Where can you meet like-minded people from all over the world, market your music, book, or artwork; and, simultaneously get back in contact with old friends, share your newest pictures with family, and make plans for tonight without a single phone call? The answer is online. Facebook and Myspace, the most popular worldwide networking sites, are a modern phenomenon. These free, interpersonal Web sites are the most frequented
hangouts on the Internet. With so many million subscribers and
thousands of new users each day, it’s not possible to publish an
accurate figure here! Registered users can, at no cost, message each
other, market their work, share photos, and preview music. The two
sites differ in appearance and some features, though both provide a
social network and opportunity to stay updated with friends, join
groups with common interests, and send and receive invitations to
events.
A Uranus in Pisces Revolution
A venture into a MySpace or Facebook profile, complete with
songs, photos, and whatever personal information one desires to
share, is a trip into an individual’s world. The MySpace network
gives space for self-expression with blogs, videos, and creative lay-
outs to express individual tastes. Once you create a profile on either
site, a collage of your interests, talents, experiences, and thoughts
becomes available to anyone who wishes to “open the box.” From
the practical, more straightforward nature of Facebook to the open
format of MySpace, each sign of the zodiac can tailor the sites to
suit his or her needs.
As far as astrological timing, it’s of interest that the sites debuted
in 2003 and 2004, after Uranus moved direct in Pisces. The planet
of technology and ruler of Aquarius, Uranus is also a higher octave
of Mercury, the messenger and communicator. The role of Uranus
is to shake things up, push for new methods, and expand global
consciousness. In Pisces until 2010, Uranus will continue to impact
music and the arts, self-expression, intimacy, fantasy, and secrets.
Clearly, MySpace and Facebook are Uranus in Pisces breakthroughs,
shattering the norm and changing the way we communicate and
make friends! Online networkers expand their number of contacts
by adding friends or family, and by inviting or accepting friends of
these friends to create a larger network.
Uranus is computers, connections, and large groups, while Pisces
is a personal and reflective sign. Combine these two, and you get
individuals sharing feelings and experiences through their status
updates, blogs, and bulletins to friends. From recalling a bad day to
sharing poetry or song lyrics to honoring a loved one who passed
on with video or photo tributes, Internet social sites have given
us license to express and reveal in a way that was never possible
before.
In the privacy of one’s own home computer, a profile is created
for “friends” to view, and depending on one’s personal privacy settings, for anyone who may stumble on it to discover! Facebook and
MySpace profiles are basically public journals and calendars made
available through technology. And in the nature of Uranus, both
have disrupted the status quo, created controversy, broken down communication barriers, and in some cases exacerbated the gap
between generations accustomed or unaccustomed to the use of
computer technology in everyday life. Let’s peer further into the
history and astrology of the two outlets and project how each Sun
Sign matches up to the features and personalities of MySpace and
Facebook sites.
MySpace.com
MySpace, incarnated in July of 2003, exhibits the networking
power of the Leo/Aquarius polarity with the creative nature of
Pisces, the dominant astrological forces of that summer. Mercury,
Jupiter, and the Sun toured Leo, and planets Mars and Uranus
resided in Pisces all month long. Neptune was well into the degrees
of Aquarius, across the zodiac from Leo planets, and directly opposite the planet of communication, Mercury, mid-month. The environment was ripe for an outlet like MySpace and the astrological
timing was in place. A bit more history illustrates the growth of this
interpersonal megalopolis.
MySpace.com was once an online storage and file-sharing firm
that failed in 2001 due to lack of funds and poor service. Prior to
that, the domain was home to a Web design firm. As Uranus moved
into Pisces for a seven-year stay, MySpace as we now know it began.
In July 2003, MySpace.com launched as the brainchild of Tom
Anderson, a musician with a film degree. This Libra co-founded the
site with business partners and he remains a visible part of the site
as every MySpace user’s first “friend.” Born October 14, 1975, Tom
grew up meeting friends and chatting online, and his vision was
to create something better and more efficient than the networking sites he had frequented. Another mission of the new MySpace
was to give musicians, artists, and bands an active online presence
for networking and for communicating with a wide audience of
potential fans. His idea filled a niche and it’s been wildly successful. MySpace Music now has its own division where bands, record
labels, and promoters post news, information, and music for users to
sample and post on their own sites. Meanwhile, as of this writing,
MySpace has become the top social networking site in the world
and is the fifth most popular English-language site of all.
MySpace has a strong Leo chart. Jupiter and Mercury are extroverted and creative in Leo. Check out random profiles, and you’ll see that people go to great lengths to individualize their cyberspace
homes in grand Leo style. Graphics, both borrowed and original, help illustrate the interests and personality of the user. From
“Which Tarot Card Are You?” to “What Color is Your Heart?” you
can find quizzes, surveys, celebrity photos, and other ways to “pimp”
your site in a variety of online locations. MySpace has few technological or content restrictions, so basically if you can find it or
design it, you can post most anything on your space.
