Adults who believe in astrology

Between 2010 and 2022, American adults expressing belief in astrology and the Forbes count of Chinese billionaires climbed together (r = 0.957) in one of those pairings that feels like a subtle op-ed waiting to be written. Both categories rely, in the end, on the confident assertion that certain alignments yield certain outcomes. The stars organized themselves. Shenzhen, accordingly, minted billionaires.

The share of American adults expressing belief in astrology grew from about 25% in 2010 to over 33% by 2022, with particular growth among 18-34 women and a broad mainstreaming through Co-Star, The Pattern, and astrology-themed Instagram accounts; Forbes-counted Chinese billionaires grew from about 115 to a peak of 620 before trimming to roughly 490 by 2022. Both are expansions of categories that used to be private or semi-legitimate into fully public, fully indexed phenomena. Astrology apps monetized at about $40 per engaged user per year; Chinese billionaires were, on average, 12 years younger at IPO than their Western peers. Both industries grew because they could.

A horoscope is consulted. A fortune is compounded. The decade, as always, rewarded certain kinds of confidence.