Beyond Pluto in Cancer p.2: The Astrology of the Silent Generation
- Kaitlyn Maura
- 1 minute ago
- 14 min read
Introduction
If you've read my article about the Pluto in Cancer generation, you'll know that this is a very large group, comprised of both the Greatest Generation AND the Silent Generation! If you haven't read that article yet, I strongly suggest that you do so, when you can, by clicking here, because this article is, more or less, an extension of what is already written there. However, instead of discussing the position of Pluto (a planet associated with death, destruction, rebirth, renewal and the will to power), this article is more concerned with the other generational planets, Uranus (planet of innovation, rebellion, revolution and everything unexpected) and Neptune (the planet of illusion, imagination and spiritual transcendence). All three of these planets are slow-moving and more concerned with the collective than the personal, but the position of Uranus and Neptune will say more about the subtle differences between these two generations, as well as their sub-groups.
I have already written about The Greatest Generation, the older half of the generation born with Pluto in Cancer, which you can read here. This article is, instead, focused on the younger half of this demographic, known as the "Silent Generation." While both groups have Pluto in Cancer, the younger group was born with Uranus in Aries or Taurus and Neptune in Leo or Virgo (in contrast to the older folks who were born with Uranus in Aquarius or Pisces and Neptune in Cancer or Leo).
Uranus in Aries (1927-1935)
Uranus first entered Aries in April 1927 and (apart from a short retrograde period back into Pisces between November 1927 and January 1928) remained there until 1935. As a cardinal fire sign ruled by Mars, Aries may very well have the loudest energy amongst all the signs, but believe it or not, those born during this transit were, perhaps ironically, amongst the oldest of the "Silent Generation," a group known for their shyness and a general tendency to remain cautious. It's a bit of a funny name to give the generation born at the end of the "silent film era" with Uranus's move from Pisces to Aries corresponding with the release of Hollywood's first ever "talking pictures" as well as the first color TV. This was at the end of the 1920's, when Neptune was still transiting the sign of Leo, a fire sign like Aries, but more associated with entertainment and stardom. However, Uranus in Aries was about more than just noise and light.
Aries is the sign of the pioneer, the initiator of new things and explorer of unseen horizons, while Uranus is the planet of the innovative revolutionary, a symbol of creative genius & bold "outside-the-box" thinking. So, it isn't surprising that this era corresponded with so many strives in technology, such as the first transatlantic airplane flights, or even the discovery of Pluto itself (in February 1930 with Neptune in the observant sign of Virgo). Likewise, it is not surprising that most of these folks would come of age in the 1950's & 60's, a time known for its activism & counterculture, and the birth of the stereotypical "teenager." What's surprising is that these loud rock'n'roll greasers and civil rights leaders were part of a generation named for its silence!
On second thought, however, the name makes more astrological sense when you consider the influence of Uranus in Aries square to Pluto in Cancer and the stress that it must have caused for anyone born and raised during this transit's reign. This square, which primarily took place between 1932 and 1934, when Neptune was in the stereotypically "quieter" sign of Virgo, is a stressful aspect associated with extreme upheaval and social change, which we can see play out in real time when considering that these years coincided with the turmoil of the Great Depression and the rise of Naziism & other fascist ideologies. Having been born & raised during such a stressful period would have no doubt had an influence on the development of this generation. Keep in mind too, that they also came of age during a time of rising dictatorships, and paranoia (i.e. McCarthyism in the United States).
So, while these folks may indeed be driven by an instinctual impulse to rebel, innovate and express their individuality as loudly as possible (Uranus in Aries), they simultaneously possess a strong protective instinct (Pluto in Cancer) which includes the knowledge that it is not always safe to do so. Therefore, we can look to the influence of Uranus in Aries as giving birth to a generation of silent warriors, who rather than being "cautious & timid", were wise in knowing that sometimes, remaining quiet, is the strongest, most boldest thing one can do. Unlike other generations who may be more talk than action, this was a generation known for its strong work ethic and ability to get things done.
With: Neptune in Leo (1927-1929)
The name "silent generation" also partially derives from the decrease in births that took place during these years, making this generation a lot smaller than the previous one. However, even amongst the already small population of those born with Pluto in Cancer and Uranus in Aries, the sub-group with Neptune in Leo was even smaller. This is because Neptune entered Virgo shortly after Uranus's transit into Aries, only for it to retrograde back into Leo for just a few months! In any case, this makes for a very fiery combination and the considerably small size of people born with it makes their already intensely individualistic natures even stronger!