The Leo “showbiz” personality is also part of the attraction to
the site. MySpace users can add musicians, authors, athletes, teams,
radio and television personalities, and other famous friends who
have profiles. Interaction with a “star” can range from receiving
general updates to bulletins or messages about secret, friends-only
events to accessing their blogs or, in some cases, maintaining contact through personal comments and messages. A MySpace profile
is practically a must now in the entertainment industry, and entertainers and artists benefit from the free and extensive promotion a
site provides.
Like all good things, MySpace also has a dark underbelly. The
site’s users are free to create their own fantasy worlds, which can
include altering their ages or using false identities. For example,
there are many sites where pranksters pose as famous people and
seek legions of “friends” falsely. A common deception is the age
change, where the young increase their age or older users opt to age
down by entering false birth dates in the sign-up process. Whenever
Neptune is involved, there’s a sense of illusion or fantasy present,
and in the case of MySpace, Mercury opposed Neptune at the time
of inception. Some of this fantasy is harmless, though other more
destructive forms of misrepresentation have been cited. Neptune
opposite Mercury is a warning to use communication wisely to
avoid scandal, gossip, or danger. MySpace users are wise to protect
themselves from poseurs, predators, or known detractors who could
use information with harmful intent.
Though both sites have implemented privacy settings, Facebook
users seem to be a more cautious bunch. If you browse for potential
friends on both sites, you will find many more on MySpace whose
profiles are easily viewed.
Facebook.com
Facebook shares the Aquarian community aspect, with the Sun
just a few degrees from Neptune at its launch on February 4, 2004.
The site was conceived by Mark Zuckerberg, a Taurus and one-time
Harvard student, who designed it as a networking space for Harvard. Too popular to stay exclusive, the site soon spread to other Ivy
League and Boston campuses. By September of 2006, Facebook was
available to anyone over the age of thirteen who had a valid e-mail
account. Often considered a more elite or intelligent networking
site, Facebook has a more practical, streamlined system designed
less for creative expression and more for instant connection. A
notable astrological influence on the date of Facebook inception
was Mercury in Capricorn, which may account for the down-to-earth feel of the site. Mercury in Capricorn is less showbiz and more
business-like and concrete. Facebook focuses on what’s going on
in the moment and is less about color, graphics, and personal style,
reflecting a more Capricorn mentality.
Click on Facebook “Home” and you’ll find a news feed feature, a
basic premise of the site, which keeps friends informed of their contacts’ updates, such as where they are currently, who they are now
friends with, and what pages they have visited. This has sometimes
been linked to cyberstalking; however, on Facebook, one can only
add friends linked to work, school, or a social network, and privacy
settings are available.
Subscribers can control what type of information is shared automatically and in turn prevent friends from seeing updates as desired.
A Facebook profile, limited to professional or school network, with
or without additional privacy settings, is less available to random browsers than one on MySpace. Still, with a strong Neptune
influence, individuals need to use caution to avoid deception and
distorted realities that could result from online interactions. College admissions officers and prospective employers now screen
candidates’ profiles as well, and many agree that it’s best to post
only what you’re willing to be judged upon, or to keep your profile
closed to the public.
Many people enjoy keeping profiles on both sites, possibly with
different frequency of use and often for different intents. Our Sun
sign may very well factor into which site we feel most comfortable with or which best suits our use. Style, habits, and purposes all factor in to Sun signs online.
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Aries
A speedy way to communicate is ideal for Aries, who wants to get
the message across and get on to other things. Aries may not create the most extensive photo album or reveal all in a blog, but she
does like the instant gratification of broadcasting plans and events
to a large group of friends simultaneously, followed by quick replies.
Aries is a Facebook on-the-go kind of girl, with a hand-held she can
check at a moment’s notice. The MySpace world may require too
much time and effort.
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Taurus
Taurus is generally a cautious user of networking sites. Slower to
warm up and less likely to give out personal information, Taurus
will lean toward a profile for friends only, with privacy settings in
place. Building a comfort level, Taurus will then be happy to attract
old friends back into his circle and develop an enjoyment of checking in, posting photos, and keeping in better touch, something he
used to do mainly by telephone. Facebook’s streamlined nature may
suit Taurus best.
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Gemini
Gemini is a sign that will happily take advantage of all online outlets. Facebook may be the social outlet used to plan with friends, find
the best party, and keep in continuous touch. Myspace combined
with a site like Live Journal provide the blogging space and outlet
necessary for Gemini to spread videos, photographs, and news stories
of interest. Once Gemini gets started, the online world can be central
to his universe. Granted, it may take a while for the initial interest
to develop, but once Gemini realizes there’s a way to socialize while
working and a method for marketing while making new friends,
Gemini will wonder how we ever knew life another way.
