Your Inability To Solve A Problem

ice climberNow and then I mention my frustration with how ineffectual we’ve become as a society. We can’t seem to solve a problem to save our lives and it’s maddening.

If you watch a (current) documentary about a societal problem, let’s say the meth epidemic, invariably it concludes with a big ol’ wail about how nothing can be done. There have been all these studies…we have all this information, however we are helpless to do anything but by God, we’re trying!

Individuals have adopted this attitude as well. They an outline their problem or even a host of their problems, but they’re unable to be effective when it comes to solving them.

The reason for this is because typically, it takes courage and a sustained effort to solve a problem. Mars and Saturn in astrology. You’ve got to act or cut (Mars), or block or stop or deprive or be deprived (Saturn) of something and people have become convinced that these energies are “cruel”. We can’t solve a problem because it would be cruel!

If you want to be effective in your life, you’ve got to re-think this. If you’re an effective person in an ineffectual society, people will say you are cruel. I think this is better then spending your life wailing because ultimately, we’re just not designed to be helpless. It’s also worth noting that the the popularity of being ineffectual is a relatively new phenomena and frankly, no one is served by it.

To solve this problem, you have to be willing to embrace Mars and Saturn energy. On the Saturn side, I’m talking about responsibility, commitment, discipline and perseverance. Mars requires you act. You’ve got to break out on your own and assert yourself. You’ve got to fight (Mars) through resistance (Saturn).

Further, you have to continue on course even when people say you’re cruel, and act (Mars) to thwart (Saturn) which is exactly what they’ll do. This is because ineffectual people can’t stand people who are effective because it shows them their own lack.

You can see how if you’re unwilling or unable to do this, you’re simply not going to be able to solve a problem, personal or otherwise. This is unacceptable to me so consequently, I cut and block and strive and ultimately, I tend to accomplish what I set out to do.

Can you see this pattern in society or your personal life. How to you feel about being effective, but also seen as “cruel”?

pictured, that’s my grandfather, Henry, in the 1920’s.

44 thoughts on “Your Inability To Solve A Problem”

  1. Yeah, I’m the cruel one in the family. I think the easiest way to solve a problem is to expose the truth, work with it, and move onward. Aries Sun trine Leo Mars.

    My family doesn’t like that. It makes them uncomfortable. They like to manipulate by keeping the truth hidden and saying different things to different family members.

    I can’t live like that, so I cut them out of my life. I’m “cruel” because I won’t talk to an Aunt who stabbed me in the back more than once, and won’t apologize. She wants me to start talking to her and never mention “the incident.” Not happening. Apologize to me, you old bitch, or I’m not talking to you. I want to discuss what happened, and get it out in the open. She wants me to pretend it never happened.

    I can’t have a relationship like that.

  2. “You’ve got to act or cut (Mars), or block or stop or deprive or be deprived (Saturn) of something and people have become convinced that these energies are “cruel”.”

    Yep. Exactly. Though in my experience this thinking is applied more to women than it is to men.

    As an example, I was drafted to manage a department that was very sick operationally. There was one employee in particular who I discovered was a ring leader in the theft of company money. I had uncovered evidence of his theft and was about to fire him when he disappeared, no call, no show, so he was terminated administratively. When I wanted to challenge his unemployment benefits I was told specifically I was being cruel by my male manager. After all, I cause the man to lose his job!

    Sheez!

  3. Wow. Okay so….I’m not sure why I was not able to see this before but this theme played a major role during my sun/moon Pluto transit. I am highly effective by nature and was totally rewarded for it (in my family /growing up) until my Pluto came along. During and after Pluto’s arrival I was punished socially, at work, in organizations for providing manageable solutions. I have been totally stumped by this. The worst came whenever I solved someone else’s problem for them. Elsa you are dead on, people do NOT LIKE like this. My personal solution has been to hold myself back which has been working a bit better. For example, I will not help someone with their paper or give any sort of advice really unless they desperately need it and express that need to me. I’m wondering why Pluto exposed this…maybe it was happening all along but I couldn’t see it? I’ll tell you one thing…it’s very annoying!

