zodiac divisions which coincide with the summer and winter solstices and the two equinoxes.) The zodiac cycle will also serve as a starting point in our analysis of the survey results—but with an important change in emphasis. Everyone likes to be special, so astrologers have traditionally stressed the sun-sign differ¬ ences, as if abrupt changes occurred on the specific days when the sun moved from one zodiac constellation to the next. The birth-date surveys confirm these differences, but they also reveal the existence of trends which rise and fall as the year progresses. Similar trends and patterns can also be detected in the classical sun-sign definitions, as indi¬ cated by the following descriptions for each sign:

24

A Test for the Astro genetic Expression

CAPRICORN, December 22 to January 20—Persons born during this month are strong, highly organized, and pre¬ occupied with personal prestige. But their apparent strength is only on the surface—compensating for the deep sense of insecurity which characterizes all of the winter months. This leads, in turn, to a whole set of con¬ tradictions in the way Capricorns relate to themselves and others. They are intensely loyal to family and friends and expect loyalty in return. At the same time, they are oddly selfish and find it difficult to be truly intimate with their close associates. They have an active imagination, but always within safe bounds. They work themselves into po¬ sitions of authority not for power but for protection. Classical Capricorns: Richard Nixon, J. Edgar Hoover, Mao Tse-tung. AQUARIUS, January 21 to February 19—Aquarians share the inner insecurity of the Capricorns. But persons bom during this month are willing, even anxious, to let go of those around them. Their security comes, instead, from their own active imagination and quick intelligence. They are tolerant, affectionate, and loyal, with an intuitive understanding that others are just as frail as themselves. Yet they can also appear to be distant and abstract in their relationship with others. This is because they live in a world of dreams, real enough to the dreamer but in¬ consistent and flighty to others. Classical Aquarians: Franklin Roosevelt, Adlai Stevenson, Abraham Lincoln. PISCES, February 20 to March 22—Individuals born during this month carry the flight from reality one step further. They not only let go of the world around them; they also let go of themselves. This is the least stable and in many ways the most interesting of all the signs. Without any firm inner base, the Piscian is constantly changing in response to inner moods and external pres¬ sures. The movements tend to be exaggerated, since there is no internal mechanism to keep them under control. And all this is combined with an intensity of feeling and

A Test for the Astrogenetic Expression

25

action that can change abruptly to moodiness when the Piscian realizes that things have gone too far. But the constant search for strength from the outside has its posi¬ tive attributes. Piscians have a high sense of duty, do their best at any task assigned to them, and can display an open-hearted warmth for others more unfortunate than themselves. Classical Piscians: Patty Hearst, Ted Kennedy, Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie Gleason. ARIES, March 23 to April 21—With Aries we have the start of the inner drive and self-confidence that will carry through the summer months. But the insecurities of win¬ ter remain, giving the Arian a childlike character: petu¬ lant, impatient, and self-centered. They want their way, but are uncertain how to achieve it—except with a pout or stamp of the foot. They enjoy excitement, are highly inventive and enthusiastic, and must always have the last word. They can also be irrational, but in a wide-eyed, in¬ nocent way that can be both infuriating and disarming. Classical Arians: Bette Davis.

Nikita Khrushchev,

Marlon Brando,

TAURUS, April 22 to May 22—With Taurus, the child¬ like Arian has grown up to adolescence. Life is a challenge to be constantly tested and conquered. Not yet fully se¬ cure, the Taurean tends to be stubborn, argumentative, and unchanging. But these are defensive mechanisms, a part of the adolescent period of exploration and experi¬ ment. The Taurean may be determined, but he is also cautious, self-reliant, and looking toward the future. He is confident that, given a chance, he can make the world a better place for everyone. Classical Taureans: Harry S. Truman, Sigmund Freud, Oliver Cromwell. GEMINI, May 23 to June 21—Geminis are the young adults of the zodiac. They are full of energy and enthu-

26

A Test for the Astrogenetic Expression

siasm. But if life is an open stage, they are still uncertain of the role they are to play. Their sign, the Twins, does not mean that they are schizophrenic or unstable (this honor belongs to the Piscians). Instead, it means that they are perfectly capable of taking either side of an argument, abruptly shifting ground if this will gain them an advan¬ tage. Their energy expresses itself both physically and mentally, and even their failures can be spectacular. Classical Geminis: John F. Kennedy, Brigham Young, Errol Flynn.

