Revolution, and the Economic Squeeze of a Nation
AstroGnosis || Functional Astrology
When UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot dead on 12/4/24, it wasn’t just another tragic headline. The chilling details—a jacket stuffed with Monopoly money and bullet casings inscribed with “Deny, Depose, Delay”—paint a vivid picture of growing public rage against the machinery of inequality. The reactions that followed were even more telling: Reddit forums celebrating, comment sections awash with dark humor, and sentiments of “just desserts” cutting through the national discourse.
And tellingly, Mainstream Media feigned a shocked, shocked! response.
Though the event itself was isolated, it is indicative of the collective’s seething unrest. You can feel it on the streets, and see it plainly in the astrology of the US chart. Both astrologically, and historically, you can track the pot being heated to a not-so-slow boil.
As tragic as this event was, it’s simply the latest in a series of flashpoints—sharp exhalations of collective frustration that’ve been building for years. Historian Peter Turchin identifies two key ingredients for societal collapse: elite overproduction and immiseration - or, in common terms, economic impoverishment. Today, the U.S. has both in spades.
Add to this insane levels of financial inequality, skyrocketing costs, ludicrous debt-to-income ratios, abject distrust in institutions… (I could go on and on, but you get the idea), and you have the makings of a powder keg ready to blow.
Astrology tells me this moment isn’t accidental. With the U.S. undergoing a Pluto return and a Neptune opposition - along with a whole host of additional factors (more on that, here) - the nation is now at a crossroads: transform or collapse. These celestial cycles mirror (and in fact, predicted - if you know how to accurately read the stars) the mounting tensions of a populace squeezed to its breaking point. The question is, will the U.S. seize the opportunity for reform—or let history repeat itself? Because astrology can only show the energies present (in this case) in the collective. Or, seen another way, describe the lesson that will be learned by the collective. And that lesson will be learned. The only question is how that lesson will be learned.
The Role of the Grounded Astrologer
Astrology is often seen as the art of interpreting celestial symbols, but its true power lies in grounding those interpretations in the realities of the world. The skill of an excellent astrologer is not only in chart analysis but in weaving together the cosmic story with the unfolding narrative of current events. This balance—of understanding both the "dream" (the astrological insight) and the "real world" (the tangible, lived reality)—is what transforms astrology from an exercise in Harry Potter-esque LARPing into a practical - and potent - prediction methodology.
The Bible offers a fitting metaphor in the interplay between the dreamer and the dream interpreter. Figures like Joseph and Daniel were renowned not for dreaming themselves, but for their ability to interpret the dreams of others. They translated symbolic, divine visions into actionable insights, guiding entire nations. The astrologer plays a similar dual role, both as a receiver (or seer) of celestial patterns and as an interpreter who makes those patterns meaningful for human affairs. Without this grounded translation, the symbolic "dream" of the stars remains disconnected from the realities of life.
Which is the current state of astrology in the west. Or as John Wayne would say if he were to assess the state of western astrology today, all hat, no cattle.
When we examine the UnitedHealthcare CEO's shooting through this lens, the astrology reveals mounting collective unrest (seen, in part, in the U.S.’s Pluto return and Neptune opposition). But understanding the astrological patterns alone isn't enough; we must also recognize the specific socio-economic and political tensions fueling this flashpoint. Without this grounded perspective, astrology becomes disconnected from its purpose: to provide insight, guidance, and clarity in the face of real-world challenges.
A Collective on Edge
This may come as a shock to the 1%, but the collective is pissed. And that anger is venting. Astrologically, this is the effect of an “afflicted” Mars. That Mars is stationing retrograde just intensifies unresolved, seething frustrations.
To be clear, there are other factors currently at work as well. Mercury, for example, is retrograde in the US’s 12th house. This placement asks: What “hidden” systemic issues are fueling this anger? What stories remain untold about economic inequality, broken promises, and institutional failures? Compounding this, on December 4th (the day of the shooting), Mars was essentially “dead in the water”, preparing to turn retrograde (an incredibly potent period of magnification of energies) on the cusp of the US’s 8th house. The 8th house in a country’s chart represents, among other things, “shared wealth”. Or, the feeling that wealth is anything but shared.
I won’t elaborate on this point here, but with all of the other astrological weather at play in the US’s chart, Mars’ positioning here is acting as a collective pressure vent. And due to Mars’ location in the watery sign of Cancer, he’s not showing his more noble side. What we’re seeing now is the petulant man-child expression.
And, these periodic “vents” - while being able to keep the boiler from exploding over the last 20 or so years - are not going to be adequate to relieve the pressure in the years to come.
Economies, like governments are, at best, imperfect solutions to organizing and maintaining cohesive societies. Or as Winston Churchill once quipped, “... Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time." I think the same could be said, in the realm of economies, for capitalism.
