Hela denna föreläsning är en annons

TEXT CHARLIE MÅRTENSSON ILLUSTRATION DANIKA GIRON

Jag går in i föreläsningssalen, lagom mosig och trött efter lunch, och rycks ur mitt töcken när en obekant kostymklädd man hälsar mig välkommen i dörren. Han bjuder på ett proffsigt ”Hej!” och så rejäl ögonkontakt på det. Jag vill nästan be om ursäkt för den tomma blicken han får möta i gengäld.

Efter att jag sjunkit ner i en stol lagom långt bak i salen, visar det sig att kostymnissen är en gästföreläsare. Vad ska då detta handla om? Ett nytt perspektiv på kursinnehållet, och kanske lite inblick i näringslivet från någon som kan? Nja, kisar man kanske det också finns lite sådant att hämta, men i praktiken blir föreläsningen en företagspresentation. Det snackas omsättning och vad detta företag använder för strategier för att deras medarbetare ska bli så nöjda som möjligt. Vi försäkras också om att de förstås är just nöjda. Jag kommer på mig själv med att undra om inte detta hör hemma på en lunchföreläsning. Tillsammans med arbetsmarknadsdagar och liknande event är lunchföreläsningar en utmärkt chans för företagsrepresentanter att träffa och marknadsföra sig till studenter, där alla parter vet vad de ger sig in på. Däremot känns det olustigt när vår schemalagda undervisningstid lånas ut för detta ändamål.

Jag är osäker på hur vanligt detta fenomen faktiskt är, och självklart skiljer det sig åt beroende på program och kurs. Det har dock hänt en handfull gånger under min tid på datateknikprogrammet. Att det ens ska hända en gång känns tillräckligt bisarrt. Representanter från ett företag pratar på om någonting med en framkrystad koppling till kursinnehållet, varvat med bilder på hur anställda på företaget slappar i en pool, knasar sig i ett spelrum, eller något annat som visar upp hur sköna just de är. Vad har detta med undervisningen att göra?

”Sedan hoppas vi förstås att ni kommer att vilja jobba hos oss.” Ibland sägs det

rakt ut och ibland inte, men implikationen finns där oavsett. Syftet med föreläsningen är att låta arbetsgivaren visa upp sig. Det hela påminner om helsidesuppslag i tidningar, formaterade på ett sätt som liknar tidningens egen grafiska profil. Det är inte omöjligt att informationen som står där är intressant – men den är också vinklad, med avsikten att sälja in någon tjänst eller produkt. Just därför står det högst upp på sidan: hela detta uppslag är en annons.

Är det så det är, så borde det tydliggöras. ”Gästföreläsning” ska inte göras synonymt med ”dold reklam”. Det blir en björntjänst för samtliga, särskilt eftersom det faktiskt kan vara väldigt gynnsamt att ta in gästföreläsare från näringslivet. De kan erbjuda en ny, verklighetsförankrad vinkel på kursmaterialet som den ordinarie föreläsaren kanske inte hade tagit upp. Då gäller det dock att se till att själva företagets inblandning slutar vid föreläsarens presentation av sig själv, och att fokus hamnar på innehållet hen vill förmedla till oss studenter. Helst ska detta innehåll inte konstant dra paralleller till företagets verksamhet – det är nämligen en svår balansgång att presentera ”hur vi gör hos oss” och samtidigt undvika att falla in i en säljig pitch. Det är ju väldigt sällan som en företagsrepresentant säger någonting negativt om sitt företag, eller pratar öppet om de problem som innovativa strategier, platta organisationsformer eller andra buzzwords inte har lyckats lösa.

Självklart är det ingen som tvingar studenter att sitta kvar på en föreläsning de inte finner givande, men det är absurt att ens behöva tänka tanken att välja bort vissa föreläsningar för att de är av kommersiell natur. I den ordinarie undervisningen har vi rätt att kräva opartiskhet, och gästföreläsare som kommer i egenskap av personer med erfarenhet i en för oss möjlig framtida yrkesroll. Vill de visa upp hur bra just deras arbetsplats är, ja, då får vi väl träffas an på någon företagspub.

