Different...Very.
I hear it's because they're often for a particular combination of houses that maybe most people fall into or something. I remember a time when whoever wrote for the Cosmopolitan was on the nose for me, so they must have had a close enough combination of my houses in mind. Sometimes I want to go to a crystal ball fortune teller but it's that deeply rooted Christian in me that's afraid I'll get hexed or something lol
Houses, huh? It could be so. Those who create certain things often pull from experience/wisdom and organize them into groups/categories. In some Asian countries, we have meditation and channeling chi/energy. A lot of religions focuses on the happiness and hardships, often requesting the follower to stay strong and forgive, be humble, and etc. I notice the common themes in them.
In my opinion, it comes down to ones mindset. If you have always been aware of all the good/bad things in your life, then you wouldn't need to rely on a reading (you already know what path you're walking on, and what your answers/results will be). If you weren't aware, then yeah, you will be afraid of the unknown, and most likely be ill-equipped for what comes your way. I'm currently like, "Okay, that's a bummer, but I'll do better next time because now I know."