Like democracy, capitalism is inherently flawed, but it remains the best of a number of bad options. And just as democracy requires checks and balances to function, capitalism demands equitable structures to prevent systemic collapse. Without these, the anger and resentment continue to build to the point of critical mass.
It’s been my experience that most people would be fine with even playing field capitalism being the “best of many god-awful options”. But the thing is, we’re not playing the same game, us and the 1%. The game has been rigged from the start. And horribly so in the US for the last 40+ years. And therein lay the crux of the collective anger that’s roiling the pressure cooker. And why these periodic “relief valve” scenarios soon will not cut it any longer.
Rigging the Game
I don’t claim to be an economic historian by any means. But I do have enough blue-collar common sense to see when the odds are stacked. Like card counters in Vegas, it’s fine to tilt the game slightly in your favor—win just enough to stay under the radar. But get greedy, and the house will - to put it mildly - put an end to it. In the U.S., we’re not just talking about tilting the odds anymore; the whole economic table is known to be rigged, and the cracks are well beyond starting to show.
Historian and complexity scientist Peter Turchin offers a practical lens through which to view the rising unrest in America. He identifies two primary drivers of societal collapse: the aforementioned elite overproduction and immiseration. Together, they create a combustible mix of resentment and instability.
And the thing is, it’s the same old tune. Just a different time and place. Rome, England, France, pre-Revolutionary America - the elites rig the game, then continue to put the screws to the collective until, in the collective consciousness, the perceived pain of enduring a revolution is less than the pain of the enduring status quo.
Elite Overproduction: Too Many Players, Not Enough Seats
Since the 1970s, the U.S. has seen a 250% increase in college graduates. Higher education, once a marker of distinction and upward mobility, has become a basic checkbox on résumés—even for entry-level jobs. Millions of Americans have been sold on the idea that a college degree guarantees success. But the reality?
Overcrowded Professional Markets: Fields like law, medicine, and academia, once bastions of respectability, are now oversaturated. Recent graduates often face a grim reality: six-figure student debt with no guarantee of stable employment.
Devaluation of Credentials: A bachelor’s degree has become so ubiquitous that its value in the job market has plummeted. Meanwhile, advanced degrees—once a ticket to the upper-middle class—are losing their shine as automation, outsourcing, and AI reshape professional landscapes.
And then there’s the kicker: student debt. Since the 1970s, it has skyrocketed by an almost incomprehensible 126,000%. What was once seen as an investment in the future has become an anchor dragging down generations. Many are realizing that the ladder they’ve been climbing leads to little more than a cobwebbed attic—and their frustration is palpable.
So what once was limited to the military-industrial complex has creeped into the Pharma-industrial and education-industrial complexes. It’s not too hard to see who gets squeezed to the breaking point in these schemes. And who benefits.
Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss…
Immiseration: The Siphoning of Wealth
While the overeducated elite scrambles for diminishing opportunities, the broader population faces a more brutal reality: immiseration. This term, which Turchin uses to describe the impoverishment of the masses, is driven by what he calls the "Wealth Pump." This is the economic mechanism by which wealth flows from the many to the few—enriching the top 1% while leaving the middle and working classes increasingly squeezed.
Consider these facts:
Income Inequality: The gap between the rich and poor in the U.S. today rivals that of the Gilded Age, and the top 1% now controls more wealth than the bottom 90% combined.
Cost of Living: Housing, healthcare, and education costs have ballooned far beyond wage growth, making basic survival a struggle for many.
Corporate Profiteering: Insurance companies, pharmaceutical giants, and tech monopolies extract immense profits while delivering less and less value to the average person.
For the collective, this isn’t just ivory tower theory—it’s their daily reality. They’re working harder than ever yet falling further and further behind. Watching as the wealth they generate is funneled upward to enrich a small elite. It’s no wonder that anger is building; people can only endure being squeezed for so long before they revolt.
As Mark Twain famously said, "History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes." The same is true for the study of astrological cycles. And the astrology of the US’s chart reflects this economic pressure cooker in stark detail.
Astrological Analysis: Mounting Collective Angst in the U.S. Chart
The U.S.’s current Pluto return and Neptune opposition lay the foundation of the systemic imbalances that have been decades in the making. We’re witnessing a collective reckoning—one that demands transformation before the pressure becomes unbearable.
And history tells us that peaceful transformation is not the norm. The 1% will in fact eat their own by passing the buck to the next generation of 1%-ers. They will endure these periodic, debilitated Mars-like eruptions in hopes that their generation is not in power when the music finally stops.
The astrology is crystal clear: we are, collectively, in the final notes of a tired old tune.
Revolts don’t come about in a vacuum. As stated prior, once pain of the status quo in the collective consciousness exceeds the perceived pain of revolution, the fireworks begin.
Turchin’s work reminds us that those in control - the 1% - rarely correct the "Wealth Pump" voluntarily. It often takes collapse or revolution to reset the balance. The only question remaining now is, can America rewrite the script before the lid blows off the pressure cooker?
Let’s take a look.