ENGLISH

A cup of coffee with ... an Astrologist

TEXT NICO ALBRECHT ILLUSTRATION SELINA RÜEGGER

The semester is rolling along, the darkness coming, and Winter break is not too far away. It's a good time to think about the broader things in life and life itself.

At KTH we are in one of the most scientifically literate places in Europe. In most cases, we think in numbers, drawing logical conclusions, we think in chains of causes and effects. What a perfect opportunity for a shift in perspective regarding a topic that we will face a lot in the coming dark season of the year: the night sky and the stars. I wanted to form my own opinion of what astrologers have to say about their craft, despite its image as pseudoscience. So, I simply contacted one of the infamous astrologers.

Her name is Kerstin Bylund-Paulsson and she is an astrologer in Stockholm. We met up on a cold Tuesday afternoon in a nice little cafe close to Odenplan. Let's find out what she has to say... over a coffee with an astrologist.

Karin, what is astrology for you?

Astrology is a map of the heavens at the time I was born on the date, at the actual time and at the longitude and latitude that I was born in. For me it’s like a boilerplate for my life, the raw material for a personality. It is a picture of me at the psychological or spiritual level. These are the qualities that I express in my life here on Earth. It is the story about who I am. It is like a drawing of our personality. Astrology is a practical tool.

What is your link with astrology and why is it so important to you?

Yes, I am an astrologist. Well, I was working in Detroit in 1971. We had nothing to do at work and there was a woman in my department who always read astrology books. I started reading and took some courses. Then, I moved back to Sweden, learned to cast charts. And then people asked me if I could do charts. And now I've been doing that together with other stuff for the last 35 years, wrote two books and did teaching in school for several years.

There is something about being aware of the energies that allow you to work your way through life, maneuver your way through life in the smoothest way possible! It is really about: Go with the flow. I try to express why they are here, what they are meant to manifest, what talents they have and what obstacles there are in life. You can’t guess that, that’s absurd. It was in the sky what happened in East and West Germany. When the Berlin Wall fell, there was a tremendous energy at play.

Where could you apply astrology the best?

Everywhere. There are different branches of astrology. Beside natal astrology which is the regular birth chart casting there is astrology basically everywhere. There is financial astrology, medical astrology, and political astrology. There are people who forecast the winners of elections and movement in the stock exchange. But I am not into that, I am interested in people! I have been using it successfully in man-

agement of group dynamics, putting together groups for specific tasks to get the best possible energies. In politics, Ronald Reagan used astrologers. Yeah, it was a big scandal, back then. I think it's being done a lot. It's just that nobody talks about it. The astrologer goes in the back door. It's done regularly.

Does that mean people have a fixed personality based on the natal chart?

I always say: There is no expiration date for it. This is that one life. When you read a chart for somebody who is 18 years old and he thinks: "Well that doesn't fit". The thing is, you don't know. It is the chart for the whole life - the natal chart is permanent. Then the challenge is to bring out the best in people.

That actually sounds like a self-fulfilling prophecy.

What you do is you speak about potential in every aspect. Every aspect is an opportunity. When people are in challenging influences, that's when they start their own business.

They are taking this challenging energy and turning it into something good, like going to the moon or founding a company. You need to empower people! Even the tough aspects of our chart always implicate: Never stand still.

In Stockholm, 50% of people are single. For those looking for partners, could astrology be a solution?

(Laughs) Yeah, we have elements: Air, Fire, Water and Earth. Usually, people in fire signs get along with other Fire signs and Air signs. Earth get along with other earth signs and people in water signs. That's generally true. Sometimes when you meet somebody that's really unlike yourself, there can be a great attraction as well, but always when people live together, there is a link between the charts. There is no such thing as a coincidence. You are where you are for a reason.

What is the effect of astrology on people?

For some none. For others a lot. You don't have to be an astrologist, it is just a tool and an aid… If you have a lot of insight and awareness of the world you live in.

You don't need it. If you're guided from an inner level, you'll be doing the right stuff. You don't need a chart, but it’s a good tool. For some people it is, more awareness that there is more to life.