It is, perhaps, no surprise then that a large number of celebrities were born during this time, that might seem intuitively disproportionate to the number of people born as a whole. This group included a wide range of famous people, from American rock'n'roll pioneer, Link Wray (who had Mars conjunct Pluto in Cancer) to Belgian-born British actress, Aubrey Hepburn (an Aquarius Rising with Neptune in Leo directly opposed her Ascendant). From teenage Holocaust victim & writer, Anne Frank (a Leo Rising and Moon conjunct Neptune in the 1st house with Uranus on her Aries Midheaven) to celebrated pop artist, Andy Warhol (a Leo Sun and Rising with Neptune in the 1st conjunct his Venus, and an Aries Moon conjunct Uranus but square Pluto in Cancer) and legendary film-maker, Stanley Kubrick (another Leo Sun, who had Mercury in Cancer conjunct Pluto, but also Neptune in Leo, too, in the 10th house of career closely square his Moon in Scorpio), this small group included what might seem like a surprisingly large number of people who would go on to become passionate pioneers in their fields, adding a dramatic flair and love of life to the personalities of a generation otherwise known for its more conservative traits.
Or: Neptune in Virgo (1928-1935)
When Neptune entered Virgo in September 1928, Uranus in Aries stayed true to its pioneering spirit, making advances in health, a theme that the sign of the virgin, a symbol of perfection and purity, is often associated with. While Neptune did go retrograde into Leo in February 1929, this was short-lived, as the blue planet re-entered the mutable earth sign in July that same year. This time coincided with many key developments in the field of healthcare, such as the creation of the American FDA (food and drug administration), the beginning of the International Red Cross movement to protect human health, the first iron lung respirator used at Boston's Children Hospital and Scottish microbiologist, Alexander Fleming's re-discovery of the antibiotic, Penicillin. Of course, it's important to remember that many of the public health initiatives that arose at this time came about in response to a fragile economic situation and a world at war. So, while it indeed shows evidence of Neptune in Virgo's preoccupation with health and Uranus in Aries' inventiveness, along with the more caring nature of Pluto in Cancer, these positives unfortunately seem to go hand-in-hand with the more "negative" aspects of these transits.
It is, perhaps, fair to say that the fun-loving leonine nature of the roaring twenties came to an end in October 1929 with the largest stock market crash in American history. In contrast to the exciting Jazz Age-era of Neptune in Leo, this led to a time of austerity and humility more characteristic of Neptune in Virgo. To perhaps put it more bluntly, this led to a period of widespread and unemployment known to Americans as the Great Depression, but these depressing times were in no way limited to the United States either. For example, World War 1 reparations resulted in a suffering German economy while Austria went bankrupt, leading to concerns about the fate of Central Europe as a whole. Meanwhile, the Soviet Union, led by Josef Stalin after Trotsky's execution, suffered from a famine that would cause millions to starve to death. China's 1931 flood led to similar consequences. This was also the time of the dust bowl and FDR's New Deal.
True to the spirit of Pluto in Cancer, new ways of "nurturing" the population were invented in response to the problems that were forcing consumers to cut back, such as the invention of frozen food. With Uranus in Aries, these new inventions were coming out quickly too, with products of all sorts becoming streamlined. This included the first canned beer and boardgames such as Monopoly (which makes sense, since I'd associate Aries with games, as I've discussed in other articles). Fashion became simpler too. In contrast to the elaborate patterns of the roaring 20's and Art Deco, clothing became more casual and more versatile, in a way that's practical for daily activities. Essentially, with Neptune in Virgo, efficiency became the new ideal.
Neptune is, of course with the exception of Jupiter, the planet most often associated with spirituality and religion & in the sign of Virgo, purity was idealized to the point where the sign's name could be taken rather literally. For example, the Catholic Church would release a new declaration on prohibiting birth control, at this time, reflecting the view of the virgin (or: mother?) as an idealized figure, while the Protestant-led prohibition on alcohol in the U.S. continued its idealization of a different kind of virginity, until its repeal in 1933. On a similar note, marijuana was banned around this time, as well, and the need to enforce ideals of "perfect behavior" led to the creation of all sorts of new rules, which with Pluto in Cancer & Uranus in Aries were often implemented in a militaristic, sometimes nationalistic fashion (and for example, this was when Alcatraz prison was founded).
