Why smart people actually believe Mercury retrograde ruins lives
By Tim Donnelly and Robert Rorke
If you spilled a whiskey all over your computer or signed a lease for a bedbug-filled apartment, relax! It’s probably not your fault; it’s probably Mercury retrograde.
The astrological phenomenon, which started Thursday and goes until Oct. 9, is the hottest scapegoat in town, the juice cleanse of the cosmos, if you will.
According to astrological hucksters (and the flocks who follow them), the three periods each year when Mercury appears to be moving backward are total pandemonium, a time when the stars are liable to wreak havoc on technical devices, morning commutes and official documents.
Too bad it’s total nonsense. Mercury retrograde isn’t responsible for the G train being late or your iPhone freezing up, any more than that black cat that crossed your path gave you bad luck.
And yet, belief in “Mercury retrograde” is getting stronger and stronger. My social media feeds are filled with comments from otherwise logical, educated people who take the phenomenon seriously.