Thursday, October 05, 2006

Numerology Review Part 1: My Life Path

As much as I dislike target advertising and annoying spam, I've occasionally come to actually like the banner ads and newsfeeds Google provides in Gmail. Occasionally it provides me with astronomy tidbits I might have overlooked, there's been cool things about gadgets, and of course, when I get Emails discussing creationism, it has links to silly creationist sites for me to chuckle at.

But recently, Gmail's ad service popped up one saying I could get my free numerology review. Being the skeptic I am, I figured I'd check it out and see how it fared. So I headed to their website and signed up for my free mini-reading. After putting in my full name and birthday (which is in fact, today), I recieved an Email with my profile. I'll go through point by point (skipping how the "results" were derived) and see how this exact methodology fares (If you want the short version, it fails). I'll put the text from their review in italics and my comments on accuracy in plain text. Each point will be rated as "true", if it is an accurate statement about me, "false" if it's not, or "too vague" if it's something is not well defined or applies to pretty much everyone. So let's begin!

My Life Path (7):
You are a reserved: False. In fact, I'm quite the opposite. If something angers me, or I feel it needs commenting on, I'm not shy about saying something. One of my ex-girlfriends forbid me to ever meet an entire half of her family because they're all devoutly religious and I'm generally not one to hold my tongue when someone starts preaching to me.

analytical: Too Vague. What's this supposed to mean? I try to figure things out? Is there anyone in the world that, upon being told they're analytical would respond by saying "Hell no! I don't think about things!"

peace-loving: Too Vague. This could apply to anyone as well. I doubt there are many people out there that really have a passion for starting wars (although one of the few exceptions is in the White House). But if we take this more in an academic sense as opposed to physical, then this statement could be dubbed "false". I love a good debate so long as its well reasoned.

blessed with intuition: Too Vague. Again, who's going to say that they don't have an intuiative understanding of things and are clueless to reality.

and intelligence: Too Vague. Most of these comments so far just play to peoples egos. Is anyone going to deny this and say, "nope. I'm an idiot!" Thus, anyone could feel this comment applies to them.

Your ability to concentrate, learn and absorb information far outshines other numbers and you often excel at all forms of scholastics: False, False, True. I'm terrible at concentrating. There's so many other more entertaining things I could be doing than studying. I have real difficulty forcing myself to actually work. As far as learning goes, I often find myself being just about the last person to catch on to things in academic subjects. However, for the last point (absorbing information), I do seem to have a strange knack for this. I remember bits of completely random conversations very well. Not necessarily in context, but I've sure absorbed a lot of junk.

your intellectual prowess as well as the clarity and foresight of mind is very evident to others at an early age.: False. I would argue that I don't have any sort of intellectual prowess beyond the ordinary person. Intellectual curiosity, perhaps, but I'm no genius.

you are also a very spiritual number: False. I'm about as far from spiritual as a person can get!

You dislike braggarts, gossips and neurotic individuals: Too Vague. I don't know anyone that would love such people. Foaming at the mouth isn't cool.

find socializing difficult: False. I have no problem with socializing. I just find it tedious. I prefer an in depth conversation.

your contempt of other people, who are often, indeed acting like fools: True. This blog should be evidence enough.

You dislike crowds: True. Too many people just annoy me.

noise: False. I get edgy when things become too quiet. I always have music playing. Even if it's only in my head.

confusion: Too Vague. Who does like being confused? It's not a pleasant feeling for anyone I'd imagine.

others are more likely to find you watching television at home rather than attending a big sports events: False. I love a good baseball game, dispite the crowds. I don't get to too many, but then again, I don't think I've actually watched TV in several months either.

tend to excel at any career: False. If I'm so amazing, why did I have so much trouble with Calculus 2?

have the discipline and mental power to master anything in half the time of the other: False. Did I mention it took me three tries to the through Calc 2?

very good with money: False. I've forgotten how many times I've accidentally over drafted my savings account.

reluctant to lend or borrow money: False. I frequently borrow money from my parents to buy things at the beginning of the summer and work to pay it off as I have a job over the summer. I think I still owe a bit for my telescope I bought 2 years ago... Meanwhile, when I hit Comic Con, I got items for several friends that still owe me money.

Others simply cannot evaluate or analyze information as fast as you: False. My partner in my Classic Mechanics class is always having to repeat things for me.

suffer a great deal of rejection from their peers as they are seen as contemptuous and aloof: False. I seem to be generally liked around the department. Most of the people I know that don't like me don't do so because I'm contemptuous, but rather because I'm brutally honest.

Overcoming shyness is also a common problem: False. I've been just fine with this.

not likely to have a wide circle of friends: True, although that has been changing recently.

once you do accept someone as your friend the bond is usually for life: False. People frequently come and go in my life. I rarely keep up with friends from my last school.

not unusual for a seven to go their entire life without a partner: Too Vague. I wouldn't say I've been amazingly successful, but nor have I been a disaster case. But since I haven't had the time in life to really say one way or another, I'll leave this one alone.

You are happiest when you are alone to pursue your innermost thoughts and inner dreams: Too Vague. I like being left alone when I'm understanding something and doing my own thing, but at the same time, I also recognize that I'm in no way able to do everything by myself. Thus, I prefer to have my friends and mentors there to help me along.


