Madoff:
A Web of Need and Greed
January 25,
2009
Alleged
mastermind behind the recently collapsed $50 billion Ponzi scheme, financier
Bernie Madoff makes a case for many things. Whether he's wholly guilty
or just sort of, kind of, horrifyingly rather guilty, there's no doubt
that the doings of Madoff's company, Madoff Securities (apparently founded
in 1960 as Investment Securities) has wreaked terrible damage in the lives
of literally thousands of people, pushing several to the commission of
suicide.
In America,
there's an expression: ignorance is no defense under the law -
which may in the karmic sense be the lesson to all coming into and during
the time that Pluto remains in Capricorn. The percentage of 'pure investors'
versus financial people who were rabidly devoured in the collapse of the
stock market would be interesting to know statistically, as it seems unlikely
that market operators and brokers didn't protect themselves first, leaving
the 'unknowing' to suffer the worst of the devaluation. Someone's money
had to stay in to keep the market working…who do you think Those
In The Know would rather have left in the kitty - your money or theirs?
The point
is that Pluto in Capricorn carries with it a voluptuous undercurrent of
responsibility in, and for all things. Seen through the sign of Gemini
being the derivative 6th to Capricorn, Pluto's symbolic requirement to
be responsible would seem to say that we have a choice: we can accept
the responsibility for learning, knowing and making choices, or we can
risk the consequences of putting our power in the hands of someone else.
That dissolves into another question: how altruistic do you think other
people really are - and how often does your altruism prove true?
As for
Bernie Madoff, he was born on April 29, 1938 in the New York City borough
of Queens. No time of birth is given, so his chart is incomplete, but
between the internal structure and a group of highly notable planets in
high numbers of various signs, the clues are there regardless. Jupiter
at 28 Aquarius is a signature of knowing how things work or working them
for gain. Venus at 29 Taurus is a critical indicator of generosity and
giving…and (or) an emotional black hole of need. Natal Pluto at 27
Cancer speaks of a drive born of emotional deprivation and/or family heritage
which either protects everyone or uses them like Kleenex. Sometimes both.
Mercury
at 26 Aries retrograde is someone who figures out how to do things. It's
also the image of someone who wants to be thought of or about,
a person who craves attention. It's a variation on what we might call
the 'hero complex,' if also the sign of someone fully capable of (consciously
or unconsciously) acting out.
Chiron
at 27 Gemini is a vital signal in this study since it implicates the need
for long term planning and the likely fact that the person can't do that
planning as they tend to get spun into mental vortices which obliterate
their ability to really grasp the fullness of consequences. Yet in being
opposite the Galactic Core, 27 Gemini is one of several degrees which
tend to function badly if not focused first on others, then yourself.
With Chiron in this position, the combination is plainly problematic as
Chiron's tendency is to mark an issue we find hard to tackle (nevermind
manage). It's also often a key player in any nativity - as it is here,
as we shall see.
Last
in the 'high degree' list is the North Node at 26 Scorpio (opposition
South Node at 26 Taurus). Scorpio is always a sign of joint/joined resources,
which in this case became finance and investments, through which man of
the other Scorpionic keywords (trust, honesty, life-and-death, control,
denial, etc.) have come into play. With the South Node in Taurus the obvious
and easy object of his game was to live a lushly luxurious life. But it's
the North Node which is telling here - as it so often is. North Node in
Scorpio is a call to be honorable and to confine one's operations
to that which is emotionally moral according to the societal standard.
And this, plainly, Madoff's fund (and probably Madoff, although he has
not yet faced a jury) has not done.
Because
we have so many symbols closely grouped (numerically) in their respective
signs, we know the indicated activities and qualities are interconnected,
one affecting the other. This lends great power and cohesion to the chart's
effects, but doesn't say anything about where the effort goes. That comes
from Chiron and the North Node being in the mix, giving us an indication
that it's far easier and more likely that Madoff would have chosen to
serve his own needs rather than those which we might think of as strictly
societal, altruistic or professionally dispassionate.