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Cancer
Reconnecting with old friends is a huge draw for Cancer, and Facebook seems to satisfy that need best. Since Facebook is organized by
networks, such as alma maters and hometowns, the site can become one big reunion online. Cancer likes that! While MySpace provides a good creative outlet for Cancer musicians, writers, or artists,
Facebook has the personal side a Cancer relates to. Going through
pictures of high school buddies organized in albums appeals to Cancer’s innate connection to the past. A Facebook trip down Memory
Lane will hook Cancer in for future visits to friends’ profiles.
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Leo
The wide open nature of MySpace has Leo appeal. With videos,
blogs, photos, and creative layouts, Leos love the ease of access and
creative expression factor. Then there’s the lure of unlimited friends
and contacts, connection to showbiz personalities and performers,
and the ability to showcase one’s own talents and tastes. Leo is in
Internet heaven in this domain. As one of the zodiac’s political,
creative, and social beings, Leos won’t hesitate to frequent more
than one site.
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Virgo
Virgo is a taste-tester in the online world. He’ll sample networking sites, find out which fits his options best, and tend to use it
minimally to communicate and plan in practical ways. Facebook
may be more of a home to Virgo, who’s satisfied with the more
minimalist approach, appreciates the privacy of smaller networks,
and doesn’t need flash and glitter on his page as a rule. Virgo is one
sign that will realize and appreciate the business possibilities of
both MySpace and Facebook. Ruled by planet Mercury, Virgo will
combine online friendships with building a clientele or marketing
services or goods.
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Libra
Both the founders of MySpace and Facebook were born under
signs ruled by Venus, the zodiac’s charmer. Like designers Tom and
Mark, Libra will revel in the social aspect and also maximize use of
Facebook and MySpace for both professional and personal reasons.
Ruled by air, Libra is likely to use the “chat” function that allows
instant conversations with online friends. From making plans for
Friday night to sharing shopping or sales tips, the profile photo and
instant connection has Libra appeal. Libra may be your friend who
uses sites to promote music or sell from her eBay store, finding ways
to innovate and combine business with pleasure.
- Scorpio
Having a dedicated space for self-expression is a great Scorpio outlet. A Scorpio writer can blog or try out his new stories on friends.
Scorpio musicians can post songs, and videographers and photographers can create galleries of their works. Scorpio will appreciate
features of both sites, using MySpace for creative pursuits and Facebook, with privacy settings, for contact with true friends. Scorpio
appreciates you not leaving lots of public messages and comments.
Make plans and send messages using the Inbox instead.
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Sagittarius
Sagittarius is a casual user of online networking sites. In fact, many
Sagittarians may find they don’t have the time or the attention
span to bother. On the other hand, the social network is appealing
to Sagittarius, and once hooked she will value the speed and ease
of connecting with friends. Facebook mobile access on the hand-held is made for Sagittarius’s personal style, and with no downtime
necessary, Sagittarius can communicate on the fly. Sagittarius musicians and writers are the exception, and they will use MySpace and
other online outlets with more enthusiasm to promote their work.
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Capricorn
Capricorn shares that Facebook quality of streamlining communication. Remember that Mercury visited Capricorn when Facebook
was born. Capricorn is a sign that will use online networking for
both business and pleasure and may choose to keep separate sites
for each. For professional reasons, Capricorn appreciates being
able to market and manage a contact list so easily. These sites are
just another way to do business for a sign that loves to diversify.
For friendship, Capricorn may not be out to meet new people as
much as keep up with high school, college, and other friends and
acquaintances. Capricorn values the past, and previous to online
networking, catching up with old friends required much more
work. For Capricorn, Facebook and MySpace use has to be efficient
and personally satisfying to keep his attention.
- Aquarius
Aquarius, the sign of friendship and community, vision, and technology, probably wonders how we ever functioned prior to online networks! Astrologically, both major networking sites have strong
Aquarius charts, illustrating the Aquarian aspect of the online world
in general. Facebook and MySpace groups, where like-minded individuals connect, will appeal to Aquarius, who is always interested
in sharing information and expertise. From maintaining friendships
to creating social calendars, broadcasting music and events, and
maintaining galleries or blogs of creative work, Aquarius is all in!
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Pisces
Pisces folks vary in the way they feel about online social sites. Some
Pisces love another way to communicate with friends while others
feel it’s no substitute for a real phone conversation or face-to-face
meeting. Creative Pisces revels in a place where you can share art
and music with ease! Then there are the Pisces who act as voyeurs,
scanning sites and profiles but participating minimally, out of fear
or uncertainty. Pisces is a complex sign when it comes to online
networking. Using an appropriate amount of caution is a good idea
for Pisces, Neptune’s sign, since they are vulnerable to any kind of
fantasy world. Once comfortable, Pisces enjoys having another way
to keep in touch with dear friends who are far away.
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From Llewellyn's 2010 Sun Sign Book. For a list of current calendars and almanacs, click here.
