{"id":13342,"date":"2014-07-23T18:36:47","date_gmt":"2014-07-23T22:36:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/astrologicalmusings\/?p=13342"},"modified":"2014-08-14T17:44:11","modified_gmt":"2014-08-14T21:44:11","slug":"optimism-americas-kryptonite-john-oliver","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/astrologicalmusings\/blog\/optimism-americas-kryptonite-john-oliver\/","title":{"rendered":"John Oliver proves that Sagittarius is rising in the US chart"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"Screen<\/a>There is a big debate among astrologers about the rising sign of the US chart. \u00a0I use the \u201cSibley\u201d chart, named after Ebenezer Sibley who created it, and has Sagittarius rising on the ascendant. \u00a0Michael Wolfstar O\u2019Reilly insists that Scorpio is rising<\/a> in the chart because the power that America wields is reflected in the Scorpio archetype, and because the symbolic Eagle is also tied into Scorpio. \u00a0In this article he also explains how the Gemini rising chart came about.<\/p>\n

Michael and I have had some spirited debates on the subject. \u00a0Now John Oliver has put that debate to rest.<\/p>\n

The ascendant is the persona \u2013 it reflects the way we see ourselves, the lens through which our experiences are filtered, and how\u00a0we are seen by others. \u00a0 Sagittarius is the sign of optimism, faith and religion, and it\u2019s easy to see how the American persona fits under that umbrella. \u00a0No other country is such driven by religion and faith \u2013 and no other country is as optimistic and expansive as the US. \u00a0Sagittarius types are typically open and friendly, and Americans are seen the world over as having big friendly personalities (often TOO friendly for some more conservative nationalities). \u00a0But it\u2019s American optimism that is probably the single biggest quality that is identified with the American persona.<\/p>\n

I love John Oliver and listen religiously to his podcast \u201cThe Bugle\u201d which sadly is on hiatus because of Oliver\u2019s new status as major media star. \u00a0If you haven\u2019t seen his HBO program \u201cLast Week Tonight\u201d you really owe it to yourself to try it. \u00a0I heard Oliver say in his podcast that America is relentlessly optimistic to the point of ridiculousness. \u00a0In fact, he said, \u201cOptimism is America\u2019s kryptonite.\u201d<\/p>\n

In this great video John Oliver\u00a0exposes the self-destructive side of American optimism and in so doing, puts a nail in the coffin of the Scorpio rising argument, in my mind at least!! \u00a0Enjoy the video \u2013 it\u2019s long, but worth watching.<\/p>\n