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Tarot Musings
Jun. 21st, 2018 02:31 amThis should probably be a Patreon post, and I will likely put some version or follow-up of this there, but you folks asked me about whether I've thought about designing a Tarot or other divination deck, and that led to thinky thoughts about what I would want to do, if I were going to go to the trouble of designing 78 (or so) cards. And I'd like feedback on these thoughts, which is more likely to happen here.
So, my first thought is that one of the things a Tarot deck is is a symbolic representation of the world and the people in it.
Given that the decks were first designed in the middle ages, it is not really surprising that the worldview pictured in most decks is really pretty true to those origins. We have kings, queens, knights, and pages. Women other than queens are not represented in the court cards, and are generally treated as beings of lesser importance than men. Likewise, children and elders are rarely represented. Intersex, trans, and enby people are not represented at all.
And yet, if we move away from the imagery of kings and queens, knights and servants, what would be a better representational model for the world?
There are other things to consider as well. Economic and political models have changed a lot since medieval times. Education has changed as well, and radio, television, and the internet have also changed how the world works, and how we see ourselves and each other.
I don't see a need in this world for yet another medieval-world-view Tarot deck. I'm not sure there's a need, exactly, for a Tarot that more accurately reflects the world of today and tomorrow, but certainly if I were to spend the time needed to design and properly execute a new deck, that would be far more interesting.
So, my first thought is that one of the things a Tarot deck is is a symbolic representation of the world and the people in it.
Given that the decks were first designed in the middle ages, it is not really surprising that the worldview pictured in most decks is really pretty true to those origins. We have kings, queens, knights, and pages. Women other than queens are not represented in the court cards, and are generally treated as beings of lesser importance than men. Likewise, children and elders are rarely represented. Intersex, trans, and enby people are not represented at all.
And yet, if we move away from the imagery of kings and queens, knights and servants, what would be a better representational model for the world?
There are other things to consider as well. Economic and political models have changed a lot since medieval times. Education has changed as well, and radio, television, and the internet have also changed how the world works, and how we see ourselves and each other.
I don't see a need in this world for yet another medieval-world-view Tarot deck. I'm not sure there's a need, exactly, for a Tarot that more accurately reflects the world of today and tomorrow, but certainly if I were to spend the time needed to design and properly execute a new deck, that would be far more interesting.