With
Venus at 29 Taurus conjunct the 26 Taurus South Node, there's no question
but that Bernie Madoff likes luxury. But he also likes the idea of making
things nice for others. The out-of-sign conjunction between Venus at 29
Taurus and Mars at 3 Gemini gives us a picture of someone wanting to 'do'
something which will make for good feelings. He needs to: Sedna (isolation)
conjunct dwarf planet Ceres (nurturance) tells us that this man feels
deeply alone and not part of the 'family.' Is this is own family or the
family of mankind? The professional community? That we can't know without
a birth time but we do know that Madoff there's a lack of understanding
the full nature of nurture here. With both signs in the emotional degrees
of Aries it's likely that Madoff never felt accepted, acceptable or 'good
enough' without doing something to prove it. That's the Aries part
- Aries impels to do by an internalized implication of need. The
aim of the drive can be fulfillment of personal need or the need of others,
but the Aries archetype is to see need and move to make something happen
(i.e., fix it).
The Mars
is ruled by the Mercury in Aries, itself in sextile to Chiron - a sign
of not wanting to (or tending not to) think things through beyond the
point where one's own goal is served. Aries Mercury inconjunct a Scorpio
North Node is an evasion of, or desire to get around rules (agreed upon
human values) and/or the ability to manipulate or 'work' people or situations.
By itself, it does not herald results which are negative or harmful even
though the corresponding Aries Mercury semi-sextile the South Node says
Madoff doesn't see himself as others see him…and that he has some
questionable ego issues. But he's not an arrogant asshole who says 'I
know best' - this is a guy who wanted to be a fixer of problems and everybody's
beloved savior, a quality interestingly imaged by dwarf planet Eris (disruption)
conjunct asteroids Achilles (warrior for the cause) and Panacea (placation,
salving the hurt) in early Aries. The early Aries part here gives us the
clear message that this is where Madoff starts from. He wants to
be a hero. Unfortunately he's not a man constructed with an ability
to understand that financial rules are there for a reason.
Not that
we couldn't say that of a whole lot of other people too. Just look at
the headlines.
Asteroids
Atropos, Kassandra and centaur Nessus pictured in late degrees of Aries
indicate a love of fine goods and good living which belies the truth of
the situation. This triad also strongly suggests that Madoff himself really
never thought the whole Ponzi scheme would ever end. Even now he probably
can't imagine that anything bad is going to happen to him, accounting
for the benign smile of innocent contentment seen on news footage taken
of his arrest.
One of
the more curious factors in this horoscope are asteroids House and Arachne
at 1 Taurus. In out-of-sign semi sextile to Venus, it seems likely that
not just personal properties but housing is tied up in Madoff's
financial doings. At writing, we have not heard yet of anything extensive
in this area, but asteroid Arachne (the spider) symbolizes the webs we
weave and get caught in, as well as symbolic 'blood sucking.' And while
it's possible that Madoff has invested in blood banks or nursing or something
'bloody/positive,' so far we haven't heard anything. Stay tuned.
Another
interesting factor in this chart is Pallas (knowing) in Pisces opposition
Neptune in Virgo. At one level this is a plainly less than altruistic
placement: Pallas in Pisces understands people's weaknesses and vulnerabilities
and Neptune in Virgo would know how to name that emotional tune in a twitch
and a sigh. And where Neptune in Virgo can be incredibly helpful, giving
and self-sacrificing in many worthy areas (philanthropy, medicine, civil
service, military, etc.) it can also signify a complete lack of everyday
spirituality and civil/moral/legal rectitude.