John Dillinger,

CANCER, June 22 to July 21—With this month, the zodiac reaches the security of middle age. Cancers are stable, dedicated to family and friends, and highly protec¬ tive of the status they have achieved. Astrologers say that Cancers live in a dream world, like Aquarians and Piscians, but it is a dream that has come true, and Can¬ cers are careful that nothing will intrude to jar their serenity. There is a negative side, however, to this pro¬ tective attitude. The conservatism of the Cancers can give the false impression that they are aloof and unfeeling. Classical Cancers: Calvin Coolidge, Gerald Ford, Andrew Wyeth. LEO, July 22 to August 21—Leos rule the zodiac, and they know it. People born during this month have fixed, firm ideas as to how the world should be run, and their place of ascendancy in that world. They can have intense feelings, but it is not appropriate for a person in their position to display those feelings. As kings and queens of the zodiac, they do not need to assert their authority. They simply take it for granted. Classical Leos: Jacqueline Shaw, Napoleon Bonaparte.

Kennedy,

George

Bernard

VIRGO, August 22 to September 20—Virgos are the little old ladies of the zodiac cycle. The uncertainties of winter are beginning to creep into their character. So

A Test for the Astrogenetic Expression

27

Virgos are savers of string and tireless solvers of every problem they encounter, no matter how insignificant. Everything has to be in its place, including the people around them. Yet all of this is done with the wisdom and assurance of a person who has experienced life to the full and has all the answers. Classical Virgos: Lyndon Johnson, H. L. Mencken, Wil¬ liam Howard Taft. LIBRA, September 21 to October 21—This is the month of transition. People born during Libra have the strength of summer, but this is balanced by a sure knowledge of the precarious months ahead. So Libras are always in the middle, taking one side or the other with equal ease, and using their logical minds to achieve harmony through compromise. Discord is unnecessary. Besides, it gets in the way of close, warm relationships. Classical Libras: Dwight Eisenhower, Mahatma Gandhi, Charlie Brown. SCORPIO, October 22 to November 20—With the Scor¬ pios, the balance has tilted. Intensely personal and physi¬ cal (polite words for “sensual”), Scorpios seem to be driven by inner fears which are never resolved. But Scor¬ pios are not divorced from reality, nor do they live in a world of fantasy. Both of these characteristics appear later in the zodiac cycle. Instead, Scorpios are constantly search¬ ing for answers, aggressively prying into the affairs of others, but always careful to hide their own feelings. Classical Scorpios: Richard Burton, George Gallup, Robert Kennedy.

Margaret

Mead,

SAGITTARIUS, November 21 to December 21—Sagittarians and Capricorns share the depth of winter and the insecurities that go with it. But they resolve their problems in opposite fashion. Capricorns attempt to control their environment; Sagittarians simply don’t care. Sagittarians can be frank, for example, to the point of rudeness—not

28

A Test for the Astrogenetic Expression

because they don’t know better, but because it is easier to be honest. Their easygoing ways and lack of self-discipline stem from the same source. It is simpler to slip and slide through life’s adversities than to buck the inevitable. And always with a laugh. Unless, of course, they are backed into a corner, and then the smile can become a snarl. Classical Sagittarians: Frank Sinatra, James Thurber, Mark Twain, William Buckley, Jr.

CHAPTER 3

Asfrogenetic

Trends and Patterns

The history of astrology has been punctuated by repeated attempts to use birth-date surveys to prove or disprove the concept that the stars have an influence over our lives. Twentieth-century astrologers can refer to the works of Paul Choisnard of France, Karl Krafft of Switzerland, and John Addey of England. As a counterargument, sci¬ entists can cite equally convincing results obtained by an¬ other Frenchman, Michel Gauquelin, and by Bart J. Bok of the United States. The charts on the following pages are not a part of this debate. All of the previous investigators were looking for the presence (or absence) of black-and-white dif¬ ferences that could be related to the influence of the stars and planets—and stopped when they felt they had proved their point. Their surveys suffered, therefore, from one or more of the following faults: insignificantly small samples, a diffuse definition of the “quality” being tested, questionable astronomy, and failure to apply accepted statistical techniques in the analysis of the data. By contrast, the surveys reported in this book were structured on the belief that the astrogenetic effect would be subtle—if present at all—and that extreme care would have to be taken if we were to find the elusive needle. The results, as summarized here, exceed all expectations