  4. This is great. Really perceptive.

    There also seems to be (to me) a greater tendency of people to self-identify personally and professionally with a subset of problems. Their investment and power becomes so intertwined with the problem itself that any move to resolve it becomes an inadvertent attack and they will struggle and fight to keep the status quo at any and all costs.
    It’s the high price of (for example): “I *am* an addict” versus, “I am a person with an addiction”.

    Thanks for this, Elsa.

  5. It’s very true. It’s a fine balance to learn to be more effective in life but not to have too bad a reputation. In the US it’s so fantastic as people love a straight-forward, direct approach, but since I’ve moved, I’ve had to learn to use my Venus in other ways too – but it’s in Aries! So the bitch/cruelty reputation has grown! Which is not as efficient sometimes. Also learning to manipulate via Pluto, which I now consider marsy energy too. Gotta survive, right? 🙂

  6. Avatar
    Read_em_and_weep

    I don’t think it’s cruel to be effective in the sense you’re talking about here, Elsa… I see it similarly to your view.

    I’m definitely a “shit or get off the pot” type. I see a challenge/problem and I go in like a surgeon and cut it out if necessary… I’m not tolerant of whining or chronic complaining.

  7. I’ve just had an epiphany about this. Perhaps it’s because I was not being well compensated from my efforts? That’s just come to me…hmmm

  8. What is the point of doing something ineffectively? I don’t see the point in not being effective, why not conserve energy and just not do it at all? But then I have Mars/Saturn. I can’t control what other people think of me or if they think I am cruel or not. I try not to be cruel to anyone but I’m also not going to pander to anyone as I go about getting things done or solving problems. Some people find that threatening coming from someone who is not traditionally supposed to have power- a young single female. I try not to step on toes, but I have personal power and the ability to get things done and I never apologize for that. I know the legal system, and in general how systems work and I use that to my ability.

  9. Did this societal problem begin with the “everybody be nice, everybody take the blame, share, no blaming, lying is o’k, don’t take responsibility” trend of raising kids starting with the cultural revolution of the 60s to present? My parents were the Depression/WWII generation — I don’t see that generation, or my grandparents generation with character traits of “look the other way, pretend it didn’t happen.”

  10. The dominant planets in my natal chart are Saturn and Mars, so this really resonates with me. Especially “Fight through Resistance” – that’s like the story of my life, haha 😀

    It really does bother me when people won’t take responsibility for their problems. Also can’t stand entitlement, which I feel is related.

  11. Avatar
    blessedwhitney

    I was on a committee to pick the new priest. We did a survey of the church and the entire church said that they wanted a “family man” you know a male with children still under his care. We had a candidate with no family… because his wife had battled and survived breast cancer.

    Everyone on the committee ONLY said nice things about him.

    I had to be the elephant in the room and say, “But he’s not a family man. He isn’t what we’ve been tasked to find.”

    “This is because ineffectual people can’t stand people who are effective because it shows them their own lack.” is what made me think of this.

    You can’t just be nice all the time.

  12. Mars conjunct Saturn in Virgo. Actually, Saturn makes a direct aspect with every single thing in my chart except Jupiter, lol. I’ve been seen as both cold and cruel at times. Eh, oh well. I can get through things most won’t/can’t.

    @MiloBloom, I’m right there with ya with.. can’t stand entitlement either.

  13. Great stuff, Elsa. Totally hear you. I also have Mars conjunct Saturn in Virgo in 10H.

    For the most part I’m okay with being viewed as cruel, but effective, especially at work. There are times where it’s exhausting, though.

  14. I like this, considering I have a Mars-Saturn conjunction overlapping my 6th house cusp. Never been called cruel, but have been told I “live for myself”

  15. At my last job I had the solution to an ongoing problem, one they had endless meetings about, one that became part of our branch’s identity- boy oh boy did people push back on that one. I disengaged and just counted my hours and pay when I was working that department. It was so clear they did not want resolution. It was almost like then people would have less to do.
    Oh, and it was a government job (a foreign, way more inefficient than US government).
    Whatever!