Being
that both these placements are in emotional degrees, we again see Madoff
as a kindly uncle type. Or would, except for modifiers, which is what
asteroids, centaurs, TNO's and such tend to be in a natal chart - commentaries
on personality twists and quirks. In this case, TNO Chaos conjunct Pallas
pictures one who hoped to stand against a tide (the hero/rescuer) but
who also knew he was flirting with disaster. Any TNO represents things
we cannot know in advance (unbidden, unexpected information) and if that
which is unexpected is Chaos? Need we say more?
Actually
we will, as the Neptune facing this Pallas/Chaos is conjunct asteroid
Nemesis to the degree. Symbol of righteous objection, Nemesis is
about the ability to stand up and say 'that's wrong!' even if doing so
is unpopular. Yet in conjunction with Neptune's often dissolute idealism,
Madoff's ability to recognize the Nemesis process and thus stop
before he did harm and hurt a lot of people is likely to be greatly clouded.
This is thus a chart in which the person is unlikely to see the harm which
might come of what they do - and who is unlikely to accept much blame
until and unless it becomes so plain they implode in a torrent of guilt
and self recrimination. But that he tried hard to make it all work? That's
unquestioned - asteroid Industria stands ahead of Pallas, picturing Madoff
trying like heck to stay ahead of all trouble. And perhaps his conscience.
But in
the end…well, there is in this chart a TNO standing at 29 Pisces,
the last degree of the zodiac. That TNO is Typhon - the great storm, which
here pictures a disastrous hurricane which washes all into oblivion, leaving
the man and everyone connected with him to metaphorically cross over from
one round of the zodiac to the next, beginning anew. Sadder, wiser, poorer,
and feeling much like children stranded and abandoned, Madoff and those
invested with his company will - most of them - emerge alive, if psychically
naked. Like babies, they wonder and cry and grasp at the unknown and seek
shelter. And like babies, they will learn, bit by bit.
And will
Madoff pay for these (as yet alleged) crimes? Some of the details we lack,
not having an actual birth time, but the July 2009 Solar Eclipse at 28
Cancer conjuncts Madoff's natal Pluto, a sure sign of change. And in doing
that, the eclipse also sets off the rest of Madoff's high number placements,
which in being uniquely placed by virtue of the exact time and place where
he was born make him different than others born on that day. Because solar
eclipses have a 3-year transit period during which they 'unfold' to an
often unlikely ending, we thus can't know what will come to be in Madoff's
life. But it won't be as it was - that much is certain.
Ultimately
this financial cataclysm speaking through one man's chart offers a superbly
ironic reminder of how metaphysical energy so often works: Madoff's need
to feel 'worth more' attracted thousands who also wanted to be 'worth
more.' His efforts failed. Will theirs? We all struggle with how love
or money is 'enough,' so could anyone have known? Since this kind of investigation
was always there to be done, maybe it's a good idea to stay abreast of
astrological indicators - or to invest a couple of hundred dollars with
a well trained astrologer before you risk thousands, even millions in
your own name or that of others. As Pluto (unavoidable events; fate) rolled
over the last degrees of aspirational Sagittarius it set off Madoff's
chart. And in doing that and proceeding to enter Capricorn (sign of justice
meted out by and to society) it manifested not only in the collapse of
Madoff's (alleged) Ponzi scheme, but the fall of the US stock market and
several world economies, making it plain that achievement of goals can
only happen through slow growth combined with a clear recognition regarding
the limits of human and social civility.
Beyond
that, since the metaphysical teaching is that nothing we ever really need
is taken away, the real lesson may well be that all the lost wealth
represents want, and not need, which is a whole other thing.
Read
More from Boots:
The
Blessings of the Sun in this season of Passover, Good Friday and
Easter (posted April 6, 2009)
2012: The End Of The World?
(posted March 26, 2009)
Ages Patriarchal, Matriarchal, and Religious (posted February 24,
2009)
MetaphysicYear End Musings
(posted
December 27, 2008)
Election
vs Inauguration
World
Economics and the Federal Reserve
The Astrological State of
the Union
Pluto in Capricorn
The Fixed Signs
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