29

30

Astrogenetic Trends and Patterns

and provide convincing proof that season of birth does have a direct influence on personality—at least to the extent that personality contributes to our choice of pro¬ fession or activity. But this conclusion was not reached until hundreds of thousands of birth dates had been tabu¬ lated and analyzed, using computer-derived binomial dis¬ tribution tables to evaluate the degree to which the results could be credited to chance alone. Moreover, for the first time in any survey work of this type, adjustments were made to eliminate distortions in the data due to the varying length of months and natural variations in the distribution of birth dates in an adult population. Adjustments of this type, detailed in the Postscript, be¬ come extremely important as the sample size is increased and small differences become significant. In fact, failure to make these corrections can account for a part of the con¬ fusion that has resulted from the earlier investigations. Both astrologers and scientists, for example, have used a survey of musicians conducted by Karl Krafft in the 1930s to support their respective arguments. Astrologers see a meaningful trend in the 2,817 birth dates; scientists dismiss the differences as statistically insignificant. Yet if we apply the appropriate adjustments to Krafft’s original data, we find that the odds against chance for the high and low points are at least a thousand to one. Even more important for our discussion here, Krafft’s data shows a below-average interval identical to that indicated in our present-day charts for singers and composers. Virgo is again the furthest below average, and three out of four of the highest months are identical. The only exception, in Krafft’s case, is a high point in Taurus, which is also the high point in our survey of a related performing art: acting. The ultimate test of any scientific concept is whether “reproducible results” can be obtained by separate investi¬ gators. Krafft’s survey was taken two generations ago, yet his results parallel, beyond any possibility of chance, our current investigations. Scientists may question the theory, presented later in this book, that the personality patterns revealed by the surveys are a function of chemical changes in the mother’s body during the period between conception and birth. But if they disagree with this theory, they will have to replace it with one that is equally reasonable. The surveys show, without question, that something is happen-

Astrogenetic Trends and Patterns

31

mg to affect our lives that is directly related to our season of birth.

INTERPRETING THE CHARTS

Several other comments should be made before we examine the charts on the following pages: • The “above-average” and “below-average” nota¬ tions do not mean that individuals are better or worse at a profession or activity. The terms sim¬ ply indicate a difference in the degree to which people are attracted to this particular activity. If the profession “fits,” an above-average number of individuals will choose it as a career. The reverse of this statement is also true, and can be just as revealing. • The dates which divide the months are arbitrary and should not be interpreted too strictly. If your birth date is near one of the division points, you should also look at the record for the adjoining month. Moreover, if there is any “moment of truth,” it is the time of your conception, not birth. So if you know you were premature or late, use the date you were expected, not your date of birth. • The number of birth dates in each survey may vary from a few hundred to over ten thousand, and this has a direct effect on the significance of the results (see Postscript). Above-average and below-average variations can easily occur by chance, but the odds against chance are sharply increased with a large sample—and decreased when the sample is small. To make comparisons more meaningful, all of the charts have been scaled to an identical level of significance, or odds against chance. The same percentage differ¬ ence may therefore result in bars of different length from chart to chart, depending on the number of birth dates in each sample. • We will be judging the significance of the results on the basis of the odds against chance of indi¬ vidual months and on the indication of trends or patterns within each year. But our final proof will

32

Astrogenetic Trends and Patterns be the fact that nearly identical patterns are re¬ peated, again and again, when we consider similar or related professions. The odds against this oc¬ curring by luck alone are too high to calculate, and we must accept as truth the evidence that there is a relationship between our date of birth and the way we live our lives.

BIRTH-DATE SURVEYS Literature Journalists and editors Librarians Authors University scholars

28 30 32 34

Sports College athletes Professional baseball players Pitchers Infielders and catchers Outfielders Lifetime hitters

36 38 40 42 44 46

Business Men Young men Young women Women

48 50 52 54

Performing Arts Singers Composers Musicians Jazz musicians Actors Celebrities

56 58 60 62 64 66

Arts and Sciences Artists Architects Engineers Scientists

68 70 72 74

Astrogenetic Trends and Patterns The Professions Lawyers Advertising executives Clergymen Schoolteachers Physicians Psychiatrists Bankers Labor leaders Community leaders Politics Political scientists Politicians \ Government officials Congressmen and Presidents

76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92

94 96 98 100

33

34

Astrogenetic Trends and Patterns

LITERATURE Our first four surveys relate to the world of ideas and words. The chart on the next page is based on the birth dates of the two thousand individuals who identify themselves as journalists and editors in Who's Who in America. We can see at a glance that Scorpios are attracted to this profession in numbers that far exceed those of individuals bora at other times of the year. We can also see that journalism is an unattractive profession for Capricorns. All of the other months have random variations around the expected average for the year. The Scorpio and Capricorn records can be easily ex¬ plained in terms of their sun-sign definitions. Journalism requires a long apprenticeship. Star reporters may get their byline on front-page stories, but the balance of the newspaper must be written by individuals who receive vir¬ tually no recognition for their efforts. And it may be a long time before we have another Watergate to create its journalistic heroes. The natural inquisitiveness of the Scorpios is shown by their above-average rating. They are willing to dig for the facts because knowledge is its own reward. Capricorns, on the other hand, would find the lack of recognition a serious threat to their ego and security—particularly in a profession that is characterized by unstable working conditions and modest salaries.