Neptune in Virgo's search for purification took other forms too, and perhaps it's here that the sinister nationalism of Pluto in Cancer took its darkest, most ugliest turn. Both "science" and "religion" alike were used to justify the illogical and immoral belief in racial purity that catapulted Adolf Hitler to power in Nazi Germany, while a coup took place in Chile on the basis of instilling a similar ideology. With Uranus in Aries, it should come as no surprise that the seeds of World War 2 were planted during this time. It makes sense that Neptune in Virgo's delusional obsession with purity would be tied to this too, while Pluto in Cancer indicates that this would be focused through an ancestral or racial lens, with rising fascism in Europe and wars throughout the globe (i.e. between China & Japan, civil wars in India, etc. etc.). Uranus briefly left the sign of Aries in June 1934, only to come back four months later, finally leaving in March 1935.
As for the world of art, considering the bold blunt truth-telling attitude of Uranus in Aries combined with the down-to-earth, practical nature of Neptune in Virgo, it probably comes as no surprise that photography became a popular medium during this period. In general, social realism was an important movement during this periods, as artists were motivated by a desire to depict the harsh realities of poverty and/or war experienced by people during this period. Of course, many people wanted to use art as a means to escape these harsh realities too, and interestingly, a lot of the art movements that came out of this period, on the surface at least, seem like they would be more characteristic of Neptune in Virgo's opposite sign, the mystical, magical, and dream-like sign of Pisces. In Latin America, Magical Realism flourished while in Europe, surrealism and cubism dominated the scene. However, despite the magical or dream-like (or otherwise Neptunian) nature of the content or subject matter, these art-forms were nevertheless realistic in their level of precision and detail (as Virgo would certainly indicate!) and often bold in their political undertones. In any case, we could see Uranus in Aries as risk-taking and even experimental in its approach to new art forms.
Even though ruled by the communicative planet, Mercury, Virgo is still generally known for being a more introverted sign. Neptune in this logical and orderly earth sign gives its natives a practical nature and a certain love of tradition that, in combination with the stereotypical characteristics of Pluto in Cancer, perhaps earn the Silent Generation a right to its name, despite the high energy normally associated with Uranus in Aries. This combination of planetary energies, however, makes for a very productive and hardworking generation, known for it's active get-up-and-go nature, as well as efficiency and attention to detail, a perfect combination of both bravery and humility.
Some famous examples of people born in this part of the generation include African-American Civil Rights activist, Martin Luther King Jr. (whose Capricorn Sun was opposite Pluto in Cancer, showing a struggle against the powers that be), and rock'n'roll icon, Elvis Presley (whose Sagittarius Rising was square his Neptune in Virgo close to his MC). Many famous actors and actresses were born during this period, as well, from Clint Eastwood (who had Neptune in Virgo very close to his Midheaven) to Elizabeth Taylor (whose Pisces Sun/Mercury opposed her 10th house Neptune in Virgo), to name just a few.
Uranus in Taurus with Neptune in Virgo (1934-1939)
With Uranus in Taurus, the aftermath of the Great Depression continued, and in the U.S.A., President Roosevelt enacted the New Deal. This was essentially a series of economic reforms, very fitting for Uranus in Taurus, a fixed earth sign associated with the material realm. The trine between two earth signs placements was, perhaps, a more harmonious energy that would ultimately result in an economic boom, at least for some countries. Uranus in Taurus was more about revolutionizing the economy through the creation of the federal banking system, employment programs, etc., (i.e. the social security system began at this time) while Neptune in Virgo, a sign associated with service, was essentially about romanticizing the common man or worker and finding beauty in the mundane. These two planets together, with Pluto in Cancer's hyperfocus on the home and family, brought about a revolution in construction and architecture too, originally intended for the purpose of employing more workers, that would result in such famous landmarks as New York City's Empire State building or the Golden Gate Bridge in California.
However, it would be a lie, of course, to say this transit was all love and light. While Uranus in Aries did indeed start lots of wars, including planting the seeds for what would become known as World War 2, this second World War did not officially begin until Uranus was in Taurus (and likewise, it didn't end until well after it was in Gemini). This is a good example of how Taurus, as the fixed sign, represents a continuation of the themes begun by Aries, a cardinal sign, just like Taurus maintains the Spring Season (at least in the western hemisphere) initiated by the Sun's entrance into Aries at the Vernal Equinox. Of course, this is less "Spring" we're talking about here, and more like "Nuclear Winter." Uranus in Taurus shook up the economy, which may have made many people vulnerable to rising conservative nationalism, as discussed in the Pluto in Cancer article. This time period included many of the Holocaust's most horrific events. In addition to Adolf Hitler, dictators in other parts of the world, such as Joseph Stalin in Russia, or Benito Mussolini in Italy, were also responsible for the deaths of many people. Meanwhile, this period saw mass Jewish immigration to Mandatory Palestine, where in 1936-39, the Arab Revolt took place.
