Let’s take a look at the Ba Zi of Twitter.

Jack Dorsey sent the first tweet on March 21, 2006 in the Horse hour. We’ll use this as the birthday of Twitter. The day of birth is of special interest as it contains a moment where yin and yang are considered to be balanced: 春分 Chun Fen (vernal equinox). That second ideograph, 分 means minute and as you know, minutes are small and fleeting, like a tweet. 分 looks like it’s flying away, don’t you think?

Ba Zi of Twitter

b. March 21, 2006 at 12:50

Hour	Day	Month	Year			Big Fate
Yang Metal	Yin Earth	Yin Metal	Yang Fire			Yin Water
庚	己	辛	丙			癸
午	酉	卯	戌			巳
Horse	Rooster	Rabbit	Dog			Snake

 

On the most fundamental level, looking at this chart, I see that timing is bringing an uncomfortable change. If you can read Ba Zi, you will see the signs right away. If you can’t see the signs but you want to, come and study with me!

The day stem of Twitter is 己 (yin Earth). Yin Earth is the self element. Elementally speaking, 己 is literally 10,000 things. 己 is everywhere. It describes Twitter very well. I say this because there are people on Twitter from many different countries and walks of life. The interests of people on Twitter cover an infinite range. People use Twitter for many purposes. Anything you are looking for can be found by using Twitter.

As is fitting with its nature, in terms of Ba Zi, Twitter is defined by Water: communication, planning and strategy. Whatever your purpose is on Twitter, it will involve at least two of these things. Prove me wrong. 🙂

Water is Twitter’s success element. The power element, Wood, is void. Twitter is a pretty even playing field as long as it’s moderated, however, that’s a Sisyphean task.

There’s a paradox here regarding Water. I don’t know if I would call Water a helpful element in the traditional sense, but I don’t think Twitter can flourish without the Water element. Without Water it would be difficult for Twitter to exist – how does it function without everyone being willing to communicate there? If too many people leave, maybe that is what will kill it. Caring keeps many things going past their physical prime. If enough people wait it out together, who knows what could happen?

The Earth in this Ba Zi is not as weak as you might think. An inexperienced reader might get this wrong. If you’re unsure, look at the history of Twitter and the timing of elements for the Big Fate (10 year luck cycle) and annual luck. Maybe the problem now has to do with power and self discipline or lack of it; making mistakes due to perceived rivalries of power.

Twitter started when Fire was on a down cycle. So does Twitter need Fire to survive? Does it need Earth? These are the kinds of questions I ask my students.

Twitter came of age in 2011, a 辛卯 Metal Rabbit year. That 辛卯 matches the month pillar (modus operandi in this case) of the natal chart. I imagine that when Jack was putting it together he had two ideas: make a lot of money, let people network for their causes (i.e. he helps to save the world). In 2011, it was possible. Twitter doesn’t make its owners big money but I don’t doubt it has saved the world a couple of times. I know it has saved people too, because that’s what communication does.

My main point is, Twitter has already dealt with plenty of Water and it didn’t break. Twitter’s first Big Fate, starting in March 2011, was 壬辰 Water Dragon. We’re coming out of a Water cycle of years, we are currently in the Water season. Twitter’s current Big Fate is Water Snake. That’s a lot of Water. Twitter is still going. People don’t want to leave.

In 2016, a 丙申 Fire Monkey year, Twitter was changed forever due to the US Presidential election – not for the better. In 2017, a 丁酉 Fire Rooster year, it was impossible to completely avoid the gaslighting on Twitter. Misinformation and disinformation became common. Would you say that Fire is helpful? Metal?

In 2018, more people started to approach Twitter as if it was a job: to make money. That was a 戊戌 Earth Dog year. That’s a lot of Earth.

Twitter peaked in influence from 2019-2021 in the election cycle and its aftermath. Twitter became indispensable for some when we were all at home in 2020. 2020 was a special year for Twitter, no one was going anywhere. Twitter was vibrant and attractive. These were Water years: 己亥 Earth Pig, 庚子 Metal Rat, 辛丑 Metal Ox.

The Big Fate of Twitter changed in 辛卯 month and 辛丑 year: March of 2021. At the same time, Covid vaccines became widely available. The Metal Ox year has some correlation to disability and how it is stigmatized. The awareness of Long Covid starts here. The Metal Rabbit month is correlated with both disability and wellness perhaps in this context. Think about that. Disability and Wellness.

This is how we can use common sense understand the impact of elements in real life. How did vaccines change Twitter? Or not change it? How has that affected our communication since then?

The Water element is waning now given the twelve year cycle we’re in. What is happening with Twitter now? Things are not so good. I suspect this has to do with the relationship of Water and Wood.

The big question right now is whether Twitter will continue to exist or not. It’s going to take a lot of money to own and care for it. I don’t think we will know the outcome until December but, as is the case with so many things these days, there’s no going back. Don’t expect it to be the Twitter of yore.

If you want Twitter to continue, I would suggest you keep using it. The day pillar of this Ba Zi, 己酉 Earth Rooster, is called a promotional pillar* so perhaps Twitter will evolve into a different kind of platform. It couldn’t hurt to make a back up plan though. I can’t forecast whether or not you’ll like it.

After I wrote that last sentence I saw that today Elon is tweeting and asking people what they want out of/from Twitter. What do you know.

*Hat tip to Master Lily Chung.