Comment: Romanians, horoscopes, and a nation's self esteem

Ever since a German friend told me Romanians have this obsession for horoscope and signs, I have been trying to find ways to explain to myself why this happens. The evidence was there, my friend was right. Ask any Romanian about the horoscope and surely they'll have something to say about. It can be a good ice breaker, it is true, and a good hint for a foreigner who wants to start on good terms with Romanians.

For many people it can be a decisive factor, even in business! This made me remember how I got my first job in journalism. I was still in university, studying journalism, so I basically I had little idea about it. The editor of the magazine where I went for an interview asked me some questions – honesty I can't remember what exactly - and at some point she asked me what was my sign. “Leo”, I said proudly.

I had hit home! She was a Leo too, and knew we would get along just fine. I was hired. This happened 10 years ago so maybe my memory does not serve me so well and there were other criteria she used when deciding to hire me, but that was my main impression at the time, and the only thing that stayed with me from the interview.

I had heard other similar stories. One guy delayed signing a large business deal because the stars did not align right, and no, he did not say it as a joke.

Just the other week while having dinner with colleagues, a big discussion started, all of a sudden, about signs, and who gets along with whom, and everyone seemed to have something to say, to the amazement – and joy – of our German friend and colleague.

As we're approaching the beginning of the new year, I know that newspapers, websites, and TV station will bring their best astrologists forward, to tell people how 2014 will be. Will we have money, will we privatize companies, will we win some major football competitions, what's the Government going to do? Everything can be a question for the lady astrologist, and for everything she has an answer. The best entertainment possible for many Romanians.

While in university, I had a colleague who had managed to find a job at a news website and one of his tasks was to write the horoscope of the day. Which he did, without having any idea how to do it, but he felt pretty inspired every day! Which is why when faced with horoscopes, I always remember my colleague's first job.

But jokes aside, there is actually a possible explanation as to why people are so interested in horoscopes. Checking and believing in horoscopes and signs is apparently linked to a low self esteem. French psychotherapists Cristophe Andre and Francois Lelord argue that people who lack self confidence need others to reinforce their qualities, tell them how they are, or to 'control' how their day/year will be, and horoscopes do just that.