The Current Astrological Climate
As stated earlier, the United States is at an astrological crossroads, experiencing both a Pluto return and a Neptune opposition, two rare and transformative cycles that are now coinciding. These celestial alignments are not random—they are the markers of profound societal shifts, challenging the nation to confront its shadow, recalibrate its values, and reckon with collective delusions. Pluto’s return, a once-in-248-years event, underscores the dismantling and transformation of entrenched systems of power, while Neptune’s opposition, a 164-year cycle, pulls the veil from collective illusions and forces a reckoning with the ideals and myths that have shaped the national psyche.
Today, we find ourselves living through a rhyming verse of upheaval and possibility, as these astrological cycles converge. They demand transformation at both the structural and spiritual levels, urging us to dismantle what no longer serves and imagine what could be built in its place. The question is not whether these energies will enact change—the stars guarantee that much. The real question is whether the U.S. will navigate this reckoning with awareness and courage, or whether the lessons will be learned the hard way, through revolt, collapse and rebuilding.
Digging a bit deeper into the astrology we find…
Pluto Return (Capricorn, 2nd House): The U.S. is deep in its first-ever Pluto return, a once-in-248-years event. This transit demands a complete transformation of the financial system and national values. The plutocratic elite faces mounting public scrutiny as wealth inequality becomes increasingly untenable. Pluto’s energy here amplifies themes of power struggles, economic collapse, and the potential for renewal through rebuilding.
Neptune Opposition (3rd/9th Houses): The opposition between transit Neptune (Pisces, 3rd house) and natal Neptune (Virgo, 9th house) highlights a national crisis of trust. In the 3rd house, Neptune clouds communication and public discourse, creating confusion, disillusionment, and rampant misinformation. Opposing the 9th house, which governs higher ideals, education, and the nation’s collective belief systems, this transit reflects a growing gap between what the U.S. aspires to be and the fractured reality of its current state.
Mercury Retrograde in the 12th House (Scorpio): Mercury’s retrograde motion through the 12th house signals a reckoning with hidden systems and institutional failures. Scorpio intensifies the retrograde’s reflective energy, demanding a deeper dive into buried truths about corruption, neglect, and the misuse of power. This cycle serves as a karmic audit, bringing to light the collective shadows that have been suppressed for decades.
Mars Retrograde on the 8th-House Cusp: As Mars hovers retrograde on the cusp of the 8th house, the nation is forced to confront issues of shared resources, financial entanglements, and crisis management. This placement stirs emotional volatility and amplifies collective frustration about inequality and perceived exploitation. In Cancer, Mars reflects a defensive, reactive energy, further heightening tensions around issues of security and stability.
Chiron Return in the 4th House: The U.S. is undergoing a Chiron return, a 52-year cycle that highlights deep wounds related to the homeland. In the 4th house, this transit brings unresolved issues surrounding the nation’s foundation, identity, and domestic policies into sharp focus. Themes of racial inequality, systemic injustice, and generational trauma come to the forefront, demanding collective healing. Chiron’s energy is painful but ultimately transformative, urging the U.S. to face these wounds head-on.
Transit Saturn-Neptune Conjunction in Opposition to Natal Neptune (3rd/9th Houses): The pending Saturn-Neptune conjunction in the 3rd house, opposing natal Neptune in the 9th, underscores the unraveling of collective ideals and the need for structural realism. Saturn demands accountability, while Neptune dissolves illusions, forcing the nation to reconcile its lofty aspirations with the harsh realities of misinformation, fractured education systems, and crumbling infrastructure. This opposition challenges the U.S. to build practical solutions grounded in truth, not fantasy.
Transit Uranus Conjunct Algol (5th House): Uranus conjunct Algol in the 5th house signals disruption in areas of creativity, youth, and speculative ventures. Uranus brings sudden shocks and unpredictable energy, while Algol’s fixed-star influence intensifies themes of upheaval and crisis. This transit could manifest in dramatic shifts in cultural narratives, youth movements, or financial speculation (big changes ahead in the stock & crypto markets). The U.S. may also experience unexpected events in education or policies affecting children and families. In the 60’s, American youth burned draft cards en masse. I wouldn't be surprised to see today’s youth repeating that with student loan notices.
The current astrological weather paints a picture of a nation under extraordinary pressure. Pluto’s return dismantles financial systems and exposes the rot in national values, while Neptune’s opposition sows confusion in communication and ideals.
The question is no longer whether change is coming—it is, and quickly building to a crescendo. The only question remaining is how that change will manifest. Will it be the destruction and rebuilding demanded by Pluto, or the self-inflicted chaos warned of by Uranus? These conditions are the crucible of collective reckoning, where anger, frustration, and fear coalesce into the fires of transformation. This is the cosmic squeeze—a nation’s karmic moment of truth.
We are all part of this karmic moment of truth. The question isn’t just how the nation will transform—it’s how each of us will rise to meet the moment.
Keith