  16. This is absolutely a pattern in our society – of epidemic proportion. I can’t figure it out, is it to do with the nature of our legal system and the fact that we have become so litigious? I don’t know. I’m not sure if I grew up sheltered but it seems like there’s a lot more bullying going on and of a much more ‘vicious’ nature. Personally, I wonder what has happened to common sense. Not every problem has a bright & shiny, feel-good solution that is also politically correct and sometimes the truth hurts but that doesn’t mean bullshit is preferable. I have a cancer sun (& a few other planets) in the 7th house and I am not insensitive but I also have cap rising and mars in Leo and I’m not at all concerned with people thinking I’m not nice. I try to be respectful and I’m always effective but I can’t always be nice. Sometimes it simply isn’t appropriate.

  17. I have mars & saturn in my chart, so I have a high need to be effective and get things done. If you think I’m cruel, well, I’ve learned that everyone is entitled to their own opinion. My cappy moon has other concerns and merc/mars is busy being effective.

    As for seeing this in society, it drives me nuts!! I try to keep my mouth under control though or I get in a whole lot of trouble (get a lot of grief),
    Angie

  18. I’d say it’s the quantum shifting. It is an assumption that our Society has been all that great, so what I see are issues coming to surface that have been denied by Society and it’s about time! If we want to know the level of any society, we count the numbers in mental hospitals and prisons. The higher the number, the less evolved Society.

    “Humanity” is evolving, as a Whole.

    Like I said “hammered”, 7 times. Resistance is futile but we’re welcome to choose it.

  19. ps. I read that 1/3 of us are shifting willingly, 1/3 of us are resisting and 1/3 of us simply can’t take the energy and have elected to come back after the shift in bodies resonating to the new vibrations. That’s 2/3rd’s of us hanging in here, where 15% was what was needed/expected.

  20. I love how this blog post tackles bureaucracy, the “everyone is a winner” mentality, and the lack of backbone people have these days in their decision-making. I think there are many reasons for this.

    One is the child-rearing methods of the 60’s (everyone is equal/good/a winner), second is the sheer amount of flack people catch for things viewed as being politically incorrect, or callous, or not “giving” enough. We’ve become a society of “shoulds”, and those shoulds have swallowed us whole, because they are completely ineffective. We’ve lost that glimmer of protestant work ethic, directness, and decisiveness that was so American. It’s not exclusive to the US, but its what we were known for.

    Individually, I see some of what you mean about the Mars-Saturn energy. I care waaaaay too much what people think, and I let the ineffectual types weigh me down. I have Saturn in Capricorn. I have a well developed sense of morality and responsibility. My Mars is in it’s fall in Cancer- and it’s in the 12th house. It is weak and needs work!

    Thank you for this post. It was super epic and really got my mind jogging.

  21. Avatar
    gods left hand

    saturn shmaturn with mars, jeeeez, why don`t you just ask your Pluto instead, case closed 😛

  22. I’ll have to go back and read all the comments… but, I’m just itching to comment first.

    I’ve got Saturn in Aquarius, I’ve got my Mars (conjunct Mercury) in Pisces (trine Neptune). My Sun is in Aries (5th house).

    For some reason, this seems to be a great combo for ‘problem solving’. It’s awesome. Saturn, is open in Aquarius, open to a wider perspective (everyone has a voice). Mercury/Mars (benefiting from the imagination of it’s trine to Neptune) isn’t going to act without thinking of ‘others’. Aries Sun is willing to take chances and be creative (5th house).

    Put all that in the ‘think pot’ and more often than not, a solution can be found. May be out of the box (Uranus 10th house), which is usually what is needed.

    Great post!

  23. Bullwinkle, think you are right. With Pluto in Capricorn, it’s hard not to see the problem of our societies structures.