BELOW AVERAGE ABOVE AVERAGE

ooooo O O 04 r—i

rr CM

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ODDS AGAINST CHANCE c}

4,651 COMMUNITY LEADERS Source: Community Leaders & Noteworthy Americans (American .Biographical Institute)

100

Astrogenetic Trends and Patterns

POLITICS Our final section is devoted to the political process in a nation governed by laws, not men. But people must create the laws, and other people must implement the laws that have been established. Our surveys will examine the significant differences that exist between these two groups. To set the stage, our first survey is of political scien¬ tists—mostly college professors—who deal with politics at a theoretical level. As residents of the United States, they must have “faith” in the American system and also be willing to express their belief in terms their audiences can understand. It is more than coincidence, then, that we have a concentration of five above-average months in the middle of the year—identical to that of the pattern estab¬ lished by clergymen. Leos, always interested in the exercise of authority, provide the high point for the above-aver¬ age curve.

BELOW AVERAGE

ABOVE AVERAGE

oo o o o

CO C4 -I

fl

r»

o o o o o r-> CJ rr

O O

ODDS AGAINST CHANCE Cj-

5,146 POLITICAL SCIENTISTS Source: Biographical Directory (American Political Science Association)

102

Astrogenetic Trends and Patterns

Politicians, as defined in this survey of mayors, county su¬ pervisors, and other elected officials below the federal level, are the “workers” of the political system. They interpret the laws that have been enacted by Congress, but few of them have any voice in the philosophical debates which led to their adoption. They function, therefore, in a man¬ ner very similar to lawyers. And again it is no coincidence that the five above-average months are identical to those for attorneys. Several important facts emerge from the chart. Politics has been described as “the art of the possible.” And this is why the Libras, with their emphasis on compromise, rep¬ resent the highest month in the above-average interval. It also explains why Aries and Taurus are so far below average. It is also significant that Cancer nearly matches Libra as an above-average month. The Cancer record helps to explain why politics at the local level often leans to the right, even when we are electing a liberal administration in Washington, D.C.

BELOW AVERAGE

ABOVE AVERAGE

o o o o o OO d rH

TN

Pt

o o o o o H C) Tf O O i~*

£□ ODDS AGAINST CHANCE C}

5,022 POLITICIANS Source: Who’s Who in American Politics (Bowker)

ci

104

Astrogenetic Trends and Patterns

Government officials can be viewed as “nonelected politi¬

cians,” the state and national equivalent of the politicians who operate at the local level. And again, their function is to implement the laws passed by Congress, not create them. The pattern for government officials is not as clear as it was in the previous two charts, but the outline remains the same. In fact, it is surprising that we find any pattern at all, since we are dealing with a group that includes tax collectors, diplomats, welfare administrators, and space scientists. The important point, however, is that at both the local and national level, in both theory and practice, the implementers of the law have shown a consistent astrogenetic pattern, with the above-average months concentrated in the middle of the year. And this prepares the way for our final chart, which is based on a survey of the individuals who create those laws.

BELOW AVERAGE ABOVE AVERAGE December 22

—4.6?

CAPRICORN January 21

| +2.4%

AQUARIUS »/

February 20

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PISCES

YW

March 23 —0.1% '

ARIES April 22


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Odds Against Chance

187

it took only a few generations for slaves from Africa to adapt to the birth-rate pattern established by the planta¬ tion owners. Clearly, then, our birth rate is both cultural and change¬ able. To update the record to our present lifestyle, I made a detailed analysis of the six hundred thousand births that occurred in California during 1973 and 1974. The figures, when adjusted to standard thirty-day-month intervals, con¬ firm the strong upsurge in the summer-fall reported by other investigators. But the more I considered the prob¬ lem, the less satisfied I became with the information I had developed. The California statistics apply to just the cultural inclination of the present West Coast population of childbearing age. The birth-rate data also has a more serious fault: It tells us only the initial distribution of birth dates. Nearly all of our surveys relate to adult U.S. popula¬ tions, and we have no idea whether there is an astrogenetic effect on the rate at which people die. A parallel would be the fact that nearly 5 percent more males are born, but by early adulthood the ratio is even, and in the older age brackets, females predominate. Applying this to our present case, we can see that it is entirely possible that fewer babies might be bom during Capri¬ corn, but this distribution could be reversed by the time they reached adulthood if Capricorns enjoyed better health than those born in other months. What I needed to resolve these several questions was a “snapshot” of an existing U.S. adult population—as diversified as possible in age and cultural background. Fortunately, the present-day population of California meets this definition. “Native Californians” are still a rarity. Most of the residents are recent immigrants or children of immigrants from other parts of the country. Moreover, California has an extremely mobile popula¬ tion, and nearly every adult has a driver’s license—which expires on the driver’s birth date. By analyzing a sample of 472,000 driver’s licenses, randomly selected from among California’s 15 million drivers and adjusted to standard thirty-day months, I was able to obtain the astrogenetic distribution shown in the second chart. It is interesting to note that there is a definite peak in the summer-fall, similar to that shown by the California birth-rate data. But an even stronger peak is indicated in