Whew! That's only the first section of the Email. I think I'll call it quits there as I have some other things on my plate tonight. So let's take count at this point and see how Numerology stacks up:

True: 4
False: 16
Too Vague: 8

So this review gave me a total of 28 points about myself. Only four of them ended up being correct in a manner that was unique to myself. That mean Numerology gets a 15% success rating! Not doing too well.

Later, I'll start going through other sections of the Email I recieved and see if their fortunes will improve.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Isn't find socializing difficult and likely to have a wide circle of friends somewhat contradictory? Especially since you can master anything in half the time as anyone else...

Jon Voisey said...

Oops. I think it didn't catch the word "not" at the beginning of that sentence when I copied it. Thanks for noticing.

Either way, I don't expect it to make sense. Junk science rarely does.

Stephen said...

Happy birthday.

TheBrummell said...

Yes, have a happy birthday.

Anonymous said...

Dude I guess you never read any full interpretations of the 7 Life Path: it's possible to be reserved MOST of the time, but get angry and lash out at people you consider to be idiots who piss you off...

"In the most negative use of the 7 energies, you can become very pessimistic, lackadaisical, quarrelsome, and secretive. A Life Path 7 individual who is not living life fully and gaining through experiences, is a hard person to live with because of a serious lack of consideration and because there is such a negative attitude. The negative 7 is very selfish and spoiled. If you have any of the negative traits they are very difficult to get rid of because you tend to feel that the world really does owe you a living or in some way is not being fairly treated. Fortunately, the negative 7 is not the typical 7, at least not without some mitigating positive traits. This number is one that seems to have some major shifts from highs to lows. Stability in feelings may be elusive for you."

http://www.aryabhatt.com/numerology/lifepath.htm

Anyway you do seem extremely intelligent... I mean you're a fucking astronomer... maybe a bit too pedantic but whatever...

Anonymous said...

P.S. Astronomy major, ok... not a "real" astronomer yet... I don't know how that works, whatever though you still have to be pretty damn smart...

Anyway if you want something more detailed than just one segment of your numerology profile, try getting your birth chart done :) Seriously...

http://www.crawfordperspectives.com/documents/IAMACAPRICORN_000.pdf
http://www.bobmarksastrologer.com/skeptics.htm
http://astrologyresearchjournal.org/

I don't know (all I've read is this one segment of your blog) but if I had to guess I'd say you were probably born with the moon in Scorpio; you write the same way a guy I used to work with spoke (he was awesome by the way)...

"Sun in Libra, Moon in Scorpio

These astrological positions indicate a clever and shrewd personality. You tend to be aggressive and are often downright blasphemous. When crossed you wreak revenge in full measure. You relish displaying your wit and knowledge and make a point of telling others of your various successes and victories. These shows of your achievement, however, are to your detriment because they earn you the ill will of others. You lean toward the darker sides of life, and your imagination can be morbid. You are fascinated by the mysterious, malignant forces in the universe. A nocturnal individual, your thoughts often turn to death, finalities, and the mysteries of life after death.

The key to a more harmonious self lies in developing optimism and recognizing the good that exists in the world."

http://www.astro.com

Anonymous said...

P.S. Astronomy major, ok... not a "real" astronomer yet... I don't know how that works, whatever though you still have to be pretty damn smart...

Anyway if you want something more detailed than just one segment of your numerology profile, try getting your birth chart done :) Seriously...

http://www.crawfordperspectives.com/documents/IAMACAPRICORN_000.pdf
http://www.bobmarksastrologer.com/skeptics.htm
http://astrologyresearchjournal.org/

I don't know (all I've read is this one segment of your blog) but if I had to guess I'd say you were probably born with the moon in Scorpio; you write the same way a guy I used to work with spoke (he was awesome by the way)...

"Sun in Libra, Moon in Scorpio

These astrological positions indicate a clever and shrewd personality. You tend to be aggressive and are often downright blasphemous. When crossed you wreak revenge in full measure. You relish displaying your wit and knowledge and make a point of telling others of your various successes and victories. These shows of your achievement, however, are to your detriment because they earn you the ill will of others. You lean toward the darker sides of life, and your imagination can be morbid. You are fascinated by the mysterious, malignant forces in the universe. A nocturnal individual, your thoughts often turn to death, finalities, and the mysteries of life after death.

The key to a more harmonious self lies in developing optimism and recognizing the good that exists in the world."

http://www.astro.com

TheBrummell said...

Yes, have a happy birthday.

Anonymous said...

Dude I guess you never read any full interpretations of the 7 Life Path: it's possible to be reserved MOST of the time, but get angry and lash out at people you consider to be idiots who piss you off...

"In the most negative use of the 7 energies, you can become very pessimistic, lackadaisical, quarrelsome, and secretive. A Life Path 7 individual who is not living life fully and gaining through experiences, is a hard person to live with because of a serious lack of consideration and because there is such a negative attitude. The negative 7 is very selfish and spoiled. If you have any of the negative traits they are very difficult to get rid of because you tend to feel that the world really does owe you a living or in some way is not being fairly treated. Fortunately, the negative 7 is not the typical 7, at least not without some mitigating positive traits. This number is one that seems to have some major shifts from highs to lows. Stability in feelings may be elusive for you."

http://www.aryabhatt.com/numerology/lifepath.htm

Anyway you do seem extremely intelligent... I mean you're a fucking astronomer... maybe a bit too pedantic but whatever...