    I have a Capricorn and a Mars in Scorpio conjunct the midheaven Its so hard not for me to be effective…

  24. Avatar
    gods left hand

    so I was thinking, again 😛

    isn`t effectiveness something you can`t prove by words, you know like the colour of your eyes, you have to actually show it 😀

  25. This effective vs inneffectual thing has been pinging my brain for a couple of weeks now.

    As for being considered cruel, I don’t know if I’ve ever considered that as correlated to effective. I rock the boat..a lot. I think I’m effective, but who really knows. When I start unravelling a problem, specifically one that has very deep roots, I’m often seen as arrogant for attempting to solve something that no one else has been able to. And, there is resistance to the change. But, when I through it, I look back and people are following in my footsteps so? What’s up with that? I think, in some way people fear losing things that may even be of detriment to them simply because it they have become accustomed to it.

  26. Avatar
    mudlikesubstance

    I’ve been called cruel. It hurts because I do my best to be kind and offer kindness, even if it’s the truth they don’t want or boundaries that I set and they ran into.

    At the same time this post gives me a sense of relief as I see how I get things done. mars/saturn conjunct at the point or balancing act of the t-squares. Pluto squares that little gem too so if I want to get it done I have the power and where-with-all to get it done. I was raised on the leading edge of the “everyone get along, everyone ok” generation. I wasn’t taught that although many around me were. I was taught that I have an obligation to make society better and to serve my neighbor if I want to be considered human My mother drilled that in my head like no-body’s business. She viewed raising me as not raising her child but as raising a citizen for a healthy society.

  27. Honestly, I don’t think that I have a mean bone in my body. I cannot hold a grudge. But I can fight for a cause or a person. Reminds me of an old divorce case. My client was given her home from her parents, but transfer part ownership to her husband. During the divorce, she wanted to keep her house. Her husband wanted the half of the house. So I threatened to take her half of his blue ribbon cattle. He gave her the house. She told everyone how mean I was. She got the result she wanted, but she also wanted to be seen as the gentle martyr.

  28. Cruel …who me? 🙂 🙂 😀
    Are you kidding?
    Saturn MC square Pluto conj ASC.
    Mars Aries quaring Sun …
    Inneffective?…
    my Mars in Aries sextile jupiter trining venus trining neptune will get pissed off…hahahah

  29. Cruel …who me? 🙂 🙂 😀
    Are you kidding?
    Saturn MC square Pluto conj ASC.
    Mars Aries squaring Sun …
    Ineffective?…
    my Mars in Aries sextile jupiter trining venus trining neptune will get pissed off…hahahah

  30. Avatar
    lilithplutoniangirl

    Amazing article Elsa!! I noticed especially in political situations, people just don’t see to care that society is going to shit and the capitalistic assholes who run everything love this because they can control the masses better. Saturn seriously needs to kick the worlds ass and people need to stand up for themselves more instead of finding NEPTOON distractions.

    I also noticed it in marriage. A lot of people find it easier to break up/divorce and find a convinient neptoon distraction instead of solving problems and making things work. Granted these problems are not life threatening and abusive. The end result is “all men are assholes” “Every marriage fails” “Its impossible for 2 people to stay together for years”

    Saturn doesn’t make any hard aspects except to Jupiter ( opposition) in my chart and it is sextile my mars so I have no problem getting rid of and tackling problems.

  31. My brother, dob 11/23/59, is going thru some major issues that date clear back to fall of 2010. Lost his job, his credit is ruined because he’s too poor to file for bankruptcy and he’s convinced he’s unhireable. No job in sight. I have been helping him financially for awhile even though I’m not really in a position to do so. I want to help him but I also know that he has to help himself. He’s given up for the most part and has even tried to commit suicide. I’m at my wits end. I’ve watched him make poor choices over the years and now they’ve come back to bite him in the ass. It’s so hard to stand by and watch him crumble. I don’t know his time of birth so I’m not sure about his chart. I don’t know if this is a saturn issue or a pluto issue. I just don’t know what to do. . .

  32. I was recently in a situation where I was asked advice by a friend and when I gave it to her, she said I was heartless. Funny cause I could have swon what I said sounded productive! People like to receive advice that says “ah don’t worry it’ll be ok”. Sometimes you need to do something. Take permanent action. Not just a solution for today only. Let it go, cut that person out, brutal honesty. I’ve had to be “cruel” to myself sometimes and deprive myself from things just to get ahead. That’s life

  33. “I had to be the elephant in the room and say, “But he’s not a family man. He isn’t what we’ve been tasked to find.”