With Uranus and Neptune both in earth signs, it is probably expected that the popular art movements of the time would move in a more realistic direction with emphasis on what's concrete. For example, photography became increasingly popular at this time, but even the more traditional visuals art seemed to move in a more down to earth direction as a response to the Great Depression, World War 2 and the other problems that affected people's everyday lives at this time. This can be seen through art movements such as social realism, regionalism which depicted rural American landscapes and/or scenes from history, and precisionism. Meanwhile, on a similar note, Uranus in Taurus with Uranus in Neptune brought about new ways of communicating the reality of people's experiences in material forms that others could access, such as television and magazines. For example, the BBC launched the world's very first regular high-definition (HD) TV service during this time, while the weekly news magazine known as Life was issued for the first time.
Of course, as an earth sign, Taurus is very much associated with nature, which Uranus brought disruptions to in the form of natural disasters during this transit, as well, and with Pluto in Cancer, it makes some sense that a lot of these disasters involved water. This included flood sand typhoons, among many others, while some man-made structures such as well-known bridges collapsed. Some of nature's species, such as the Bali tiger became extinct at this time too. Meanwhile, the cold and mysterious areas of the Arctic and Antarctica were given more scientific examination at this time.
Meanwhile, the health focus of Neptune's transit through Virgo continued to remain relevant too, in addition to the whole purity focus. While prohibition had ended, Alcoholics Anonymous was actually founded at this time. On a similar note, regarding psychological wellbeing, stress was first recognized as a biological condition, and the now-known-to-be-dangerous-and-ineffective procedure of transorbital lobotomy to the brain was first documented. On another note, the previously 99% fatal condition of streptococcous meningitis was successfully treated for the first time with sulfonamide.
These individuals are especially grounded in the material world. Given the hardships they grew up with (i.e. the after effects of the Great Depression, widespread poverty, the dust bowl, World War 2 etc.), it should come as no surprise that this generation would grow up to know the value of money and resources. Furthermore, this is a generation who had to learn to be creative with the limited resources they had, displaying the great fortitude, tenacity and willpower associated with Uranus in Taurus, while finding beauty in the simple & mundane like Neptune in Virgo. These planets essentially gave birth to a group of people who would grow up to excel in business and entrepreneurship, practical people with their feet on the ground, who rather than being selfish, used their business skills & creativity to care for people and/or help those close to them, like Pluto in Cancer would indicate. This generation would grow up to share new ideas about the environment, the economy and material sustenance, as well as improved or more holistic methods regarding areas of health & wellness (i.e. remember: they would mostly come to age in the 1950's & 60's) just as these placements would suggest.
Famous people born during this period include the controversial filmmaker Woody Allen (a Virgo Rising with Neptune in the 1st house and Taurus Midheaven with Uranus in the 10th), the comedian George Carlin (also a Taurus Sun) and activist/aerobics-instructor/actress, Jane Fonda (who had Pluto in Cancer at the last degree opposite her Capricorn Rising & Jupiter) to list just a few. Some other famous names include legendary actor, Morgan Freeman (whose Gemini Sun was square Neptune in Virgo with its ruling planet, Mercury conjunct Uranus in Taurus, which rules the throat hence the iconic voice) and the other legendary actor, Jack Nicholson (a Taurus Sun conjunct Uranus & Virgo Moon conjunct Neptune with Pluto in Cancer arguably making an out of sign conjunction to his Leo Rising), along with many, many, many others!
Conclusion
While I hope you find this information interesting or enlightening in some way, it is by no means a comprehensive analysis. I am aware that there are probably plenty of other things I've forgotten to include, as I am not a historian, and I do sincerely apologize for this. Of course, if you can think of anything yourself, please feel free to mention it in the "comments" section below
If you have any of these placements yourself, you can schedule a reading with me here to learn more about how they affect you personally. While I emphasize that Uranus, Neptune & Pluto are "generational" planets, their house placement in your birth chart, along with any aspects these planets make, will influence you in their own unique ways, showing how and/or to what extent you, as an individual, actually relate to the characteristics considered "typical" of your generation. For those wanting to learn more about their relationship with someone else of this generation (whether a family member, friend, partner or colleague, anybody really, anybody who you're looking to get along with or understand better), these planets (which definitely play a role in the "generational divide") can also be looked at in a synastry reading, which you can schedule with me here.