I believe that as a collective we are in a crisis situation right now: the environment and the political situation and so on. I think people feel that their existence is threatened, for various reasons.

When the world becomes chaotic people look inwards. People evolve a lot when they go through crises. They interact and on some level they become more spiritually aware, even if they don't call it that. Most people think that astrology is not interesting, but astrology gives meaning and interpretation. It gives it a context. Some scientists think that astrology is hard wash, unimportant, and silly. Some of them also think it's just dumb. Most people who are scientifically inclined look down to it as if it was just stuff that's made up.

Zodiac signs are the key elements for astrological interpretations. They are defined by the planetary constellation in our sun system, and thus the date of birth of a person. Fire (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) = Vital Key Words

enthusiastic * optimistic * confident * naive * self-centred * open * egotistical * idealist * confronting * loyal * tactless * overbearing * intuitive * has to feel free * high spirited * impatient * physically active * ingenious * honest * trusting * impersonal * independent * warm * exaggerate * insensitive * extroverted * inspirational * has to feel important *

Earth (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) = Physical Key Words

cautious * conservative * materialistic * safe/secure * skeptics * suspicious * sensual * solid * purposeful * feel control over physical/material * grounded * practical * organised * dependable * controlled * re-

How would you respond to a scientist saying that?

Nowadays nothing. I'm tired of the discussion. After 40 years it's just boring. (Smiles) I don't care, it's fine. In a way, it's too bad. You're depriving yourself of so much information. A treasure of information. If they are not interested, they are not interested

What is the career guide for students who might be interested in becoming astrologists (smiles)?

You need to take a course in basic astrology. In Sweden we barely have courses.

What about Youtube?

Yeah, that's good! It teaches basic stuff: Charts, planets, energies. A lot of it is do it yourself. Then you can start going to conferences. There is so much material available. alistic * introvert * appreciation of food, touch, etc. * efficient * strong survival instinct *

Air (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) = Mental Key Words

intellectual * rational * curious * idealistic * unemotional * animated * uninvolved * conceptual * devoid of feeling * very sensitive * needs to communicate * social * objective * impersonal * distant * opinionated * air has least obvious bad qualities * theoretical * abstract * needs to socialise * needs to share ideas *

Water (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) = Emotional Key Words

feeling * impressionable * moody * private * soulful * compassionate * subconscious * irrational * introverted * soothing * fragile, but strong/powerful * sensitive * cautious * vulnerable to hurt * intimate * defensive * psychic * past * suffering * suspicious initially * self-contained * picks up impressions * associated with healing *

Do you have a message for the students at KTH?

Be open to the possibility that there are phenomena in the world that can't be quantified and measured. That's one of the reasons why astrology is rejected: It can't be quantified and measured the way other things can. Psychology has the same problem, even history and human nature. Have an openness to other phenomenon in the world that we live in.

Oh yeah, there is something really big coming up: a conjunction of Saturn and Pluto in January 2020. For the first time since the mid 1500s they join forces in the sign of capricorn. It's when Martin Luther nailed his theses to the door, Magellan made the first trip around the world and when Copernicus told the people: Hey, we're not the center of the universe. THIS is a pivotal time in human history. It's not gonna disappear after January 2020.

But, remember this time, because after this period of time nothing is gonna be

the same.

In case that you are not satisfied: Scientists have actually found out that the original classification of zodiac signs is not precise anymore. They recalculated and updated the originally Babylonian calendar.

Capricorn: Jan. 20-Feb. 16. Aquarius: Feb. 16-March 11. Pisces: March 11-April 18. Aries: April 18-May 13. Taurus: May 13-June 21. Gemini: June 21-July 20. Cancer: July 20-Aug. 10. Leo: Aug. 10-Sept. 16. Virgo: Sept. 16-Oct. 30. Libra: Oct. 30-Nov. 23. Scorpio: Nov. 23-29. Ophiuchus:* Nov. 29-Dec. 17. Sagittarius: Dec. 17-Jan. 20.