    Oh for crying out loud, you can only get the job if you’ve knocked up your wife a few times? The other guy isn’t a “family man” because he can’t? Gack.

    ——–
    I did see a severe example of this online a few weeks ago–some guy who was a toxic employee but absolutely could not be fired or done anything about. To the point where 2 supervisors of his had already quit and the one writing the letter was told she might as well too. Clearly their priority was to save the jerk and lose better employees, for whatever reason. (Blackmail? Makes ya wonder.) I don’t get why this guy should be saved if there was nothing redeeming about him.
    ———

    On the actual topic, that…pretty much sounds true to me. Not everyone wants to have to be nasty or kick someone in the crotch in order to solve their problem. I so far can’t live with myself if I am mean to say, my mother (who may be nuts, but she isn’t deliberately trying to be hurtful), in order to “solve my problem.” If the only solution is to be mean, then yeah, I don’t really want to have to do it because it’s a crisis of conscience. And finding out that you’re an asshole because you were willing to do that to someone who wasn’t deserving of it.

    So yeah, I’ll probably never solve anything because I’m not willing to kick anyone down. The solution is worse than the problem, and if that’s the only solution…then I guess I take the problem. There are a lot of things I put up with that go on intermittently because it’s easier than the Final Solution.

  34. Jenfullmoon–The issue BW addressed as “the elephant in the room” isn’t whether or not the man in question was or wasn’t a good man or deserving or anything else other than that he did not meet the specific requirements set forth by [the congregation in this case] the key stakeholders.
    I just want to say that as someone who’s core career/job is based on requirements definition and delivery? It was a crucial and valid observation.

  35. Elsa, I was looking for information on Saturn in Sagittarius (in the hopes of learning how to be more optimistic without losing sight of reality), and I came across this. This article is incredibly helpful. I have always wondered why people felt so powerless (there are several reasons why I think this is the case, but I never thought that Mars square Saturn was part of the picture there), including myself. Yes, I am witty, but my ability to act is limited! In my progressed chart, I have Mars square Saturn (with Mars square Uranus) for quite a few years. Thank you so much for explaining this attitude. I tend to choose carefully how I act because I know I’d face resistance anywhere I go. Let’s just say that Queen Elizabeth I taught me a lot about timing, and choosing my words and actions wisely.

  36. This is a much appreciated post, Elsa! It’s a link from your most recent blog entry. Especially timely with Mars soon to leave Libra and join Saturn in Scorpio. They will be conjunct in my Ascendant. I have Pluto with Mars square Saturn. I don’t think I’m seen as cruel when I come to speak my truth, but I come off as too angry because I’ve waited too long to assert myself.

  37. Avatar
    ScottishFoldSoul

    I agree that perceiving effectiveness as cruelty is distorted and wrong. I think what causes the confusion is when one effective person in particular happens to also be cruel in his/her personal life.

  38. Once I decide what needs to be done, I’m pretty effective. I don’t know if others see me as cruel though. Maybe they do and I just dont know about it:)

    To be honest sometimes I wonder how others get along in the world as they are so ineffective? I try not to get too hung up on what other people are doing but I’m baffled pretty regularly. I figure they must have other survival skills that I can’t see.

    Marsin Scorpio sextile Saturn.

  39. Elsa said: “To solve this problem, you have to be willing to embrace Mars and Saturn energy. On the Saturn side, I’m talking about responsibility, commitment, discipline and perseverance. Mars requires you act. You’ve got to break out on your own and assert yourself. You’ve got to fight (Mars) through resistance (Saturn).”

    Timely post for me to stumble upon. I have a strong Saturn signature so it has always featured prominently in my life.

    What has been coming back to life recently is my Mars. My Mars took a serious beating the past decade or so. I am just now reviving it, rehabbing it, fortifying it, and we are gonna take on the world again, me and my Mars!

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