BELOW AVERAGE December-22 CAPRICORN

—2.8%

/, * -1M

ABOVE AVERAGE

)

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January 21 -2.7% ^

AQUARIUS February 20 PISCES

-2.9% ^

i

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March 23 —2.2%

ARIES

^

April 22 —0.7%

TAURUS

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May 23

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GEMINI June 22 CANCER

+0.8%

+2.4%

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July 22

LEO

+ 5.1%

dan| 0

August 22

VIRGO September 21

*5-9%

+ 2.3%

LIBRA October 22

—2.4% ^

SCORPIO

V

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November 21

—2.7% ^

SAGITTARIUS

£

610,115 CALIFORNIA BIRTHS Source: California Department of Vital Statistics

BELOW AVERAGE

ABOVE AVERAGE

December 22

CAPRICORN

—1.0%

li r

January 21

\^+i-7*

AQUARIUS February 20

+1.9%

PISCES March 23 —i.i%

ARIES April 22

—2.9%

TAURUS May 23

—1.7% f

GEMINI

% r

June 22

5 +0.6%

CANCER

\T- +1.2%

July 22

LEO

T]

August 22

^ §+1.5%

VIRGO September 21

LIBRA October'22

—0.1%

SCORPIO November 21

SAGITTARIUS

—1.5%

472,403 CALIFORNIA DRIVERS Source: California Motor Vehicle Department

190

Odds Against Chance

late winter. Further research will be required to deter¬ mine whether this is the result of mixing cultures or of differing mortality rates. In any case, I now had a reasonable basis for apply¬ ing adjustment factors based on the actual distribution of birth dates in an adult U.S. population. The adjust¬ ment factor to bring each standard thirty-day month to an average population level is shown in the chart that follows, along with a combined factor which is, in effect, the adjustment factor we could have calculated directly from the driver’s-license data.

ADJUSTMENT FACTORS

Month CAPRICORN AQUARIUS PISCES ARIES TAURUS GEMINI CANCER, , LEO VIRGO LIBRA SCORPIO SAGITTARIUS

Thirty-day month -*

—

0.9600 —

0.9677 —

—

0.9677 —

0.9677 —

0.9677

Average population

Combined factors

1.0105 0.9830 0.9812 1.0111 1.0297 1.0174 0.9942 0.9881 0.9852 0.9853 1.0015 1.0156

1.0105 0.9830 0.9420 1.0111 0.9964 1.0174 0.9942 0.9562 0.9852 0.9535 1.0015 0.9828

SUMMARY OF SURVEY TECHNIQUE

The procedure for testing the effect of the astrogenetic expression can be summarized as follows: a) Tabulate the birth dates in the survey according to the month of birth, using the Astrogenetic Calendar as a guide. b) Multiply the total for each month by the appro¬ priate combined adjustment factor. c) Add up the adjusted totals for each month and

Odds Against Chance

191

divide this figure by twelve to obtain a monthly average. d) Calculate the percentage above or below average for each month, using the adjusted monthly figures. e) Evaluate the results by comparing the percentages with the table of odds against chance shown earlier in this chapter. Also observe whether any trends or patterns are evident during the year.

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• Most professional ballplayers are Libras. • Most Congressmen are Capricorns. • Most artists are Cancers. • Most lawyers and advertising executives are Geminis.

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is the science that explores the genetic corre¬ lation between birth date and individual per¬ sonality. Using modern statistical methods and highly advanced equipment, noted sci¬ ence author and editor Edmund Van Deusen has tabulated the career choices of hundreds of thousands of Americans to discern a star¬ tling pattern which far exceeds the limits of chance. Drawing on biochemistry, genetics, and anthropology, Astroqenetics convinc¬ ingly establishes the long-awaited bridge be¬ tween astrology and science.

Illustrated with dozens of fascinating charts and diagrams